 Teenage drug abuse is a potential horror for all parents. It scares the hell out of all loving moms and dads who want to avoid a life of misery, guilt and shame. Teenage drug abuse quite often starts with the most accessible items around the house: inhalants. Inhalant abuse includes a widely diverse group of volatile substances whose vapors can induce a mind-altering “high.” Inhalant abuse is performed by “sniffing” and “snorting” vapors directly from a container or by “huffing” from a substance soaked rag. Vapors can also be inhaled from a plastic bag called “bagging.” It is one of the most insidious forms of teenage drug abuse in contemporary society today.
Volatile solvents are found in common household products that include paint thinners, glues, nail polish remover, marking pens and shoe polish. Aerosol sprays have solvents and propellants in deodorants, hair sprays, vegetable oil sprays for cooking and butane, a common gas used as a propellant. Gasses such as nitrous oxide are also often abused and can be found in whipped cream dispensers and products that boost octane levels in racing cars, in addition to butane lighters, dust removers, and many other readily available products.
Why does teenage drug abuse often start with inhalants? The lure appears to be the fact that the “high” usually lasts only a few minutes, thus making it easier to conceal than with alcohol or marijuana. Inhalant abuse also targets the same areas of the brain as alcohol, such as the frontal lobe, which so happens to be our decision-making center.
So, mom and dad ask, how do I know? What are some of the signs? Indicators of this behavior include paint or stains on the body or clothing, spots or sores around the mouth, red or runny eyes and nose, a drunken or dazed appearance, loss of appetite, excitability and/or irritability. However, one of the most reliable signs is a chemical odor on the breath or clothing. In other words, anything out of the ordinary should trigger a parent’s increased attention.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) sponsors an annual survey that documents drug abuse. Data shows that the highest rates of these self-destructive behaviors have been recorded at some point between seventh and ninth grades. The percentage of eighth graders who have tried inhalants seems to have leveled out at 17 percent. There has been a gradual increase since 2002.
Long-term abusers may display a plethora of neuropsychiatric signs and symptoms such as memory loss, delusions, hallucinations, changes in vision, hearing loss and sense of smell. In other words, brain damage. (Meadows & Verghase, 1996) Saddest of all, emergency rooms report that most teens arrive either unconscious or dead.
As one might expect, there appears to be a direct link between child abuse and inhalant use. (Fendrich et al., 1997; Pagare et al., 2004) As an addictions therapist, I see the effects of physical, emotional and sexual trauma daily. Once trauma ensues, the victim requires a means to cope. Quite often their tools are limited and a means to escape is sought. It’s actually quite logical from the rose-colored perspective of the hurt and wounded.
So what does your “average” parent do to minimize the potential for this abuse by their children? First, ask yourself, does my child feel free to openly and honestly discuss problems? Is my child afraid that he or she will be harshly judged? And so importantly, does my child trust me? Am I a good example of all that I teach? Do I walk the walk? When in doubt, the courageous parent isn’t afraid to get help.
In terms of treatment, the impact of this abuse can be significantly reduced if we recognize and remove the systemic and financial barriers that currently exist. (Libby & Riggs, 2005) Education, communication and a zealot-like determination to provide for your child’s emotional security are key components to avoiding the lifetime abyss of parental guilt and shame.
DJ Diebold, CACII, LISAC
(Mr. Diebold is an addictions therapist and can be reached at 480-650-1020 or online at asktheinternettherapist.com) |
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