Why Does Spray Huffing Paint Become Addictive

By
Aanchal Rao
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Why Does Spray Huffing Paint Become Addictive - DATOS

Breathing in the smell of the stuff in spray huffing paint makes people feel really good for a short time. It’s like a quick and strong happy feeling.

This happens because the bad chemicals in spray huffing paint slow down the brain and body, just like when people drink alcohol or take calming medicines.

Teenagers are most likely to get hooked on inhaling these bad chemicals from spray huffing paint.

Breathing in Bad Stuff from Paint

People use different ways to breathe in bad fumes from chemicals:

  • Smelling from the container.
  • Spraying it into their mouth or nose.
  • Breathing fumes from things sprayed into a bag.
  • Putting paint-soaked rags in their mouth.

They mostly breathe in bad things from everyday stuff like paint thinner, glue, spray cans, or other things that have strong smells.

Breathing in Fumes is Using Things the Wrong Way

When people use too much of a chemical or medicine in a way it’s not meant to be used, that’s called substance abuse. Like when they put their nose in a spray huffing paint can or breathe in stuff from a spray can – that’s not how these things should be used.

Just like using other things the wrong way, breathing in spray huffing paint fumes or stuff from spray cans can cause problems for your body and mind and can make you really like doing it all the time.

People who abuse these things usually need help to stop and stay away from them. The government has groups and info to help with this.

People Like it Because it’s Cheap and Easy to Get

Breathing in spray huffing paint is popular because it doesn’t cost much and you can find it easily. It makes you feel good for a short time, but people who do it usually keep doing it for a few hours to make a good feeling last longer.

An organization called the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says that getting addicted to spray huffing paint is not common, but if you keep breathing in the fumes, you can become addicted. This can make you sick and not able to do your duties at home, work, or school.

NIDA also says that a type of therapy called cognitive behavioural therapy is a good way to help with this addiction. It teaches people to recognize and avoid situations that make them want to breathe in spray paint fumes.

Breathing in Spray Huffing Paint Fumes Can Be Really Bad

The bad chemicals in spray huffing paint go into your body when you breathe them in. They travel to your brain and make you feel weird.

This is kind of like what happens when people use calming medicines or drink alcohol, but it doesn’t last as long. Breathing in spray huffing paint in a bad way can have very serious results: it can hurt your brain, your nerves, and even cause sudden death.

Because the bad chemicals go into your blood, they can hurt all your organs like your heart, liver, and kidneys, and even your bones. Breathing in spray huffing paint fumes for a long time can lead to high blood pressure and problems with your heartbeat.

You could also have a really bad heart problem, a stroke, or hurt your lungs. Some of the damage from breathing in bad chemicals can get better if you stop, but a lot of it might not. If a pregnant woman does this, it can hurt the baby’s growth.

What is Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS) is when people suddenly die because they breathed in harmful things too much. This harms their brain, heart, and important body parts by not giving them enough oxygen.

The main reasons for SSDS are:

  • Not breathing enough air in and out of the lungs.
  • Not having enough oxygen in the blood.
  • Having too much carbon dioxide in the blood.
  • Having a body temperature that’s too low.

Short-Term Side Effects

Bad things can happen quickly when you breathe in harmful stuff.

Breathing in bad fumes like huffing or sniffing can make you feel and act strange:

  • Like when you’re drunk from alcohol.
  • Your words might sound funny or you might not walk well.
  • You could feel like things are spinning or you’re not thinking clearly.
  • You might get mad easily or your mood could change a lot.
  • You might do things you wouldn’t normally do.
  • You could feel really tired or sleepy.

Signs and Symptoms

Things you can see or feel when someone is breathing in these bad fumes.

Signs of Breathing in Bad Huffing Paint Fumes:

  • Eyes moving strangely
  • Smelling like strong chemicals on clothes or breath
  • Talking like you’re not clear
  • Feeling sick or not hungry
  • Walking in a wobbly way.
  • Breathing in bad fumes can also make your mind feel bad. You might feel really happy one moment, then sad, or scared. This can also need treatment.

Lots of Teens Are Breathing Bad Stuff:

Breathing in chemicals is a way some teenagers use to do bad things with substances. Even though people worry about drugs like marijuana or cocaine, young people often use regular things found at home that have strong smells or come in spray cans.

A big study found that around 21.7 million Americans aged 12 and up tried breathing in these chemicals at least once. Young people’s brains are still growing, so they might not know how to stop doing this bad thing.

If a parent or someone taking care of a young person thinks they might be breathing in bad stuff or using any drugs, they should talk to a doctor or a person who knows about addiction. They can give advice about what to do next.

Can You Take Too Much by Breathing In

Yes, just like with other stuff, breathing in too much of these fumes can make you very sick, hurt your body, or even cause death. Even healthy young people can have this problem, even if they’ve never done it before.

Paint spray overdosing may cause:

Taking Too Much Paint Spray Can Make Really Bad Things Happen:

  • Heart suddenly stops working.
  • Not enough air because bad fumes take the place of oxygen in your lungs.
  • Can’t breathe if a plastic bag goes over your head.
  • Body shakes a lot because of how it affects the brain.
  • Being in a deep sleep where your body doesn’t work well.
  • Choking on throw-up.
  • Getting hurt while breathing in the bad fumes.
  • Other things in spray cans are also dangerous.

Breathing in Bad Things from Spray Cans and More

People don’t just breathe in paint; they also do this with things like hair stuff, deodorant, fabric spray, computer cleaner, and even cooking oil that comes in spray cans.

It’s not the name on the can that matters; it’s the chemicals inside that make you feel good and also cause harm when you breathe them in.

What’s Inside Spray Paint

Some of the stuff in spray paint is butane, propane, and freon. These things can make you suddenly die if you breathe them in too much, and they can easily catch fire. If they get close to fire, you might get badly burned. Freon, also used in fridges, can hurt your breathing and your liver if you breathe it in too much.

When Was Spray Paint Made

In 1949, a man named Edward Seymour from Illinois made spray paint. His wife gave him the idea to put paint in a can that sprays. He started a company to make these spray paints.

But, people found a bad way to use it. They breathed in the fumes from the spray cans to feel high, even though it’s not safe. This started happening more in the 1950s.

By the 1960s, people were doing this with many other things like paint thinner, things to light fires, and stuff to remove nail polish. In 2011, companies in the US made 412 million spray paint cans.

Read More: Why Does Spray Huffing Paint Become Addictive

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