Substances like glue, and solvents like nail varnish and paint thinners among others give off fumes that contain several toxic chemicals which have a mind-altering effect if inhaled.
Glue sniffing induces a state of hallucination not unlike an inebriated condition, and marked by incoherent speech, the inability to maintain balance and to discern things clearly.
The immediate effects of glue sniffing can lead to suffocation and unconsciousness - which could be fatal as the fumes depress the respiratory system and rate of heart beats; also, as one is not in control of one's senses, one can easily get involved in accidents and injure oneself.
The hallucinogenic effect generally lasts for about 15 minutes, with a severe headache and a stupor-like condition occurring afterwards, and it may be hours before one can regain full control over one's faculties. Long-term abuse of the substance results in damage to the kidneys, liver, brain and overall nervous system.
The fumes also have a degenerative effect on the nasal cavity and lining, resulting in discomfort while breathing. Some other related effects are chronic respiratory problems like bronchitis, skin rashes, loss of weight, unstable temperament and diminished levels of concentration.
Glue sniffing is similar to taking drugs. The fumes get to the brain by being absorbed through the lungs. The fumes make you light-headed and numb.
Some people get high, but develop a mean hangover a few hours later.
It is not a good idea to sniff glue or paint, because the effects do more harm than good. It also causes brain damage, and sometimes blood vessels will pop in the brain, causing a mild stroke.
I was addicted to glue and white spirit. It felt good when I used it and when I didn't use it, it made me mad.
One day when I was using glue, my heart started to run fast and I was not able to breathe - and my heartbeat was almost stopped. There was no one there that time, but my luck was there, so my heart started to beat again. I was not able to sleep well.
If you used it, I beg you to stop using glue...
IMPORTANT : If somebody has stopped sniffing, that is good - but if you start it again suddenly, YOUR HEART MAY STOP BEATING AND IT WILL CAUSE DEATH.
I know of someone who is huffing. I have never seen her but I hear from her children and her family. They see her when she is high, but do nothing to help.
What can I do if she is at home and passed out and her children are there? She is in the stage of getting violent to others who confront her with her abuse.
The long term effect it has had on my brother and his family (and also extended families) has been extremely difficult to fathom...
My brother is currently in hospital, undergoing neurological tests that over the past few days showed signs of normality - but they just could not figure why or how he looked the way he did, weighing in at only 58kgs: A gorgeous young man at 40 who is 6"2.
My brother has vision impairment of below 40, his nerve system has broken down and he has no feeling in parts of his legs, and is almost paralytic and now wheelchair-bound.
He needs assistance to go the toilet etc etc. This is a guy who has travelled the world, had a song that was sensational: An overnight success and made him a very rich man.
He is a father and husband and brother to many. He was a hard-core drug user for much of his childhood, teens and adult life, became successful through music, drug-free for possibly ten years on his own - with no help from medical experts or rehabilitation which must have been emotionally and mentally difficult to deal and cope with.
In order to maintain some sanity from the glitterati, the feelings of failure to reproduce musically, and other other barriers that prevented him living his life normally, he turned to an alternative way of life through abusing substances such as glue and paint thinner.
Three years ago, I wanted to have my brother committed..we spoke about it and he told me he would hate me forever and never speak to me..which is the attitude and behaviour he carried over a long period of time years actually with everyone and everything...almost blaming others for his failures in life...
Personally I would rather him hate me then watch him die....I send emails galore about getting help etc etc..but was told that, to have him committed it would mean someone who has lost sight of his mental state of mind and losing control that impaired his thinking etc.
My brother at the time had a good brain, talked with a slur but conversed well, had a sense of humor and was quick-witted, so committing him could not happen. But four years on...times have changed, he has changed...life has changed for his families...
I love my brother...always have..always will....I want him to live without all the fears of life, without the failures, without the dramas, without the music success - because to his family he is always going to be a star in our eyes, regardless. We want him to live the rest of his life peacefully, being happy and enjoying the growing up of his children and grandchildren....
Writing this...I guess helped deal with it for 5 minutes, so I thank you for this opportunity. It's a day-to-day basis, and we are just going to take it one step at a time.
Your breath smells big time. You lose ability to control your bodily function and pooh yourself. You see things that are not there. Your feet get smelly and you die!
OK, the actual EFFECT of huffing glue, or the nitrous oxide in the glue, is a very relaxed sensation, almost like a 15-25 minute erection... Increased heartrate, breathing, and stamina.
