Signs and Symptoms of Inhalant Addiction

What is Glue Sniffing?

Glue Sniffing is a form of inhalant abuse. Those who sniff glue are intoxicating fumes from the solvents found in the adhesives. Often people will sniff glue as a way to escape from the stress of daily life or to fill in for boredom. It is growing in popularity amongst Indian teenagers because it is easily obtainable and effects are almost instantaneous. After sniffing glue the abuser experiences a feeling of euphoria and exhilaration.

How Glue is Sniffed

Typically people who sniff glue will empty the solvent into a plastic bag and then put their face inside, breathing deeply. The solvant can also be heated and then inhaled or it can be poured onto a rag and the vapors then inhaled.

Effects of Glue Sniffing

·         dizziness

·         loss of coordination

·         muscular movement

·         slurring of speech

·         mental deterioration

·         hallucinations

·         drowsiness

·         coma

·         respiratory failure

Many people have lost their lives while high on glue because they feel urged to “attempt the impossible”.

Glue Sniffing Use

Glue sniffing is common amongst teenagers looking for a way to get high. With glue easy to come by and its effects almost instantaneous many young people use glue sniffing on a regular basis. Feelings of euphoria, invincibility, exhilaration and the hallucinations produced by glue sniffing often will lead to long term use. When a person sniffs glue over a long period of time they will develop a tolerance and even a physical and psychological dependency to the drug. When stopping its use they will experience withdrawal symptoms than vary in severity amongst users.

Glue sniffing is a danger to the persons health. Drowsiness caused by glue sniffing can result in coma and respiratory failure. The means of sniffing glue such as within a bag can result in suffocation. Heart failure can occur in users of high doses.

Signs of Glue Sniffing Addiction

·         smells of glue

·         thoughts and actions consumed by glue sniffing

·         trouble concentrating

·         Prolonged use

·         Withdrawal when stopping its use

·         Trouble at work, home and school

·         Difficulties in personal relationships

·         Financial strain

·         Lack of interest in normal activities

Withdrawal Symptoms of Glue Sniffing

·         Forgetfulness

·         difficulty concentrating

·         Anorexia

·         nausea

·         Irritability

·         excitability

·         Anxiety

·         Sleep disturbances

Glue Sniffing Addiction Treatment

Treatment is necessary for a glue sniffing addiction to treat the physical and psychological dependency that has developed before there is any serious damage caused to the mind and body. Medical treatment will be provided to the addict to prevent any damage to the heart during the withdrawal period. A medical detoxification process will be used to cleanse the patient of the chemicals and toxins associated with glue sniffing.

Glue sniffing addiction is not purely physical, it has many psychological aspects to it. Therapy and counseling sessions all allow the patient to work through their psychological addiction to glue sniffing and any underlying causes. The patient will be able to recognize the behaviours and routines associated with glue sniffing and make changes to ones that will promote sober living. The patient will gain the tools that they need to prevent relapse throughout their stay within our treatment facility.

Shafa Home is a residential treatment facility and nasha mukti kendra offering complete treatment for substance abuse. We encourage you to contact one of our counsellors today if you are concerned about substance abuse

How to Identify and React to Addiction Triggers : Article By A Recovery Addict

Addiction triggers are people, places, or events that remind us of a reason we often used to drink or use drugs. Whether it’s booze on New Year’s, a cigarette to relieve stress when stuck in traffic, or compulsive eating at a party to soothe social anxiety, all addicts have triggers. These memories don’t necessarily cause us to drink or use, but they remind us of the elation or release we previously felt when drinking or using.

How to Identify Your Addiction Triggers

Identifying your addiction triggers is really just as simple as making a list. If you’ve ever tried to quit an addiction before, you will probably remember the moments when you gave in to the struggle. What were your reasons? When did a drink or a drug seem most necessary? Reflect on the justifications you used to decide to “just have one” drink or cigarette, etc.

·         De-stressing after work

·         While eating dinner

·        At a football game

·         Before going out with friends

·         Friday and Saturday nights

·         When overtired or depressed

·         Playing pool

·         Birthday parties

·         Weddings

·         When I had nothing else to do (boredom)

·         When on my way home from work driving past the liquor store

These were all moments when the addict side of my brain craved and justified my need for a drink. Some were dramatic moments — full of people, expectations, and challenges, but most were mundane, daily occurrences.

Reacting to Addiction Triggers

My counselors at Shafa Home said that being aware of my triggers was only half the battle. I also had to create plans for avoiding those situations, or methods of dealing with cravings when already in those situations. Most of the time, the solution didn’t matter to them, as long as it wasn’t drinking.

Look for solutions that alleviate the primary feeling behind the trigger. For instance, I discovered that talking to a friend or a therapist was very effective at relieving stress related to feeling lonely.

Try writing out the trigger, feeling, and solution in this format, like I did:

·Trigger > Your Feelings > Solution

·​De-stressing after work > Anger, Loneliness, Fatigue >​Call a friend

·While eating dinner > Loneliness, Fatigue > ​Drink a fruit juice

·At a dinner party > Anxiety​ > ​Keep a non-alcoholic drink in hand at all times

·At a football game > Anger, Hunger, Thirst > Keep score

·Before going out with friends > Anxiety​ > ​dinner party at home

·Friday and Saturday nights > Loneliness > ​Go to a movie or self-help group meeting

·When overtired or depressed > Anger, Loneliness, Fatigue > ​Write a journal or take a nap

·Playing pool > Anxiety > ​Keep a non-alcoholic drink in hand at all times

·Birthday parties > Anxiety > Offer to help the host

·Weddings > Anxiety, Loneliness > ​Bring a sober friend along

·When I’m bored > Loneliness > ​Pick up a new hobby: reading, painting, exercise

·Passing the liquor store on my way home from work >Fatigue > Take a different route

The goal was simply to train my brain to think of new or different solutions. This skill taught me to recognize other ways of dealing with stressful situations. We are rapidly approaching the holiday season where stress is as abundant as gifts and holiday sales.  Admission does not make you weaker or less capable of maintaining sobriety. In fact, it has the opposite effect. Acknowledging your addict mindset and calling attention to it takes away some of the power it holds over you. In fact, the times I most desperately want a drink are the ones when it is most important for me to raise my hand and ask for help. By admitting that I crave alcohol, the grip in my chest lessens and I can begin to recognize what feelings are present and driving that desire. Only then, will I be able to step out of my addict mindset.

Shafa Home is a residential treatment facility and nasha mukti kendra offering awareness of addiction triggers. We encourage you to contact one of our counsellors today if you are concerned about the addiction of your loved one. 

The Science of Social Media Addiction

The Science of Social Media Addiction 

In droves, we engage on social media with selfies, Likes, follows, and shares. These are actions that positively re-enforce the idea that social media tools provide us with good feelings. Like any pleasure-seeking activity, social media tools are addictive. With our society’s dramatic shift toward interacting over the internet and social media tools, it is easier than ever to develop an addiction to social media.

The Connection between Social Media and Addiction

If you’ve ever trained a dog, you’re familiar with negative and positive re-enforcement. Such as:

·         Negative re-enforcement uses punishment to stop a habit.

·         Positive re-enforcement encourages a behavior through something enjoyable…like a treat!

Social media tools use positive re-enforcement to drive traffic on their applications.

For instance, imagine you open an app and post a picture. If you’re one of the rare individuals who do not wait anxiously for comments, Likes, or shares – more power to you. You are not an addict. Individuals dealing with social media addiction obsessively check the app, waiting for the influx of “Likes” to create dopamine in their brain. This little bit of dopamine actually creates cravings for the behaviour which caused it.

The Science behind Addiction

At face value, a little bit of dopamine may seem harmless. After all, dopamine and serotonin are naturally occurring brain chemicals that make us happy.

The difference is that dopamine can have both positive and negative effects on an individual. When we receive the anticipated reward, we feel good. When we don’t receive the reward, we feel terrible until we get what we want – the reward. Dopamine-releasing activities (drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling, shopping, social media, etc.) do not provide long-lasting happiness and positive feelings. As a recovering alcoholic, I had to adopt new serotonin-releasing habits and then maintain them while fighting the cravings. In early sobriety, some addicts need antidepressants to manage their mental health while their body adjusts to new serotonin and dopamine levels. So, when we think we’re craving more Facebook Likes, we’re actually craving dopamine.

Shafa Home is a residential treatment facility and nasha mukti kendra offering complete and holistic treatment for social media addiction. We encourage you to contact one of our counsellors today if you are concerned about Social Media Addiction.