Is it possible to breathe with glue. The best moments of life: Substance abuse as a unique phenomenon of Russian culture

When I was going to write this material, the first thing I did was google it: side effects from using glue. But at the end of the page I found search suggestions, the general content of which came down to one thing - instructions on how to sniff glue. Fortunately, not every of the pages I opened contained detailed instructions, however, there were also sites that described in detail what needs to be done in order for you to be "poked". Moreover, the description was made so simple that even a child would understand. Actually, the children understand him, since they, most often, become the main "customers" of such a thrill.

And if the fears of the parents that the street will offer their child drugs are clearly false, because drugs, most often, cost money that children do not have. Even "weed" will necessarily require certain financial costs. But the glue will require only the correct instructions for use. The worst thing is that children who started to get high with glue are more likely to switch to other drugs, because the limits of the norm are already invisible. So if you “caught” your child for “breathing”, be sure to explain in detail and honestly to him what such things can lead to. The main thing is not to blame him for this, because from this your child will not become smarter, perhaps the forbidden fruit will become sweeter, and you simply will not know about his passion until you start to find him on the street unconscious or see him on Vienna needle marks.

Specialists distinguish several stages of intoxication. At first, the person feels the same as with alcoholic intoxication (coordination worsens, the person feels euphoric), and after that, the pain is dulled. On the Internet, I came across a story about how a girl with a burn of 15% of the body surface came to the hospital, but she felt pain because she was “high” from the solvent. The fact is that after the effect of drugs disappears, the pain manifests itself and a person may be completely shocked by what happened to him while he was in a kind of blackout.

At one of the forums, I came across a comment: “I saw a huge number of hallucinations constantly. There were different things: both good and bad. Everything would be fine, but after a month suspicious thoughts began to visit me. It began to seem to me that I was seeing the future, that I could control objects with my eyes. A fictional friend occasionally appeared inside me. Memory began to deteriorate. It has become difficult to bind words in sentences. The dose doubled. ”

This effect is not surprising, because from the substance abuse the cerebral cortex first suffers, then the cerebellum, and, most recently, the medulla oblongata. If intoxication reaches the medulla oblongata, it can cause hallucinations or impair breathing, and then a fatal outcome is possible. But even with a rare consumption of such substances, a runny nose and cough, increased general fatigue and frequent headache will become true friends of the drug addict. Disease of the liver, kidneys, bone marrow damage, decreased immunity and the occurrence of leukemia are not rare companions of the addict. And drug addicts can break. This is especially true for children. Muscle pain, poor mood and mounting anxiety - very often this leads to suicide. Therefore, if suddenly it seems to someone a pampering or a joke, think about how many children become marginalized, the dregs of society or simply die because of a condescending attitude to substance abuse. The biggest things start with small steps, as well as an incurable addiction and a broken fate - with the first bag of glue.

Tatyana Samarskaya

Substance abuse among adolescents is a serious problem for modern society, although there is an opinion that this phenomenon is much less dangerous than drug addiction. But because of its destructive effect on the body of children and adolescents, the availability of toxic substances used, the rate of development of mental dependence - this disease poses a serious threat.

Among narcologists, it is not customary to divide patients into drug addicts and drug addicts: both diseases develop according to similar principles and are subject to serious professional treatment. The only difference is in the drugs used - drug addicts take non-narcotic chemicals.

Types of Substance Abuse

With substance abuse, a person uses chemical compounds with hallucinogenic and intoxicating effects. The way they are introduced into the body is through the lungs, by inhaling the vapors. Thus, a toxic compound directly affects the brain, poisoning it and causing the death of nerve cells - neurons, resulting in intoxication. With other methods of administration, this chemical compound is usually too toxic or does not give a hallucinogenic effect.

The following types of substance abuse are distinguished depending on the substances used.

In general, when they talk about this problem, they mean substance abuse by gasoline and other readily available means from the hydrocarbon group: varnishes, paints, gases.

Substance Abuse

Toxic substances cause chronic poisoning of the body, mental and physical dependence develops. From the point of view of biological processes - substance abuse is no different from drug addiction. Substance abuse, for example, - its consequences are as dangerous as heroin addiction.

Irreversible Brain Disorders

According to statistics, a significant part of drug addicts are adolescents aged 10 to 16 years. They begin to use toxic substances, seeking new sensations. As a rule, a senior toxicoman with experience is drawn into this lesson by children. The focus of the disease on the younger generation is the main harm of substance abuse to society.

Physical danger lies in the irreversible destruction of the organic structures of the brain, disruption of the lungs, heart, liver and kidneys, the death of adolescents from an overdose. Substance abuse and its consequences are of great social significance: a teenager has a mental disturbance, he lags behind peers in development, does not learn the school curriculum and stops attending school. As a result, he closes on his addiction and completely drops out of society.

Toxicoman cannot return to normal life even in the event of a cure - irreversible disturbances in the cerebral cortex make him disabled.

How is substance abuse manifested?

Externally, the state after the use of toxic substances is similar to intoxication from alcohol. Signs of substance abuse are also similar to impaired behavior in drug addicts. There are symptoms that develop as a result of the effects of the poison on the body as a whole. A few days after the first sessions, substance users have a runny nose, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes, then bronchitis can develop. Also characteristic:

The social consequences of substance abuse are visible: the circle of communication changes, it includes the same drug addicts or children with slow mental development. Unmotivated aggression is developing, police drives are frequent.

How does addiction develop

When inhaling a toxic substance, the first signs appear after 5 minutes - dizziness, tinnitus, fog in the head. After 7-10 minutes, a coordination disorder develops. After another 3 minutes, there is euphoria, nervous excitement, unbridled fun. Then hallucinations occur within 10-15 minutes. Subjective time is thus stretched. Then the recession sets in, and the toxicoman breathes the substance again, making up to 7–8 such cycles.

Mental addiction with substance abuse can develop after 2-3 uses. The teenager is seized by the desire to experience euphoria and hallucinations again, without such sensations, discomfort arises. The toxicoman forgets the phase between inhalation and the appearance of hallucinations - he does not remember the discomfort, but he remembers the euphoria. He begins to regularly inhale toxic substances, seeks means for the implementation of his mania, it becomes the meaning of his life.

Physical dependence develops more slowly, within 1-2 months. At first, it is enough for toxic addicts to use once every 3-4 days, then they quickly slide down to daily use. As a result, the toxic substance is taken twice a day - morning and evening. Substance abuse is characterized by a rapid increase in the dose — within a month it increases by 4–5 times, and the state of intoxication shortens to 1–2 hours. At the same time, the body's reactions to the toxin are weakened - inflammatory phenomena from the mucous membranes, palpitations and shortness of breath are less pronounced.

As a result of cessation of use, disorders occur on the part of the central and autonomic nervous system - withdrawal syndrome, or withdrawal syndrome. It is one of the effects of substance abuse. Addicts call him breaking. It develops after the cessation of inhalation of the substance and lasts until the next dose, in the case of inaccessibility of the poisonous drug - for about 5 days.

The consequences of substance abuse

Lung cancer - a consequence of substance abuse

The disease has serious consequences for both the individual and society as a whole. As a result of the use of toxic substances, the need to experience euphoria quickly develops, and due to the addiction of the body to the toxic effect, even significant doses are already ineffective. Therefore, those of drug addicts who have not died from the effects of poison become drug addicts, that is, they switch to the use of narcotic drugs.

For physical health, the effects of substance abuse can be as follows:

• burns to the airways;
• cirrhosis of the liver;
• lungs' cancer;
• lung abscess and its complications - pulmonary bleeding, pulmonary tissue degeneration, degeneration of the structure of internal organs;
• pathology of cardiac activity - heart attack, hypertension, heart defects;
• benign and malignant tumors of the kidneys;
• inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.

Even one-time use of harmful substances can cause mental addiction and pulling a teenager into a vicious circle. Toxicomaniac does not control his actions, breaks away from reality. The physical effects of substance abuse are irreversible!  Even in the case of a complete cure for dependence, the patient develops persistent disturbances in the activity of the brain and he becomes a mentally disabled person.

Substance abuse in the modern sense was first registered in the USA in 1960. The police received the first alarming message about teenagers who inhale gaseous substances, driving themselves intoxicated. Gasoline, solvents, varnishes, paints - in fact, any household chemical liquids were suitable for such dangerous entertainment. Substance abuse came to the USSR a little late: even in the conditions of the Iron Curtain and the accompanying information isolation, Soviet teenagers came up with unconventional methods of using gasoline, stain removers, dichlorvos and, of course, the legendary Moment glue.

Until the mid-1980s, substance abuse in the USSR was not widespread, and its foci were located mainly on the outskirts and in the “dead” parts of the country. There were exceptions: for example, a real epidemic of substance abuse broke out in the Baltic States in 1975 - but even it, despite the scale, was a lonely phenomenon and could not become the cause of the pattern. I must say that, according to the Ministry of Health, which kept a less careful account, in contrast to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, of “contingents of patients with substance abuse and addiction,” by 1955 only 1854 people who abuse chemical and narcotic substances to the detriment of their health were identified in the USSR.

Gasoline, solvents, varnishes, paints - in fact, any household chemical liquids were suitable for such dangerous entertainment.

VIKTOR PELEVIN

"Generation P"

“If cocaine was sold in pharmacies at twenty kopecks per gram as a rinse for toothache, it would be sniffed only by punks - as this, in fact, was at the beginning of the century. But if Moment glue cost a thousand dollars per bottle, all Moscow gold youth would have eagerly sniffed it, and at presentations and receptions it would have been considered refined to spread a volatile chemical smell around you, complain about the death of brain neurons and retire for a long time in the toilet. ” .

Fracture

The situation was sharply changed by the anti-alcohol company of Mikhail Gorbachev, deployed in 1985-1990 and held under the slogan "Sobriety - the norm of life." In those years, cheap Andropovka vodka disappeared from the shelves (costing 4 rubles. 70 kopecks), and its closest equivalent was twice as expensive. Shops with alcohol were closed, and the rest gave alcohol from 14:00 to 19:00. In Russia, Moldova and Ukraine, vineyards were cut down, plants were closed (the legendary Massandra plant was almost destroyed), which caused grape and table wines to disappear forever - for example, the Black Doctor brand was considered irretrievably lost until recently. . Police increased control: severe reprimands, dismissals, expulsion from the party and school became a much more tangible threat than before.

Home brewing required knowledge of technical processes and equipment for the production of surrogates, and the purchase of vodka from taxi drivers - the mutual courage of both sides. Heavier drugs remained the prerogative of former prisoners or soldiers who served in Central Asia, veterans of the 1979-1989 Afghan campaign, and enthusiastic chemists. But glue and a plastic bag - all that is necessary for toxic inhalation - could be bought at any hardware store under the pretext of “sticking a ship model”. And although in 1987 the “semi-dry law” was actually suspended, two years was enough for children from wealthy and large cities of the USSR to become addicted to the new drug. Lower Volga, Astrakhan, certain areas of Moscow and Leningrad have adopted new ways to “catch the buzz”.

Glue and a plastic bag - all that is necessary for toxic inhalation - could be bought at any hardware store under the pretext of “sticking a ship model”

LEGS MACNILLE, JILLIAN MCCAIN

“Please kill me!”

“I not only smoked good grass, but also began to sniff glue,” recalls Di Di Ramon. - Clay, Tuinal and Seconal. Fun, you can't take your head out of the bag. We poisoned with Egg, my friend, because Egg was the same type. He did not use dope, grass, acid, he liked to smell “Carbon” (this is a washing liquid) and glue. Sniffing glue, we started calling on the phone.

There were such numbers, you called there, and strange beeps are heard in the receiver. We called, “Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep” sounded, and we stuck these sounds for hours. Then they sniffed glue. If we didn’t have glue, Egg went to the supermarket, brought a couple of bottles of whipped cream from there, and we sniffed the gas from there. Anything to get lost is a cough medicine, glue, tuinal, seconal. ”

Acceleration

For many children, the “acceleration period” of the Gorbachev perestroika took place at slower speeds. Pupils and students of vocational schools in search of new sensations chose cellars, roofs and "abandoned houses." At first, the inhalation technique was imperfect: teens put a bag of toxic substance on their heads. By 1986, after 10 recorded deaths in one of Leningrad (after a deep breath, the teenager was not able to pull the packet from his head), they began to apply the film to his face.

The episode of such a death is very colorful depicted in the 1990 film “The Government House” by Albert Mkrchtyan. There, a black-skinned inmate of the orphanage Gamal, nicknamed "Little House", dies with a packet on his head in an abandoned church, breathing in vapor of benzene. Toward the end of the film, as a warning to his comrade, who reached for the coveted canister, he would rise again as a hallucination with an ominous voice and sparkling green eyes: “Remember, I dreamed about you? I called you. "

Instantly, an informal slang of substance abuse begins to form: “mask” means alternating inhalation with the nose and mouth, and “petal” means only the mouth. The substance abuse ritual itself is called “accumulation”. Adolescents “shabbat” already throughout the country: if in 1980 only 36 thousand drug addicts were registered throughout the USSR, then by 1987 their number, according to reports of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs and data of researchers I.G. Urakova and L.D. Miroshnichenko, exceeds the mark of 51,900 people, of which 8 thousand prefer substance abuse to more expensive and hard-to-reach drugs.

And these are only citizens registered in drug treatment facilities. By the same time, drug addicts and drug addicts not observed by narcologists by the same 1987, already 130,300 people were identified. The narcological service for detecting substance abuse is knocked down, and the result of their work is the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR of 1987: adolescents under 16 who evade voluntary treatment are forced to undergo compulsory treatment in HDL - medical and educational dispensaries for a period of six months to two years. Until 1989, sulfosine (sublimating sulfur in peach oil), widely used in psychiatry to pacify especially violent patients, was used as a detoxifying agent in such institutions.

Typically, the formation of toxicomaniac “collectives” takes place at the place of residence or training - often whole classes are fixed that inhale glue at inopportune times. In the groups of drug addicts the male gender prevails; the average statistical value of women in the narcotic environment is 11.9%, for drug addicts - only 3%. The age category ranges from 12-18 years; a significant number of adolescents have a dysfunctional past, many are registered in the children's room of the police. The leaders of toxicoman groups most often refer to unstable and epileptoid types of character, and the "crowd" consists of the most conformal adolescents.

"Mask" means alternate inhalation of the nose
and mouth, and the "petal" - only the mouth.
The substance abuse ritual itself is called “accumulation”.

DMITRY MISHENIN

art group Doping-Pong

“Once we came to a basketball sports school, and we were gathered in a conference room. And there the coach informed us that the five boys with whom we played yesterday in the match for the title of champion of the country among the juniors of the Soviet Union were found at one of them’s houses - dead, with gas masks on their heads and plastic bags with glue attached to the hoses “ Moment". It was 1985 on the street. We were 13 years old. We were all from good families. It was a terrible moment. Our entire team sat in complete silence and in complete shock from the news we heard. Only icy goose bumps ran across my skin, and it became extremely uncomfortable. ”

the effect

What does the toxicomaniac observe? The nature of the hallucinations may depend on the substance. So from acetone, according to the assurances of drug addicts, hallucinations of a sexual content more often occur. A 10-minute inhalation of gasoline vapors (benzene, xylene, toluene) contributes to frightening visual and auditory hallucinations based on previous experiences - books, pioneer horror stories and films. The euphoria passes after 15-30 minutes, and the stunned teenager returns to reality, combined with headache, lethargy, irritability and nausea. Repeated inhalation contributes to the development of delirium - monsters and monsters, spaceflight and battle with the devils return again.

The tales that under the influence of gasoline fumes teenagers jumped out the window, fleeing from a hidden threat, are probably exaggerated. Even despite the adventurous nature of hallucinations, the “dose” of drug addicts is too slow to run away and even more so to jump. The stories about fires and burns sound more true: in them juvenile drug addicts tried to light up cigarettes without washing away flammable spots from their faces and hands. The popularity of gasoline among drug addicts also consisted in the fact that for its extraction there was no need for money or burglary - it was enough to drain a glass of fuel from a parked Moskvich.

Nevertheless, the moment glue remained the king of toxic inhalants for almost 20 years. Overbought under license from the German company Henkel in 1979, Moment immediately earned recognition not only among workers and housewives, but also among “difficult” teenagers. It is “The Moment” that is destined to be associated with “watching cartoons” - that is, euphoric hallucination.

The innocuous slang name, obviously, hid the so-called “Leroy syndrome” (another name is “Liliput hallucinations”), which consists in observing non-existent small creatures against the background of the usual size of the environment. According to various versions, intoxication psychosis and damage to the temporal lobes and olfactory brain can contribute to the manifestation of Leroy syndrome. In 1998, toluene was excluded from the Moment adhesive, which provided the proper effect during inhalation.

In 1998, toluene was excluded from the composition of the Moment glue, which provided the proper effect during inhalation

Substance abuse has been around for over a hundred years and is now becoming an epidemic. That's why it is so important to explain to teenagers what will happen if you smell gasoline and other toxic substances.

Substance abuse: what is it?

Toxicomania refers to the mental and physical dependence of a person on toxic (i.e., poisonous) substances. From a medical point of view, it does not differ in any way from drug addiction. Differentiation takes place only at the legislative level: the patient is recognized as a drug addict only if he uses any substance from the official list of narcotic substances.

The phenomenon of substance abuse itself became known at the beginning of the last century primarily among medical workers. The ether, which was used for anesthesia of patients, led to a strong dependence of doctors and nurses, who inhaled this substance almost constantly.

After the abuse of harmful substances began to spread in a bohemian environment. Popular pop and rock artists often sinned using ether to improve their vocal abilities. This practice immediately affected health.

By the beginning of this century, the abuse of toxic substances has gained immense popularity among young people. Among the causes of the epidemic:

1. Negligent attitude to one’s health, the idea that any addiction is treatable;
2. The desire to try everything, because "life is one";
3. Honoring oneself as an original person who needs unusual leisure;
4. Influence from peers;
5. Escape from the problems of real life. Drugs act as a kind of "antidepressant."

In this video, toxicomaniac Alyosha sniffs glue, look to what extent he has degraded as a person:

What do junkies smell?

There are many classifications of volatile substances that cause toxicological dependence. Let's consider some of them.

A typology of harmful substances by product category is widespread. In its framework, there are:

• Solvents- volatiles of industrial and domestic purposes, which are used as drugs;
• Gaseous substances  - nitrous oxide, propellants (available in hairspray), chlorofluorocarbons;
• Medical anesthetics  - Among them, diethyl ether is the most popular, intoxication from which is several times stronger than alcohol.

According to the classification by chemical composition, toxic substances are divided into:

• aliphatic hydrocarbons (propane, butane, petroleum products: gasoline and kerosene);
• aromatic hydrocarbons (xylene and toluene);
• ketones (mainly acetone, which is used in liquids to remove nail polish);
• haloalkanes (hydrofluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons, trichloroethane, trichlorethylene, chloroform).

Signs of Substance Abuse

Pampering with poisonous substances very quickly turns into a rather serious disease. Among its first symptoms:

• The patient prefers to use harmful substances in private;
• Increase in dose;
• Transition to daily “approaches” of inhaling toxins;
• An unusually harsh reaction in relation to those who are trying to interrupt the process of inhalation.

For strangers, especially for parents, it is imperative to know the external signs of the drug addict:

1. Specific odors from clothes and skin of a teenager;
2. Tubes of glue or rags, smelling strongly of solvent or gasoline, were found in the pocket;
3. Burns on the skin, rash, redness of an obscure nature;
4. The decline in interest in food;
5. Cough;
6. Reluctance to communicate with parents;
7. Hard to distinguish speech.

What will happen if you sniff glue?

One of the Moment glue brands gained drug popularity in the 80s of the XX century. The consequences for addicts were very deplorable:

• headache;
• damage to the respiratory tract;
• hallucinations;
• apathy;
• in some cases, increased aggression.

Unlike “traditional” drugs, glue vapor enters the body very quickly, bypassing the circulatory system. As a result, the effect of intoxication is achieved almost instantly.

To protect adolescents from harmful addictions, governments of developed countries introduce a number of prohibitive measures. In 38 of the 50 US states, the sale of instant adhesives to minors is prohibited. In other subjects, the adolescent will not be able to acquire glue, if he does not indicate a reliable reason for the purchase. For violation of laws, sellers may face various types of punishments - from a fine of $ 1,000 to imprisonment.

What will happen if you constantly smell Zvezdochka?

In the Soviet Union, balm and ointment "Golden Star" of Vietnamese production were unusually common. The people got the affectionate name "Asterisk". It was used as a “cure for all diseases”:

• With a cold;
• Migraine;
• Bites of bees and wasps;
• As a painkiller;
• In the treatment of allergic rhinitis, etc.

The composition of the ointment included aromatic oils, including clove, mint and eucalyptus. Thanks to this composition, the “star” has become one of the favorite substances of drug addicts. However, the consequences of this habit quickly make themselves felt: when inhaled vapors of the ointment, mucosal damage begins, which leads to a severe allergic reaction.

The scale of abuse of the Asterisk practically stopped with the collapse of the USSR. In 1986, 4 million units of goods were imported into our country, but then the collapse of sales began. Now this balm is sold in small volumes at prices several times higher than Vietnamese.

Inhalation of gasoline vapors

The palm of the toxicoman holds gasoline. The secret is quite simple: in almost all industrialized countries, almost every family owns a car, which is why children can easily access fuel. In addition, there are no age limits on selling gasoline to teenagers.

Most often, children use a dampened rag or even a whole vessel to achieve intoxication. As a rule, a few minutes of inhalation are enough, after which the following reactions occur in the body:

• The upper respiratory tract is irritated, a sign of which is coughing and tickling in the throat and nasopharynx;
• Blood flow to the skin of the face;
• Redness of the protein coat of the eyes;
• Speech disturbance: the addict is not able to connect two words;
• Difficulties in orientation in space.

Damage to health caused by gasoline is irreparable:

• Lead poisoning;
• Life-threatening depression;
• Congenital disability of children born from toxic parents;
• Often the addict is choked on vomit while intoxicated.

So, now you are aware of what will happen if you smell gasoline - the consequences for the body are catastrophic, up to a drop in intelligence and trauma to the nervous system. The children of the drug addict will also suffer. In terms of damage to health, this fuel can give odds to any drug.

Video: how do drug addicts live

In this video, the narcologist Anton Izmailov will show what happens to those who sniff gasoline or glue:

What are volatile substances?

Toxicomaniac - "sniffer" - is one who intoxicates himself with the so-called "volatile narcotic substances" (or VLD). These substances are combined by the ability to quickly evaporate and turn into gas at normal room temperature. It is gaseous vapors that deeply breathe into the lungs of substance abuse. Volatile substances are found in various chemical and technical preparations, such as solvents for paints, gasoline, trichlorethylene, acetone, combustible gas in cylinders and gas for lighters.

What is going on in the body?

Volatile narcotic substances combine their ability to dissolve fats well. Gas for lighters, solvents or gasoline dissolve fats well and therefore disrupt the functioning of all cells of the central nervous system (which contain a large amount of fat). For this reason, when inhaling Vapors of VLD, a person feels intoxicated.

Because of their ability to dissolve fats, VNF is so widely used both in industry and in the household. However, this property of them is fraught with danger to human health. The fact is that when inhaled, the solvents enter the lungs, and from there through the thin walls of the alveoli into the blood. Substances are absorbed by the blood and with its current quickly enter the brain. That is, they enter the brain directly bypassing the liver or other organs. Therefore, intoxication occurs faster than with alcohol. The main amount of volatile matter is exhaled with air. The remainder, which is carried through the body with blood, then enters the liver and breaks down into smaller molecules and is then excreted in urine and feces. Many VLD are only completely eliminated after a few days. In some cases, the breakdown products (the so-called metabolites) are even more dangerous than the substance itself. This, for example, applies to a substance such as styrene, which is part of household chemicals. Since different VLDs have an unequal degree of solubility in blood and tissues, they penetrate into the blood from the lungs in different ways, are distributed in the body and excreted from it.

Since most VLVs are soluble in fats, they can accumulate in the body’s fatty tissues. This means that it may take a long time before the body is completely freed from the "dope". Experiments with styrene show that if a person inhales air for two hours with a concentration of styrene of 210 milligrams per cubic meter. meter (which is very small, compared with the amount of substance that is inhaled by toxicomania), then for 22 hours the styrene content in the body remains unchanged.

The ability of LDLs to accumulate in fats also means that they remain in numerous fat-containing tissues of the brain and nerve endings.

Intoxication

When inhaled gaseous vapors, VLV through the lungs enter the bloodstream. With blood, substances enter the nervous system, which they exert their effect on. As with any intoxication, the cerebral cortex first suffers, then the cerebellum, and last but not least, the medulla oblongata. If intoxication reaches the medulla oblongata, it may disrupt breathing, and then a fatal outcome is possible.

Most drug addicts stop inhalation before this stage, because the desired intoxication occurs much earlier. Even before the medulla oblongata is affected, a person may develop nausea or vomiting. But with prolonged regular abuse of a toxic substance in large quantities, nausea does not occur so soon. That is, the normal reaction of the body is dulled, as a result of which nausea and vomiting appear much later. The more often and for a longer time the toxicoman uses VLF, the larger areas of the brain can be poisoned without nausea.

Inebriation partly causes the solvent in itself, and partly the lack of oxygen in the brain. As already mentioned, it comes very quickly and also quickly disappears. As a rule, intoxication lasts 10-30 minutes, and after an hour nothing is noticeable at all. The effect may turn out to be longer if high concentrations of poisons are used - for example, using a plastic bag or “catching up”, additionally inhaling VLF after a certain period of time.

Three stages

When inhaling toxic substances, three stages of intoxication can be distinguished. The first effects are reminiscent of alcoholic intoxication: coordination of movements worsens, reaction slows down, reflexes weaken, and a person feels something like euphoria (or maybe become aggressive). It can be difficult for a toxicomaniac to manage their actions, and when intoxication goes away, lethargy and headache occur.

In the next stage, if you continue to inhale, the pain is dulled. That is why ether and similar drugs were used in surgery as a means of anesthesia. The skin becomes insensitive to pain. One girl was admitted to the hospital with a burn of 15 percent of the body surface, but did not feel pain at all under the influence of a solvent. But when intoxication passes, the pain manifests itself.

Burns are one of the most painful injuries that you can get at all. Patience for pain is sometimes used as evidence that a teenager is “his own” in a company where PLH is honored. It happens that with the help of a burning cigarette, teenagers made themselves burns on their hands as a secret sign of "initiation into the circle of the elect" and evidence for the rest of the guys that they were together.

The fact that a guy can voluntarily withstand the pain of a burn serves as proof that he is already an addict with experience, is also experienced and shares the views of other members of the company. In the circles of drug addicts, “trials” of another kind are possible - for example, scratches and knife cuts on the body caused by oneself.

If intoxication is very severe, a person may develop a condition that is almost in all respects similar to loss of consciousness or with a coma. Toxic addicts seeking to achieve just such intoxication usually choose isolated places - basements or dark parks.

Substance Abuse

The degree of harm caused by inhalation of VLDV, of course, depends on which drug is used, how often, in what quantities, whether this occurs simultaneously with the use of other drugs and the circumstances of the use itself.

The use of all volatile substances gives complications that can be both short-term and long-term. Since many volatile substances, such as toluene, paint thinners, and trichlorethylene, are used in the chemical industry, their harmful effects have been studied in detail. In Russia, the State Supervision, Occupational Safety and Health and Safety Authorities publish “Sanitary Norms and Rules” that establish maximum permissible concentrations of VLD in the air and mandatory safety measures when working with them. The requirements of the Swedish Labor Protection Committee, in particular, indicate that long-term contact with solvents can cause dizziness, asthenia, cause diseases of the brain and nervous system, damage to internal organs, respiratory tract, skin diseases, organs of vision, affect reproductive function, disrupt pregnancy, and also cause cancer.

Toxicomaniacs who inhale VLV directly into the lungs naturally exceed the established norms many times, thereby exposing themselves to extreme danger.

Here are some of the effects of inhalation of volatiles:

Panic attacks:

Inhalation of VND causes euphoria, and a person feels peaceful, calm and contented. The perception of colors, sounds and light is enhanced. It seems to some that they are sitting on a soft white cloud, from where you can watch various funny scenes, while others think that the friends around them are small fairy tale figures that they can control. Others have impaired visual perception, and it seems to them that small insects are turning into giants.

These phenomena are examples of hallucinations, that is, states where perception is distorted and dreams and fantasies mix with reality. All mentally normal people have a protective barrier that separates reality (what is happening in reality) and fiction (fantasies and dreams). Like cannabis smoking, inhalation of VLDW destroys this barrier, and the boundary between the real and the fictional is erased. Some people think it's great to get into the dream world for a while. But this meeting with a dream is not pleasant for everyone. She can be very scary. People exposed to toxic volatiles sometimes have terrifying fantasies, a sense of impending danger, and mortal fear. Their consequence is anxiety, panic attacks or such a deep depression that suicidal thoughts appear.

Accidents:

Intoxication, leading to impaired muscle reflexes and a sense of balance, coordination of movements, slowing down the reaction and clouding of consciousness, often causes all kinds of accidents. People under the influence of volatile toxic substances often get into various troubles, get injured, become victims of traffic accidents, get involved in fights, etc. Some drug addicts have hallucinations and they think they are turning into supermen, and this can be even more dangerous.

Burns:

Many volatile substances are flammable. When the abuse of LLV is accompanied by smoking, burns often occur. For example, in England two identical accidents were recorded: teenagers sitting in a car inhaled gas for lighters. One of them tried to light a cigarette, which resulted in the ignition of gas remaining around the lips and hands, which led to severe burns.

Suffocation:

In some cases, intoxication can lead to loss of consciousness, and in the worst cases, to disruption of the respiratory center of the brain, which causes suffocation. Choking sometimes also occurs because during vomiting, particles of vomit can get into the drunken's throat.

It is especially dangerous to sniff gas for lighters. Coming out of the cylinder, it expands and cools. When cold gas enters the respiratory tract, the body reacts by releasing fluid into the lungs (the so-called "pulmonary edema"). From him, a person can die, suffocating as if he was drowning.

Sudden reflex respiratory arrest syndrome:

Another cause of deaths is that the scientific language refers to the syndrome of sudden reflex respiratory arrest, and it can develop immediately after inhalation of volatile substances or during inspiration. When INH is inhaled, a lot of adrenaline and other stress hormones are released into the bloodstream, which in turn causes heart overload.

Along with this, the center of the brain, which is responsible for regulating the functioning of the heart, suffers from volatile substances, and thus, cardiac abnormalities are exacerbated. If a person who is intoxicated while consuming VLD is subjected to strong emotional or physical stress (in which additional amount of stress hormones are released into the blood), the heart may stop and sudden death occurs due to toxic poisoning.

Complications Over Time

The longer the abuse of volatile substances, the higher the risk of adverse effects. Prolonged substance abuse can cause liver and kidney disease. Some solvents, such as benzene, damage the bone marrow tissue producing blood cells, which leads to a decrease in immunity, as well as leukemia ("bleeding") - a deadly blood disease.

Frequent companions for substance abuse are a runny nose, cough and sore throat, as well as increased general fatigue (or asthenia) and frequent headache. But for others - family and friends - even more noticeable is that the toxicomaniac is gradually changing as a person. He or she becomes a “different person,” more irritable, anxious, distracted, and depressed. Changes in character are caused in part by poisoning by volatiles, and partly by a change in life situation due to drugs. It was possible to prove that people who have been in contact with PLHIV for a long time suffer from serious brain diseases. In addition, there is a high risk of brain disorders - for example, encephalopathy, which is expressed in a decrease in intelligence, impaired memory for current events, and inability to control your feelings.

But changes in character can also be a consequence of the fact that the life situation of a drug addict worsens.

Regular drug use inevitably leads to all sorts of conflicts. Problems arise at school, teachers constantly call their parents, who, in turn, begin to worry more and more. Friends of the drug addict shy away from him, and his whole life is filled with lies, conflicts and insecurity.

Substance abuse interferes with normal development

Adolescents are more sensitive to toxic substances and are more affected by drugs than adults. In a teenager, the brain and other organs are not yet fully formed. In addition, the insufficiently mature personality of a teenager is at the crossroads of two worlds - a child and an adult. Adolescence is sometimes called the "small revolution" in human life. Along with rapid physical transformation, similar changes occur in the character and in the spiritual world of the individual. The inner world of a teenager, while he is in search of his own "I", is extremely fragile. To find one's “I” means to determine for oneself “who I am”, to gain an understanding of myself as a constant, not amenable to external pressure and not changing depending on the situation. To achieve this inner stability, a teenager needs to be freed from parental care. Liberation, of course, does not mean complete withdrawal from parents, but only liberation from child dependence and the transition to an "adult type" of relations with parents and other people.

A teenager must also develop socially.

Communicating with other adults, getting an education, and then a job, you need to find your social role in society.

A teenager is right at the center of all these "developmental challenges." Most transitions are not easy. They feel somehow insecure, everything causes irritation, apathy, and maybe even anxiety. Lack of self-confidence causes a feeling of mental instability. Almost all teenagers suffer from this imbalance in their own personality and believe that this is a difficult period in life.

Also for this reason, you should stay away from drugs. Substance abuse and drug addiction generally make us perceive reality in a distorted way. A state of intoxication displaces a feeling of insecurity, guilt, and longing. At that moment, when life around seems a bit complicated, it attracts. But all this is just an illusion.

Intoxication can be thought of as a "release" from the painful phenomena of adolescent development, and therefore there is a risk of "getting hooked" on drugs. A deceptive feeling appears, as if a solution to the problem has been found, but in fact, if you start to "smell" or take other drugs, personality development stops. Daydreaming crowds out the activity, stubbornness and aggressiveness inherent in adolescence. If development stops, then a person remains infantile, helpless, completely dependent on others.

Overuse of PLWH can cause addiction

The euphoria, initially felt when drunk, after some time may seem insufficient. Volatile substances begin to gain more and more control over thoughts and feelings, and in the end, even if a person does not even notice this, there is an attraction to achieve an increasing degree of intoxication. Then substance abuse becomes a problem. A person is unable to perceive reality as it is. He “needs” to see her distorted, as she appears in the illusions that arise when the brain is hit by drugs. Dependence on abuse of volatile substances is usually mental (that is, representing a more or less strong "internal need"), but physical dependence can also occur.

Regular use of PLHIV can cause tolerance, in which the toxicomaniac needs ever higher doses in order to achieve the same intoxication as before. Increased tolerance means that the body is trying to adapt, "get used" to a toxic substance.