Drug Abuse Intervention
Huffing Intervention Services
Years ago, Family First Intervention rarely received calls for huffing intervention. That has changed dramatically. Not only do we now receive many calls for inhalant intervention, but by the time we get them, the huffing addict is in the late stages of the addiction. We have discovered that the longer a person huffs, the harder it is to grasp reality and stop.
Many interventionists try to play therapist and clinician while adding on family recovery and coaching services. None of these interventionists is qualified or licensed to do that. Interventionists must stay in their lane after the person accepts help. The best outcomes come from your loved one’s treatment team and the treatment center’s family program. If you choose an interventionist who offers support services after a successful intervention, it will create friction and discrepancies in your loved one’s treatment; we have gone down that road, and it does not work.
— Mike Loverde, MHS, CIP
Inhalant Addiction Can Easily Get out of Hand
Huffing addiction is extremely dangerous and should not be taken lightly. When we face addicts at a huffing intervention, we usually find them in a delusional state, having difficulty understanding and making common sense or clear decisions. Inhalant intervention requires that a professional talk the addict down to a place where reasoning is possible.
Attempting to perform an intervention for a huffing addict without a professional is not only difficult, but extremely dangerous. The problem that must be overcome is not necessarily the substance abuse but, rather; the person.
When a family tries to confront an inhalant abuser with their solution to the addiction, the substance abuser almost always becomes defensive and resentful – unless the situation is handled properly by a professional huffing interventionist. It is important to understand that planning and preparation are required to bring a huffing addict to the point of willingness to undergo treatment.
Signs of Inhalant Use that Require Huffing Intervention
Some popular inhalants we see during a huffing intervention include nitrous oxide, spray paint, whip cream cans and air dusters (for example, computer keyboard cleaners). Inhalants give the user a euphoric feeling similar to alcohol intoxication. Unlike alcohol, however, the high lasts for only a few minutes.
One thing families must note about huffing addiction is that first-time users have the same risk of death as experienced users. Sudden death can occur on the first or the hundredth time huffing. Users are essentially playing Russian roulette.
Signs of inhalant abuse that would require huffing intervention are:
- Drunken-like behavior
- Loss of attention
- Constant confusion
- Depression
- Loss of coordination
- Dementia
Next to heroin addiction, huffing addiction is one of the most fatal habits we encounter as interventionists. The huffing addict risks death every time the poison is ingested into the lungs and travels throughout the blood to the brain.
Other signs to watch for are the person’s breath and clothes smelling of chemicals, “missing” aerosol cans around the house, empty spray paint cans, and well as paint on the fingers. If your loved one is addicted to inhalants, give yourself a break by giving us a call. If you know for certain your loved one has used inhalants even once, act quickly, because the next time could be the last.
Request an Inhalant Intervention Now
How much longer can the family hold off before calling a huffing intervention professional? Because of the danger huffing represents, it is important for families consult a professional as soon as possible.
Think about being in a room with an intolerable paint or chemical smell, then ask yourself, “How dangerous is it to breathe this air?” Now, imagine your loved one doing the same thing, but voluntarily for a fix. That is what a huffing addict experiences.
If the family does not consult a professional inhalant intervention counselor on its own terms, there will unfortunately be an intervention program on someone else’s terms: jail, institutions or possibly death. A huffing intervention is a tried-and-true first step toward getting inhalant addicts the treatment and help they need.
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