While nitrous oxide has legitimate uses, some individuals use it recreationally to get high. Is nitrous oxide addictive? Also known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is classified as an inhalant and can be addictive. Inhalant use disorder is a substance use disorder that can be dangerous with short and long-term effects. Nitrous oxide is a dissociative drug that causes people to feel separated from their body or physical environment. Most people given nitrous for medicinal reasons inhale it with oxygen. Those who breathe in 100% nitrous oxide are in grave danger of asphyxiation, damage to the organs of the body, and even death.
What Is Nitrous Oxide?
Nitrous oxide is a gas commonly inhaled from nitrous gas cartridges (bulbs or whippets) into an object such as a balloon or directly into the mouth. Dentists and medical professionals use nitrous oxide to sedate patients undergoing minor medical or dental procedures. Strangely enough, nitrous oxide is sometimes a treatment for alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Another authentic use of nitrous oxide is as a food additive, like whipped aerosol cream, and in the automotive industry, to enhance engine performance. Inhaling nitrous oxide can lead to addiction and will require medical detox in treatment to manage withdrawal symptoms.
Nitrous Oxide in the News
CBS News in Pittsburgh published an article on September 17, 2024, to alert parents to an alarming problem with nitrous oxide. Kids buy nitrous oxide for a cheap high online in fruity flavors. TikTok is calling it a low-cost, readily available in vape shops and online a trend for teens and college students. It is even readily available on Amazon and legal to buy. Nitrous oxide is known as hippie crack and laughing gas. Is nitrous oxide addictive? Misusing nitrous oxide can cause impairment of thinking, strange behaviors, visual hallucinations, and delusions.
How Is Nitrous Oxide Used?
Nitrous oxide is a treatment medicine used in dentistry, during labor and childbirth, and in emergency rooms. It is 30% nitrous to 70% oxygen. The effects of short-term medicinal use of nitrous oxide include brief euphoria, slurred speech, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, and loss of coordination. Recreationally, nitrous oxide is inhaled from small canisters of 100% nitrous oxide, or whippets.
Is Nitrous Oxide Addictive?
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institute on Health did a 2020 study on drug use and found the following data about inhalants: There was an increase in experimental inhalant use, with 8th graders increasing their regular inhalant use by 7.6% to 50.7%. Subsequently, 10th graders’ use increased 5.6% to 60.6%. Is nitrous oxide addictive? Yes, it’s addictive and could lead to the use of other inhalants that pose a more dangerous effect.
Signs and Symptoms of Nitrous Oxide Misuse
Individuals who misuse nitrous oxide and develop an inhalant use disorder risk life-threatening complications and develop clear negative signs and symptoms. Short-term recreational use can cause serious physical problems. The euphoric feelings nitrous oxide produces come quickly but only last briefly. This is dangerous because the next dose could be more significant with thoughts that it will last longer, but because nitrous oxide can cause breathing issues, there is a high risk of complications.
The signs and symptoms of nitrous oxide misuse include:
- Low levels of oxygen resulting in hypoxia
- Hypotension, low blood pressure
- Fainting
- Heart attack
- Nerve damage
- Muscle spasms
- Tinnitus, ringing in the ears
- Numbness in hands and feet
- Weakens the immune system
- Birth defects if inhaling nitrous oxide during pregnancy
- Depression
- Memory loss
- Psychosis
The Risks of Nitrous Oxide Dependence
Nitrous oxide dependence is precarious because of the rapid-onset level of intoxication, and the fact that it wears off quickly can lead users to overuse in higher concentrations. Frequent high-dose usage can displace the oxygen generally in the lungs and cause asphyxiation, sometimes leading to brain damage or death. Another concerning risk of overusing nitrous oxide is a chance of spinal cord damage due to the decrease in vitamin B12 in the body. Spinal damage affects how a person walks and can lead to peripheral neuropathy.
Other dangerous risks of nitrous oxide dependence include:
- Hypoxemia – not enough oxygen in the blood
- Hypoxia – tissue and body organs do not receive enough oxygen
- Aspiration
- Seizures
- Irregular heartbeat
- Pneumomediastinum (air trapped in the chest cavity between the lungs)
How to Seek Help for Nitrous Oxide Addiction
Is nitrous oxide addictive? When should an individual seek help for misuse or an inhalant use disorder? As with other substance use disorders, seeking help as soon as there is a loss of control is essential. When the cravings speak louder than the negative consequences of use, deciding to enroll in detox and receive treatment is a life-saving decision. Laughing gas or nitrous oxide may seem like innocent fun for a teenager or young adult, but severe health complications can occur.
Consider Professional Treatment for Lasting Recovery
Medical detox is imperative for an inhalant use disorder for safety, with an inpatient or outpatient treatment program following. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is beneficial for recognizing triggers and learning positive coping mechanisms to replace substance usage, and motivational therapies help use incentives to produce positive behaviors. Every individual has a different journey with treatment, so in some cases, partial-hospitalization programs (PHP) or intensive outpatient programs (IOP) are effective treatment options.
Help Your Loved One End Nitrous Oxide or Whippet Misuse in Tennessee
It is a frightening realization when a teenager or young adult reveals an inhalant use problem. Tennessee Valley Recovery understands the fear of unknown substance use and offers compassionate advice for treatment. The center has flexible treatment options to address individual needs. Reach out today by contacting Tennessee Valley Recovery for answers to your questions and a clear path toward recovery from inhalant misuse.