You may know nitrous oxide as “laughing gas,” but it isn’t just limited to dentistry. It’s also used to help women with labor pains and to treat pain in traumatic injuries and medical emergencies. Teens often do not realize the dangers of recreational xtc drug use. Moreover, because whippits are so easy to acquire and they’re legal, teens feel comfortable using them heavily. While it can be difficult to obtain illegal substances, whippits are available at the grocery store, making them a popular choice for teenagers searching for a way to get high. Persistent, repeated whippit abuse can lead to severe, irreversible organ damage.
These include medical detoxification, therapy, and support groups, all of which play a crucial role in helping individuals achieve sobriety and maintain long-term recovery. A particularly critical outcome is the development of subacute combined degeneration in the spinal cord from sustained nitrous oxide abuse—this condition leads to serious and permanent damage to nerves. Overdoses can occur when using whippits and more often than not, it is life-threatening.
Common Side Effects of Whippit Abuse
Individuals grappling with whippit addiction can greatly benefit from rehabilitation programs that offer therapy and support, essential for the recovery journey. These therapeutic interventions allow individuals to delve into issues at the root of their addiction and hone skills to control their urges. Individuals suffering from this issue may display erratic mood fluctuations, heightened anxiety levels, or show a tendency to isolate themselves from social gatherings. Recognizing these behavioral signs alongside physical clues is vital for pinpointing those affected by whippit addiction and securing appropriate help at an early stage. Chronic use can lead to the development of neurological conditions that may range in severity.
Online Therapy Can Help
If a person uses nitrous oxide directly from a canister or tank, they may get cold burns on the skin, lips, and throat because of the temperature of the gas. The pressure of N2O can also create ruptures in lung tissue when inhaled directly. Like other drugs, whippits can cause addiction, health complications, overdose, and death. A 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates that approximately 12,496 people 12 and older were misusing whippits.
- The gas can quickly replace oxygen in your lungs, leading to immediate and long-term consequences.
- Neurologic damage can occur after chronic use, especially in young people and teens.
- Don’t underestimate the negative effects that whippets use can have on a person’s life.
- The widespread availability of nitrous oxide also contributes to its misuse.
How Can You Reduce Harm With Whippet Use?
Research has shown the potential they have for causing a severe vitamin B12 deficiency. Here, we break down what whippets are and how they can affect your health. If you or a friend is overdosing on nitrous oxide, call 911 immediately.
Medical monitoring aids in the prevention of complications and treatment of adverse reactions to the drug. While inhalant abuse, commonly known as “huffing,” is often not taken seriously, it is a real problem. According to the “2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health” conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than 21 million Americans have abused inhalants. This is why, in recent years, regulations governing the sale and use of whippits have undergone various changes. Policymakers are aware nitrous oxide abuse is a growing problem but any limitations on their supply must also take into account their value for commercial kitchens.
Nitrous Oxide Is Safe when Prescribed
These effects may not be obvious at first, but over time they may become more apparent and worsen. Remember, whippets are essentially temporarily depriving your body of the oxygen it needs to function properly. Oxygen is a very basic need for the human body and brain, and without it significant issues may occur. First, whippets greatly impair your ability to perceive your surroundings and your own body accurately, and the results could be disastrous. There are, for example, reports of people high on nitrous oxide who have literally walked off of balconies and been significantly injured.
You might think that because nitrous oxide is legal, the risks of huffing it are small. But whippets can cause you to pass out at a party and injure yourself. Long-term use can cause nerve problems, lack of muscle control, heart rate problems, and blood pressure issues.
New potential for naltrexone in outpatient drug detox
In England and Wales, nitrous oxide is the third most-used drug after marijuana and cocaine. It’s also the 13th most-used drug worldwide, according to the Global Drug Survey. According to an analysis by the National Library of Medicine, some risks in using nitrous oxide include paresthesia, weakness, equilibrium disorders, electric shocks down the spine, and loss of muscle control. People often use whippets for the feeling of euphoria they can create on a night out. Some people use whippets to enhance sexual pleasure, or even take a hit right before they orgasm to amplify it.
It’s rare but possible for whippet abuse to cause psychological issues such as depression and psychosis. Some people also experience memory loss, a ringing sound in the ears, reproductive issues, birth defects, and incontinence. According to the 2021 Global Drug Survey, whippits are the 13th most common recreational drug in the world. Whippits aren’t limited to any specific age group; everyone can be affected, from adolescents to adults.
In rare cases, people have died from asphyxiation (suffocation) after inhaling very high amounts of nitrous oxide. Whippets, on the other hand, don’t have an effect on dopamine or serotonin. Instead, a whippet high is the result of decreased oxygen and increased carbon dioxide in your body.
These drugs alone can have devastating effects, but taken together they can also be extremely unpredictable. It is never a good idea to take psychedelic drugs and whippets at the same time. Whippits get their name from whipped cream canisters, which contain nitrous oxide.
Some are even designed specifically for inhaling whippets but marketed for home whipped cream use. People who regularly abuse whippets tend to use special whipped cream dispensers. However, typical whipped cream cans from the store can quickly frost over and burn someone’s hands. If you or a loved one is struggling with a dependency upon whippets or any other such substance, it is vital how do whippits work to get professional help. Don’t try to go it alone; start forming the network you need to effectively tackle your addiction and drug problem once and for all. Contact Clean Recovery Centers today to get connected to the right support for you.
In fact, whippits are the most commonly abused inhalants because they’re easy to get and they produce a fast and easy high. A popular way of inhaling whippits involves using whipped cream dispensers. However, directly inhaling the gas from the canister can be challenging and may cause frostbite. Whippit abuse can also lead to nerve damage due to vitamin B12 depletion, resulting in hypoxia (lack of oxygen) overdose. Combining whippits with alcohol or other drugs can increase confusion and disorientation.