Social and biological consequences of substance abuse

Substance abuse is commonly referred to as the abuse of substances that cause psychological and physical dependence. This problem became widespread in the 80s of the last century, when children and adolescents living in large and low-income families became drug addicts. Today, representatives of the younger generation and from quite prosperous and loving families are addicted to substance abuse. Let's try to figure out what it is, how to identify a substance abuser, what consequences it has on health, and what to do if your child turns out to be a substance abuser.

Substance abuse and drug addiction

Doctors are increasingly registering cases of people (usually teenagers) becoming dependent on toxic substances. Doctors do not distinguish between substance abuse and drug addiction: both diseases develop according to the same scenario and require therapy. The medications they take differ. Substance abusers “indulge” in non-narcotic substances. Drug addicts use psychotropic substances, the free circulation of which is prohibited and regulated by the state.

Reasons for inhaling toxins

Young people are addicted to consuming toxins. There are many reasons for this:

1. Neglecting your health. It is a misconception that all addictions can be cured.
2. Curiosity, the desire to try everything for yourself.
3. Striving for originality and thrills.
4. Surrounded by peers, the need to imitate them.
5. Excess free time, boredom.
6. Escape from reality, using them as antidepressants.

What do sniffers use?

Their “menu” includes more than 15 volatile substances that lead to toxicological dependence.
All solvents are popular. Drug addicts also like gases in hairspray. They did not ignore painkillers, for example, ether, which is more intoxicating than alcohol. In the past, “Moment” glue and the Vietnamese balm “Golden Star” had narcotic popularity. But gasoline is the leader among drug addicts. This is understandable: in highly developed countries there is a car in every yard, so fuel is available. There are no age restrictions for the sale of gasoline.

Substance abuse: what is it?

Substance abuse refers to a person’s mental and physical dependence on toxic (i.e., poisonous) substances. From a medical point of view, it is no different from drug addiction. Differentiation takes place only at the legislative level: a patient is recognized as a drug addict only if he uses any substance from the official list of narcotic substances.

Afterwards, the abuse of harmful substances began to spread among bohemians. Popular pop and rock performers often committed the sin of using airwaves to improve their vocal abilities. This practice had an immediate impact on health.

By the beginning of this century, substance abuse had become extremely popular among young people. Among the causes of the epidemic:

1. Negligent attitude towards one’s health, the idea that any addiction is curable;
2. The desire to try everything, because “there is only one life”;
3. Considering yourself an original person who needs unusual leisure;
4. Peer influence;
5. An escape from real life problems. Drugs act as a kind of “antidepressant”.

In this video, drug addict Alyosha sniffs glue, look at the extent to which he has degraded as a person:

Gasoline drug addiction

It exists among young people. Children breathe gasoline to get a momentary buzz. Fuel quickly penetrates through the skin, respiratory organs, stomach and mucous membranes. You get used to inhaling toxins from the first session. The central nervous system is affected with irreparable harm to mental abilities. If such “fun” is not stopped, the child will turn into a disabled person.

Gasoline as a drug of choice for drug addicts

It is a light transparent liquid with a yellowish tint. A flammable mixture of hydrocarbons has a boiling point of 30–200°C. When burned, 1 kg releases 10,500 kcal of heat. Freezes at −60°C.

The most dangerous thing is that it is toxic. Sometimes workers in the oil industry, painters, and gas station workers are poisoned by it. But more often, intoxication occurs in drug addicts, who are so attracted by the characteristic smell of gasoline

. It is he who is the reason that gasoline has become the favorite perfume of “sniffers”.

The result is sad. This is acute or chronic poisoning, akin to alcohol (bliss, dizziness, nausea, weakness, vomiting, redness of the skin, tachycardia). In severe cases, there are hallucinations, fainting, convulsions, and fever.

Signs of substance abuse

Indulging in flammable water quickly turns into illness. It is important for adults and parents to know its symptoms:

• an irresistible desire to smell every day;
• constantly increasing dose;
• aggressive attitude towards interrupting inhalation;
• characteristic odors from a teenager’s clothes and body;
• carrying rags soaked in gasoline in pockets;
• burns, unclear redness of the skin, rash;
• loss of appetite;
• cough due to irritated mucous membranes of the respiratory tract;
• avoidance of communication with family;
• incoherent thoughts and slurred speech;
• rapid pulse;
• red face;
• dilated pupils;
• lack of coordination;
• euphoria with visual and auditory hallucinations.

After 2 hours, dangerous vapors no longer affect the central nervous system. Agitation is replaced by migraines, vomiting and aggression.

How dangerous is substance abuse?

As with other drugs, toxic substances have a negative effect on the organs and systems of the body, and especially affect the nervous system and brain. If a child takes toxic substances on a regular basis, there may be consequences.

Using glue:

• Mental disorders;
• Vomit;
• Nausea;
• Weakness throughout the body;
• General loss of strength;
• Severe headaches;

Using solvents:

• Chronic fatigue;
• Apathy;
• Hallucinations;
• Nausea;
• Vomit.

Using acetone or gasoline vapors:

• Mental disorders;
• Hallucinations that pass quickly;
• Disturbance in the functioning of vital systems;
• A sharp decrease in immunity;
• Deterioration in general health.

A teenager may experience more serious complications, such as paralysis, suffocation and, as a result, death, which occurs due to an overdose of toxic substances. Statistics show that the majority of drug addicts do not want to give up their addiction and, as they grow older, they begin to try harder drugs, which lead to their death.

Addiction appears very quickly, on a psychological level it happens literally in a few days, and on a physiological level in a few months.

Treating addiction to substance abuse is very difficult, because at the time of treatment, people often have many pathologies and complications in the functioning of body systems that were caused by the negative effects of toxic substances on the body.

Speaking about the mortality rate from substance abuse, we note that it is high. Three out of ten children die the first time they inhale toxic fumes. Tracking the distribution of substances and stopping their spread is problematic, since they can be found over the counter in hardware stores and supermarkets.

The effect of gasoline on the body

In addition to the fact that gasoline is widely used as a fuel, it dissolves varnishes, paints, fats, and rubber. Evaporates at medium temperatures and does not mix with water. Its vapors are denser than air, so they collect at the bottom of the room. Its toxicity depends on how many hydrocarbons it contains and what type they are. The most powerful drugs are aromatic ones.

Gasoline is volatile, so it causes poisoning primarily through inhalation. Another way is through the mucous membranes and skin, because it dissolves fats. Possible entry into the gastrointestinal tract.

What happens to gasoline sniffers?

If 25-40 mg/l of liquid fuel is inhaled for 5-10 minutes, it causes intoxication. To get a kick, you soak a rag in it or pour it into a bowl. Breathing like this for half an hour is enough for the body to become poisoned. The following symptoms appear:

• the respiratory tract is irritated, coughing, dry mouth and nose appear;
• blood flows to the head and face;
• the sclera of the eyes turn red;
• speech is disrupted, it is confused, incoherent;
• the person has difficulty navigating.

The harm to the body from such a high is enormous.

Mechanism of gasoline poisoning

Gasoline addiction is based on the harmful effects of toxins (xylene, benzene and toluene). When they evaporate, they cause intoxication and undermine the body. Leaded gasoline, to which tetraethyl lead is added to increase the octane number, is especially harmful. Once in the lungs, the vapors enter the bloodstream and penetrate all tissues and organs, accumulating in the central nervous system. Toxic substances act primarily on the brain. The liver parenchyma, kidney tubules and respiratory lining are also damaged.

If you inhale gasoline vapors (even for a short time, in small quantities), the result will immediately affect the body, including deterioration of memory, mental abilities, and complete breakdown of the central nervous system. The consequences will also affect the children of the drug addict.

Important. In terms of the degree of harm to health, this fuel is more dangerous than drugs.

Treatment

Treatment for gasoline poisoning is carried out in a detoxification department.

The victim is prescribed detoxification therapy - intravenous infusions of saline solutions, glucose solutions, and so on. If necessary, the stomach is washed, Vaseline is administered, and adsorbents are given. Symptomatic treatment is also prescribed - drugs aimed at maintaining the functioning of the heart, liver, kidneys and other organs.

What to do if a child inhales gasoline? In this case, the rules for providing first aid are the same. But in case of poisoning of children of preschool and primary school age, it is extremely important to immediately seek medical help, since children may experience severe consequences of intoxication several hours after inhaling the vapors - their condition may sharply worsen due to the effects of toxins on the brain and internal organs.

Chronic gasoline poisoning is also dangerous. It can cause the development of encephalopathy, lung, kidney or liver disease.

The influence of gasoline vapors on the human body during adolescence is especially dangerous. The consequences of substance abuse can be burns of the respiratory tract, pneumonia, cirrhosis of the liver, pathology of the cardiovascular system, lung tumors, tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. The biggest danger for teenagers is the risk of damage to the nervous system, as these consequences are irreversible. Even after several months of drinking gasoline, adolescents experience a significant decrease in intelligence, memory and vision deterioration, and seizures occur.

Symptoms of poisoning

The manifestations of gasoline intoxication are varied and depend on how long, in what doses and how often the body was poisoned with toxins, and how the poisoning was obtained. Let's look at them.

Brief inhalation of weak concentrations

Mild or moderate intoxication occurs with symptoms similar to being drunk:

• excitement, bliss, laughter, joyful upsurge for no reason;
• impotence, red skin;
• dizziness, unsteady gait;
• irritation of the membranes of the nasopharynx;
• vomit;
• tachycardia.

Severe poisoning

Has serious consequences:

• the victim has fainted;
• heat up to 40°C;
• cramps, increased muscle contraction;
• perception disorders.

Lightning form

It happens when there is a large accumulation of gasoline, in emergency situations, spills, or when cleaning fuel containers. The victim's condition is dangerous:

• suddenly loses consciousness;
• breathing suddenly stops.

Without timely assistance, death is possible.

Gasoline pneumonia

It happens when a person accidentally swallows fuel while draining and sucking it in with a hose. It penetrates into the lungs. There is a risk of getting pneumonia. This is the most dangerous complication. The patient is stable and severe, with characteristic symptoms:

• pain in the area of ​​the affected lung, the skin turns blue;
• shortness of breath with any movement, even at rest;
• cough with phlegm and blood;
• deterioration of health with rising temperature.

Accidental swallowing

When gasoline enters the gastrointestinal tract, profuse, long-lasting vomiting, indigestion, and abdominal cramps occur. The risk of non-infectious hepatitis is high. Its signs are hepatomegaly (enlarged liver), pain in the right hypochondrium, icteric skin and mucous membranes, weakness.

Chronic poisoning

In people exposed to liquid fuels, poisoning can become chronic. It is characterized by:

• disorders of the central nervous system, neurasthenia, irritability;
• hand tremors, migraines, instability;
• a sharp loss of strength (adynamia), fatigue, decreased ability to work;
• low blood pressure, disturbed sleep;
• inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract;
• olfactory receptors do not recognize odors;
• disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract: nausea, heartburn, diarrhea alternating with constipation, flatulence, yellowness of the sclera, enlarged liver;
• irregular periods in women, decreased potency in men;
• skin inflammation or eczema due to prolonged contact with gasoline.

Symptoms

If inhalation of toxic fumes does not last long, mild to moderate poisoning may result. The symptoms of such poisoning resemble alcohol intoxication and are characterized by the following symptoms:

• the victim has laughter for no apparent reason and unmotivated euphoria;
• unsteadiness of gait and dizziness;
• heartbeat faster than usual;
• sometimes – attacks of nausea and even vomiting;
• weakness of the body;
• redness of the skin.

If you sniff gasoline for a long time, severe poisoning will occur, which has the following symptoms:

• the person is in an unconscious state;
• temperature rises to 40 degrees;
• hallucinations are possible;
• in some cases, convulsions, both clonic and toxic, are present against the background of increased tendon reflexes.

There is also a fulminant form of poisoning, which is observed at extremely high concentrations of this substance indoors - for example, during industrial accidents in which gasoline spills occur, or when cleaning tanks in which this liquid is stored. In such situations, the victim may experience sudden loss of consciousness and even stop breathing.

If you drink gasoline, the substance that enters the stomach causes repeated vomiting in large quantities and diarrhea. The victim develops severe abdominal pain, and there may also be liver damage resembling non-infectious hepatitis. At the same time, it increases in size, which is accompanied by painful sensations, yellowing of the skin against a background of general weakness.

In chronic forms of poisoning, the following symptoms are present:

• Constant fatigue against a background of low level of performance and weakness.
• Signs of neurasthenia and hysteria.
• Women may experience menstrual irregularities.
• Digestive system disorders.
• Sleep disturbances, drop in blood pressure, and a possible decrease in the ability to recognize odors.

If gasoline gets on the skin with which it has been in contact for a long time, the patient may experience inflammation and eczema.

What are the symptoms of gasoline pneumonia?

This phenomenon occurs when a person drinks gasoline, but at the same time it enters the lungs. Most often, this is possible when draining gasoline, when the procedure for sucking it in using a hose is performed. Very often at this time you can accidentally swallow fuel. The following symptoms occur:

• The skin takes on a bluish tint.
• There is obvious pain from the affected lung.
• When coughing, rusty sputum is produced, which indicates the presence of blood.
• The temperature rises and the general condition is disturbed.

Symptoms and consequences of gasoline addiction

This is a very common phenomenon observed in adolescents. In most cases we are talking about children from disadvantaged families. Inhalation of gasoline vapors in such cases is carried out to obtain euphoria. Very often, hallucinations occur.

Symptoms of substance abuse depend on how long and how often a person is exposed to vapors. With prolonged inhalation of gasoline fumes, the following signs of poisoning are possible:

• loss of consciousness;
• the appearance of clonic and toxic seizures;
• hemiparesis (not in all cases).

Consequences of gasoline addiction:

• quick addiction;
• irreversible damage to intellectual development, which is caused in the shortest possible time;
• damage to the central nervous system.

If this “entertainment” is not stopped in the initial stages, the child faces lifelong disability.

Emergency care for poisoning

The victim requires professional examination and treatment, but first aid should be provided before the ambulance arrives. It is important not to get confused (although this spectacle is not for the faint of heart) and take the following steps:

1. Take him out of the room into fresh air.
2. If the patient is in a coma, is not breathing or his breathing is impaired, lay him on his side so that his tongue does not sink in and he does not choke on vomit. Perform artificial respiration, give an oxygen cushion.
3. Give plenty of warm drink, no colder than 40℃, so that toxins are eliminated faster. Wrap yourself in a blanket, as the body needs warmth during intoxication. It is useful to put jars and mustard plasters.
4. Rinse the stomach with 2–3 liters of water. Introduce 70 g of sunflower oil or activated carbon solution through a probe.
5. If vomiting, give 3 glasses of soda solution (0.5 tbsp per 1 tbsp of water). If the victim drank gasoline, do not induce artificial vomiting: the vomit with fuel will enter the lungs and cause pneumonia.
6. To relieve intoxication, give enterosorbent - activated charcoal (crush up to 30 tablets). Polysorb, enterosgel, smecta are suitable.

When and what kind of medical care is needed

Specialized medical care is required in case of severe poisoning, when antidotes and intensive care are indispensable. To do this, call an ambulance and take the victim to the toxicology department of the hospital, where qualified treatment will be carried out. It is as follows:

1. The patient will be prescribed bed rest.
2. Oxygen therapy will be administered.
3. In case of serious breathing problems, artificial ventilation will be performed. Antibiotics and corticosteroids will be prescribed to prevent inflammation. They will administer analgesic therapy to improve breathing (caffeine, cordiamine, camphor).
4. They will support the work of the heart with drips of corglucon with glucose. The pain will be relieved with an intramuscular injection of promedol.
5. They will put in IVs for detoxification therapy with isotonic solution and glucose.
6. As a symptomatic treatment, they will restore the functioning of the affected organs (liver, kidneys, lungs).
7. Balance the diet, enriching it with vitamins C, PP, B1 and minerals (calcium, iron).

Mild poisoning after examination and positive tests does not require hospitalization and goes away in 2-3 days. Chronic cases take a long time to treat.

Features of treatment for gasoline poisoning

If severe gasoline poisoning occurs by mouth, i.e. the victim swallowed it - treatment should be carried out in a hospital setting. Typically it includes the following:

1. Strict bed rest.
2. Carrying out symptomatic therapy. For example, in case of kidney damage, actions should be aimed at restoring their function.
3. Detoxification therapy, which involves the administration of intravenous isotonic solution and glucose.
4. A diet that involves taking certain vitamins and minerals, as well as supplements containing iron and calcium.

Possible consequences

Substance abuse has profound consequences for individuals and society. When you consume toxins, there is a need for bliss. But the body gets used to it and does not respond, so the dose has to be constantly increased. Therefore, substance abusers switch to drugs and join the ranks of drug addicts.

Inhalation of harmful substances destroys the body. If you consume toxins for a long time, you develop:

1. Burns of the respiratory tract and diseases caused by them (rhinitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis).
2. Lung abscess, pulmonary hemorrhage, loss of functionality of its tissues.
3. Tumors of the lungs and kidneys. Gasoline fumes are carcinogenic and promote the growth of cancer cells.
4. Pathology in the work of the cardiovascular system. Harmful fumes lead to heart attack, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, which often end in death.
5. Liver destruction – cirrhosis – is a common cause of death among substance abusers.
6. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.
7. Damage to the bone marrow, leading to leukemia and a weakened immune system.
8. Toxic encephalopathy of the brain inhibits mental and mental development, and intelligence decreases. The child has one goal: to breathe in toxic fumes. There is fear, panic attacks, visual perception is impaired. Ideas about the size of objects are distorted. The teenager perceives life situations inadequately, cannot concentrate on school, and fails in many subjects.

As a result, the brain is destroyed within six months, and in 2 years the toxic substances, if they do not kill, will turn the “sniffer” into a feeble-minded disabled person.
Even one-time use of toxins leads to addiction and drags the child into the pool. He is far from reality and ceases to control his actions. The consequences of substance abuse are irreparable! Unfortunately, even after therapy it is not possible to completely restore brain function.

Signs of childhood substance abuse

It is impossible to accurately determine whether a child is involved in substance abuse or not. However, this can be indicated by a number of signs in his behavior, for example:

• Frequent mood changes;
• Irritability;
• Stealth;
• Premature aging of the body, tooth loss;
• Speech and diction are slow;
• Feeling of constant euphoria;
• The characteristic smell of chemicals from a child;
• In the morning there is often nausea, vomiting, and headaches.

These signs can be an alarm bell for parents and force them to take their child to an appointment with a narcologist, who will conduct an examination and give an accurate diagnosis.