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Annapolis7 · Apr 19, 2005, 01:14 PM

My friend is addicted to gasoline huffing.. he often haluctinates and does inhales from gas can almost eveyday. He has admitted he needs help but does not want to ask his parents. Is there anyway to help him get over this without asking from adult?

lucyinthesky · May 23, 2005, 02:16 AM

Hey Anna, wow that sounds like quite an unusual addiction. I've heard of people doing that for fun, but not actually admitting they had a problem with it. I would suggest sending your friend to a school counselor (if you're in highschool/middleschool/college) your friend needs to tell his (is that right?) parents or at least the problem needs to be conveyed to them. If they don't seem like the type that cares... then a teacher or adult friend should be notified immediately. That's a dangerous habit that could lead to worse things. In the mean time do everything you can to help your friend who is obviously in need. Many times addictions are signs of deeper problems, stress with family/friends/mate... or school/work troubles. Try to just be there for your friend and ask if there's a reason why he feels the need to escape reality by "huffing". Good luck, keep your head up... and good for you for being a true friend.

cito · May 23, 2005, 09:08 AM

Anna, it sounds like your friend enjoys what the huffing does for her. I started huffing (back in my days it was called sniffing). It used to take me out of myelf. It was gas, paint, glue anything that would do the job. I went on too much heavier stuff after that. There are youth drug programs such as Marijuana Annoymous, that young people from 14-30 attend, I know she does not have A MARIJUANA problem, but she will be able to relate to the addiction. She will find positive support there, and be able to address her problem/ addiction. You can do everything for her, but uyntil she is ready to step forward nothing will happen. Go to the internet and go to www. na.org. and see where meeting are held. They might not have Marijuana Annoymous posted , but gho and talk to some one that will know. Another thing is to get together with an adult you can trust to talk to, maybe someone that has a little expereince in life (drugs) that is clean now, and see what they did.

The thing with Huffing is it is cheap, easy to get, and you can do it alone... Pretty soon your friend will burn her brain cells, and be kind of stuperd. Please contacxt NA or talk to a trusting adult.. But if all elase fails write a letter to her parents and say you're a concerned friend. and you want to help and mention what there child is doing.. You might lose a friend if they find out, but you will save a life... and if she is really a friend she will thank you later.

serialwife · May 23, 2005, 10:56 AM

I know a guy who died from huffing gasoline. It is very dangerous. She is smothering her brain cells. She can log on to www.drugfree.org and they can link your friend to a local office. She may want to consider telling her parents or perhaps another trusted adult.. it will be difficult to get help without help and support. What state are you all in? I have more specific info on a state by state basis.

trim · Aug 30, 2005, 02:47 PM

Inhaling gasoline is extreemely dangerios. When you inhale some can be safe an you get a rush and others may have stuff init that can cuase the throut to seelup the you will choke/suficate to death you need your friend to stop emediatly tell him the risks an also it is the most stupid thing to get addicded to, I got addicted to weed but know I'm of it well not compleetely I'm still cuting dwn say ones a week it yoused to be say 5 joints a day normally more an to tell you the truth I got bored so I cut dwn until I quite an so will your friend but his one is dangerus he can die

jimmyd1889 · Oct 18, 2005, 05:45 AM

Show your friend this site. This is my daughter.
14 years old.
Bathroom air freshener.
2nd time she did it... killed her.

Better yet... show this to your friends parents.

http://www.webfh.com/fh/obituaries/o...02&fh_id=10461

Jim Manley

fredg · Oct 19, 2005, 07:41 AM

Hi,
I didn't know Gas fumes were addictive. I do know that one can become addicted to alcohol, other drugs, whether prescription or illegal.
Your friend has taken the first step in overcoming this; i.e. telling you he knows he has a problem.
His second step is to tell his parents. He needs help, but probably cannot get it if his parents don't know about it.
As suggested, he can talk with a counselor, but depending on who that is, might inform the parents anyway.
I do know that with an addiction, a person rarely "gets over it" by himself. He needs help of others who have gone through the same thing, in group discussions, talking with others.
I sincerely hope you can get him to tell his parents, and then he and they, can go from there.

riverrose · Dec 7, 2005, 12:02 AM

There is no cure or medication to cure the addiction to huffing gasoline. I know my son is also addicted to huffing gasoline. It kills the brain cells and they do not rejuvenate. At any moment of huffing the person could stop breathing or functioning permanently. The only cure is the person addicted stopping him or herself. It saddens me to know there is no help for this addiction and its so very painful to watch a loved one battle. There is no support group no therapy for such a widely used addiction its surprising how little resource there is to help one who huffs.

christinewest-stephen · May 6, 2006, 05:46 PM

This may sound mean anna but you need too tell his parents this addiction like all others can kill your friend. He will thank you later for it

Fr_Chuck · May 6, 2006, 05:53 PM

The pure fun of the act and the pleasue they feel is what is adictive, more than the chemical itself.

But with any adiction the person has to really want to, oh they will say they want to, but they don't really, the drunk will tell everyone they will or can stop, but can't and won't, the drug addict will tell everyone they will get help soon.

But the plain fact is that this is dangerous, more so than using illegal drugs or drinking. This is one that actually does brain damage and has a risk of death with every use.

So don't matter if they hate you, if you lose them as a friend, if you are really a friend you will get them help.
Talk to your couselor at school, talk to their parents, your parents, everyone, all of them, get this out in the open so they can get help, even if that help is against their will.