Treatment

Volatile substance use (VSU) can be a passing phase for many young users. Most young people experiment with volatile substances a few times and then stop, often due to the unpleasant side effects. Only a small number go on to become regular or chronic users. Therefore, not all volatile substance users require treatment. In many cases diversionary activities such as recreational opportunities or skills development may be an appropriate response to meet the needs of these young people (National Inhalant Abuse Taskforce, 2006).

There are a range of factors to consider when choosing the most appropriate treatment response for a volatile substance user. As with any alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment, there is no single treatment approach that will suit all individuals who use volatile substances, so all treatment should be tailored to suit the individual’s specific needs. A further consideration is the availability of appropriate services based on location, age appropriateness, cultural and other needs.

In Australia, as elsewhere in the world, there are few dedicated treatment programs for volatile substance users (National Inhalant Abuse Taskforce, 2006). However, general AOD treatment programs and responses such as counselling, brief interventions and residential rehabilitation, can be applicable and suitable for volatile substance users also.

While best practice principles of effective AOD interventions apply equally to people who use volatile substances, the following considerations should be given when dealing with VSU:

• the predominantly young age of users (most users are aged 12–16 years)
• the low developmental age of many users
• the cultural background of the user
• many users are highly marginalised and may lack social skills
• many inhalant users come from families who may not engage or participate in the treatment process
• many users may be using inhalants in addition to or in combination with other drugs, for example, cannabis and alcohol
• young people are often reluctant to access AOD treatment services
• the need to avoid labelling young people as ‘drug users’
• many users access treatment through the mental health or juvenile justice systems
• many users have other health problems, such as mental health issues, that also require assessment and treatment.

(National Inhalant Abuse Taskforce, 2006)

For more information about treatment for VSU, see the following pages of this website:

• Treatment guidelines
• Treatment approaches

See other Treatment-related resources from the Resource Library of this website.