In This Article
13 Ways to Get High Without Drugs or Alcohol
Did you know that there are at least 13 ways to get high without alcohol or drugs? Many products that produce a high can be found in your home and are often easily accessible to your children.
Legal Ways Teens Get High: What Parents Should Look For
Most parents know to be on the lookout for signs their child is using drugs. Many understand the dangers of using recreational drugs such as cannabis, alcohol, heroin, or prescription medications.
But few know the dangers their kids face when getting high without drugs or alcohol. There are many things right inside the home that can produce a dangerous high but are thought of as safe, everyday items. Many parents are unaware of the risks these items pose.
Statistics show that more and more teens are using legal substances that are a part of our everyday lives to get high. You might have more than a dozen items in your home right now that, when misused, can produce a high similar to what you’d get with street drugs. Some of the legal products kids can use to get high without drugs include:
- Synthetic substances
- Cleaning products
- OTC medications
- Prescription medications
- At-home products containing alcohol
Even if teens don’t use high doses of these items, they can experience health problems and damage their bodies as severely as they would with any other type of drug abuse.
Household Highs
What are some perfectly legal household items that can be used to produce a high?
- Keyboard Cleaners/Aerosol Sprays — Using inhalants or huffing produces an immediate rush of euphoria, which leads to delusions or hallucinations.
- Gas — Inhaling the fumes is a way to get incredibly intoxicated.
- Paint Thinners — Similar to gas, fumes are inhaled to achieve intoxication.
- Nutmeg — When consumed in larger-than-normal amounts, nutmeg produces feelings of sedation, floating, delirium, and hallucinations. Side effects include vomiting and diarrhea.
- Frogs — Licking the Bugo Alvarius toad or “DMT Frog” produces feelings of intoxication similar to using the drug DMT. In addition to the high, the other chemicals in the toad’s secretions can interfere with cardiovascular function.
- Garden Seeds — Some garden seeds (morning glory flowers) can be soaked in water to create a psychoactive beverage and produce effects similar to what one would experience when using LSD.
- Mushrooms — Psychedelic mushrooms not only produce a high, they can also be dangerous to consume, especially when inexperienced teens are sampling wild mushrooms in hopes of finding one that will get them high.
- Whipped Cream — Canisters containing nitrous oxide are used by teens to produce a high through inhaling. In addition to the high, teens misusing canisters experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, shivering, fatigue, and sweating.
- Choking — Teens will play the Choking Game or alter their breathing techniques to the point of passing out to produce a high.
- I-Dosing — Some videos or audio recordings on the internet claim to contain certain beats that produce a “digital high.”
- Caffeine Supplements — Misusing caffeine pills by taking too many or combining them with other substances can result in a high that also puts teens at risk for other health problems including panic attacks.
- Diet Pills — Diet pills are mixed with other substances to enhance or intensify a high.
- Cough Syrup — Cough syrups containing dextromethorphan or DXM can be consumed to produce a high that includes sedation and hallucinations. In addition to the high, this can lead to cardiovascular issues.
Summary
Kids can get high without using drugs or alcohol. There are seemingly harmless items found in your home that can produce a dangerous high. These include cleaners/sprays, gas, paint thinners, nutmeg, frogs, garden seeds, mushrooms, whipped cream, cough syrup, and many more.
Alternate Uses of Alcohol
Another common way kids get high is by using/abusing alcohol. You might be watching for symptoms of your child consuming alcohol before they can legally do so, and if you don’t see any signs, you assume the best. Unfortunately, underage drinking isn’t the only way for kids to get high from alcohol.
If you have alcohol in your home, consider whether your child is drinking from the bottle and refilling it with another liquid, so the amount of liquor in the bottle appears the same. Kids might also vaporize alcohol and smoke it. They won’t smell as if they’ve been drinking, but they’ll get intensely drunk quickly.
Additionally, kids don’t even need access to liquor to get high from alcohol. Items in your home that can produce a high or drunkenness include:
- Hand sanitizers
- Mouthwash
- Flavored extracts used for baking or cooking
In addition to producing a high, these substances are dangerous to consume in large quantities due to their ingredients other than alcohol.
Dangers of Getting High Without Drugs
Although the products used to produce these at-home highs might be safe when used appropriately, many are dangerous when used to get high without drugs. Some of the risks associated with getting high without drugs include:
- Cognitive damage
- Poor academic performance
- Developmental delays
- Problems with mental health
- Relationship damage
- Long-term addiction struggles
Although it might seem as if using household items to get high is not as dangerous as using drugs, even first time experiences can result in brain damage.
Summary
Alcohol is not the only thing that can cause drunkenness. Mouthwash, hand sanitizers, and food flavoring can also cause a high. Getting high, even without the use of drugs or alcohol, can lead to cognitive damage, poor school performance, developmental delays, and many more.
Teen Drug Use Statistics
35
Percent
Of high schoolers have tried marijuana.
1 in 3
12th Graders
Have reported vaping in the last month.
2.8
Percent
Of high schoolers use over-the-counter cough and cold medications to get high.
All-Natural Ways to Get High
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to produce euphoric effects without drugs. There are ways to produce serotonin, dopamine, and other important brain chemicals without drugs. Many people find that they no longer have a need for a chemical high when they learn how to achieve a healthy rush of dopamine or adrenaline, similar to a high.
These activities can also improve your self-esteem and help you avoid using products that are bad for your health and wellness. They are safe ways to experience a "natural high."
Here's how to "get high" without drugs:
- Exercise, especially running or dancing
- Volunteering and practicing selfless acts of kindness
- Sleeping well
- Laughing
