Woman shares horrific photos of burnt face after dangerous 'chroming' trend made her pass out
A woman has shared some horrific photos and details about a dangerous trend that saw her pass out and has been linked to the deaths of others.
Social media trends these days can range from harmless dances to sharing all your personal information and getting hacked, so it's important to know what's safe and what's not.
One 'trend' which certainly falls into the latter category is 'chroming', with a number of children sadly dying after inhaling chemicals from common items such as solvents and aerosols.
The idea is very similar to 'huffing' and it can have a terrible impact on the body if done regularly, as Katie Schroeder found out after becoming addicted.
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She was just 24 when she first inhaled toxic fumes from an air duster and other cleaning products to reach a temporary high and now 18 years on, she is trying to educate others about the dangers of chroming.
Katie, from Wisconsin, US, said: "The first time I did it, I loved it. I'd never done it before. There was a temporary high. I really enjoyed the sensation. I liked how it made me feel and that light-headed feeling. It was a good escape.
"When I inhaled, I would basically hallucinate, a lot of times I would pass out or puke on myself. Everyday after work I would just go to the shop and buy a few cans.
"I would do two or three a day, about 15 cans a week, when I was doing it every day."
She was spending around $200 (£150) a month on the addiction but managed to quit after just two years, in which time she was hospitalised with painful burns and blisters on her face, while she also broke an eye socket after passing out.
Now 42, Katie is keen to spread awareness about the dangers of the 'heartbreaking' trend, to ensure that nobody goes down the same route she did.
She added: "It's something that needs to be talked about more. It's not taken that seriously as a real addiction. It's cheap, it's easy.
"It's very dangerous because there's not just air in that can, there's a lot of chemicals in there.
"A lot of people just do it for fun but there's many dangers with it. You can cause brain damage.
"I feel lucky there was no long-term damage. I could've easily been disfigured.
"Social media challenges involving huffing are awful - it's very scary. It just takes one person to try it and become a full-blown addict or causing themself serious damage.
"It's heartbreaking to me that they're being taught how to do this. It's so easy to become consumed by it.
"It's not something that should be taken lightly. Don't even try it - it's not worth it. It only takes one time before it can escalate so quickly."
Although she was able to kick the habit for good, Katie said she doesn't keep air dusters in the house and the smell of them can still trigger her.
She explained: "I remember working in an office and someone sprayed air duster on their keyboard.
"I jumped and went into a panic attack. I just had to learn to cope and deal with it without wanting to do it myself.
"I won't keep them in the house. It's like being an alcoholic, you don't buy alcohol. It's not worth the risk for me, I know myself.
"I've been in the store and thought about buying it. I've sat there thinking 'it won't hurt just to do a little bit'.
"The sound and smell is a trigger for me. I have to remind myself about what happened to me. I can't put myself through that again."
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24/7, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week.
Topics: Mental Health, Health, US News
James Moorhouse