Psychosis causes you to lose touch with reality and experience a range of symptoms, including delusional thinking, hallucinations, and detachment from your thoughts, emotions, and surroundings.[1] If you have heard of psychosis, it was probably in the context of a mental health condition like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, there are plenty of other things that can lead to psychotic symptoms.
One way to develop psychosis is through using substances. If you develop psychosis after taking a drug, you may be experiencing a substance-induced psychotic disorder. Psychotic episodes are incredibly distressing, especially when they are caused by drugs or alcohol.
Some substances, like methamphetamine or even cannabis, can alter your brain chemistry in a similar way that mental illnesses do. Additionally, it is more common to experience drug-induced psychosis when you are predisposed to psychotic disorders.
This article discusses what substance-induced psychosis is, how it develops, and what drugs can lead to it. You will learn:
- Which drugs cause substance-induced psychosis
- How drug use can cause the symptoms of psychosis
- What are the risk factors for drug-induced psychosis
- The signs and symptoms of substance-induced psychosis
By attending addiction treatment, you can prevent yourself from experiencing this unnerving condition.
What Drugs Cause Substance-Induced Psychosis?
Substance-induced psychosis or drug-induced psychotic disorder is characterized by experiencing the symptoms of psychosis after taking a drug or during withdrawal. In other words, the high from a substance can lead to psychosis and so can experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using a drug.
Many different substances can lead to the development of psychosis. Even certain prescription medications can cause it, like benzodiazepines or amphetamines.
The main drugs associated with substance-induced psychosis include:[2]
- Alcohol
- Amphetamines
- Benzodiazepines
- Cocaine
- Ecstasy
- Ketamine
- LSD
- Marijuana
- Methamphetamines
- Mushrooms
- Peyote
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
Abusing these drugs does place you at a higher risk of experiencing psychotic symptoms than the average person. The side effects of the mentioned substances can alter your brain in a manner that causes delusions, hallucinations, and a detachment from reality. That said, you usually will not experience psychosis unless you are predisposed to the condition.
How Does Drug Use Lead to Psychosis?
Substance-induced psychosis is complex and not fully understood by experts and researchers. That said, there are a few ways that drug abuse can lead to the symptoms of psychosis.
First, many people develop psychosis by taking too much of a certain drug. Having toxic levels of a substance in your system might lead to psychotic symptoms like delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations. In these cases, the psychosis should wear off as the drug leaves your system.
Another way that drug use can lead to psychosis is through withdrawal. When you are addicted to a drug, your brain relies on it to function properly. Not having the substance in your system anymore will lead to changes in the brain, possibly causing psychotic symptoms.
Lastly, the most common way that drug use leads to psychosis is a genetic predisposition to psychotic disorders. If you have a family history of a condition like bipolar or schizophrenia, abusing drugs and alcohol can cause the symptoms to onset. Unfortunately, this type of substance-induced psychosis often requires ongoing and long-term treatment.
What are the Risk Factors?
Most people who experience drug-induced psychosis are using substances for long periods. It is less common for a first-time drug user to develop psychosis, however, it is possible. Knowing the risk factors for this condition might motivate you to take extra precautions and avoid substances altogether.
The main risk factors for substance-induced psychosis include:
- Having a family history of psychosis
- Being diagnosed with a condition like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
- Having brain injuries or diseases
- History of non-drug-related hallucinations
- Cannabis dependency
While these risk factors make substance-induced psychotic disorders more likely, you could still develop the condition without them. In other words, you should avoid falling into patterns of substance abuse, as the long-term risks could involve serious mental health effects like psychotic episodes.
What are the Symptoms of Substance-Induced Psychosis?
If you are worried that you are experiencing substance-induced psychosis, it’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms.
The symptoms of drug-induced psychosis include:[3]
- Jumbled or disorganized thoughts
- Delusions like thinking people are out to get you or believing you have special powers
- Seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling things that are not there (hallucinations)
- Feelings of confusion, fear, or agitation
- Losing interest in activities or life in general
- Having trouble keeping track of conversations or remembering things
- Difficulty maintaining hygiene or everyday activities
- Inappropriate behavior, like laughing during serious moments
- Detachment from reality
- Feelings of emptiness or lack of emotions
- Experiencing outbursts of anger
If you or a loved one is experiencing substance-induced psychosis, it’s time to consider your treatment options. You should seek help for your substance use disorder and psychosis at the same time. A dual diagnosis rehab is best suited to your needs.
Dual diagnosis treatment combines addiction recovery services with mental health treatment. You will receive evidence-based therapies, medications, and peer support that help you overcome addiction and psychosis at the same time. If your psychosis stems from a psychotic disorder, you will undergo the necessary treatment to regain control over your life.
Find Help for Drug-Induced Psychosis and Addiction
Whether you have substance-induced psychosis or not, you should seek help for your addiction. If you haven’t already experienced psychosis, you could develop it down the line. The only way to prevent it is to treat your substance use disorder in a professional setting.
At the Mandala Healing Center, we believe in a two-pronged approach. To explain, we will treat your addiction using evidence-based services while providing you with clinically proven mental health support. If you have substance-induced psychosis or a co-occurring disorder, we are equipped to help you recover.
Contact us today to learn more about drug-induced psychosis and addiction treatment.
References:
- The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): Understanding Psychosis
- Wiley Online Library: Secondary psychoses: an update
- The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre: Psychosis + Substance Abuse