Psychosis has been a hallmark symptom for a good number of mental conditions. But there is also such a thing called drug-induced psychosis. If you are a patient who is going through substance abuse or even if you are recovering from some kind of addiction, then you have come to the right place. It is because we are going to talk about topics like what is drug-induced psychosis and what drugs cause psychosis. Later, we’ll also talk about why drug-induced psychosis treatment is usually swiftly needed. Let’s begin:
What is Psychosis?
Psychosis is not a mental illness but essentially a particular symptom that occurs in psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia. It is essentially a break from reality, which means it affects how our brain usually breaks. Psychosis is also characterized by hallucinations (which are seeing, hearing, and feeling things that are not there) and delusions (irrational beliefs that are far removed from reality). You can have a break from reality without any mental condition, which is when it is called secondary psychosis. It can be triggered by a mental illness, a physical injury, or even stress or anxiety. It can also be caused by substance abuse, which is what we are here to discuss.
There can be some drug-induced psychosis symptoms related to the onset of psychosis in affected individuals, even those who are suffering from drug-induced psychosis:
Trouble concentrating or focusing
Not feeling any emotions at all
Impulsivity and overly dramatic emotional response
Not being hygienic and avoidance of self-care
Poor performance at work or school
Being suspicious of everyone around them
Can Drugs Cause Psychosis?
In short. Yes! There is a specific name for it, Drug-Induced Psychosis. It is part of a family of psychiatric disorders that are characterized by similar symptoms. Many substances can induce symptoms of psychosis while mimicking serious mental health illnesses & can in some instances, actually cause long term mental health issues.
Defining Drug-Induced Psychosis?
Drug-induced psychosis, also called substance-abuse psychotic disorder, is essentially psychosis that is induced by substance abuse that has been going on for some time. Substance use can be defined as any use of an illegal intoxicant, any use of prescription medication outside the direction of a doctor, or excessive use of legal substances such as alcohol. Symptoms of drug-induced psychosis often come gradually but when they come toxicity increases twofold as the dependency on a drug progresses. Psychosis essentially is the result of taking too many drugs for an extended period of time. It can also happen due to mixing different drugs in one go and when going through extreme symptoms of withdrawal associated with substance abuse. Some people are more prone to psychosis than others due to genetics, which is the reason psychosis is not present in all drug addicts. These are some of the most common drug-induced psychosis symptoms in addition to hallucinations and delusions: Paranoia, Panic attacks, Confusion, and Antisocial behavior.
Read More: How To Help Someone With Psychosis Who Doesn’t Want Help
What Drugs Cause Psychosis?
You should know what drugs cause psychosis, so you can ensure that you avoid them at all costs making it compulsory for us to seek drug-induced psychosis treatment which can also help in avoiding the below-mentioned intoxicants for better outcomes in the end.
Cannabis
The father of hash and weed, cannabis is the main ingredient of the former and latter intoxicants that have been the cause of drug-induced psychosis in many of the substance abusers. While it can make you happy and relaxed, it also has a tendency to make the intaker feel extremely anxious and paranoid. When these tendencies are multiplied, the symptom of drug-induced psychosis and literally answering a question like, “Can a drug cause psychosis?.”
Psychedelic Drugs
Psychedelic drugs like LSD, can also cause drug-induced psychosis, which is especially the case when their long-term use gets out of hand and brings about the harmful effects of using psychedelic drugs into a user’s life.
Stimulants
These are from medication that is used to treat conditions like ADHD. Stimulants associated with intoxication and recreation are very harmful substances called amphetamine and methamphetamine. Both of these stimulants can cause drug-induced psychosis. This answers a question like, “What drugs cause drug-induced psychosis.” Regular intake often induces an acute form of psychosis, which is dangerous because of the risk of suicidal thoughts in the affected individual.
Poppy Derived Substances
When it comes to answering questions like what is drug-induced psychosis, the answers usually also incorporate how poppy-derived drugs can also cause drug-induced psychosis. Two of the most common drugs that stem from the poppy plant are cocaine and heroin. Cocaine itself is directly derived from poppy while heroin is the byproduct of poppy’s product called diamorphine, commonly known as morphine.
Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs are also what causes drug-induced psychosis if you are overdoing it. One of the most common examples of this type is an addiction to painkillers, which is nothing short of a reason for spreading an epidemic of opioid addiction crisis in many countries including our star spangled-country.
Treatment
Drug-induced psychosis can be treated in many different ways but it is important that you indeed do that in a timely manner. Let’s find out which ones are the most suitable ones for you.
Psychotherapy
Also called “talk” therapy, this is where drug-induced psychosis sufferers can bear their hearts out for why they wallow in substance abuse. This way one can feel light-headed and decrease their dependence on recreational drugs. It is available in different forms: Family, Group, and Individual.
Medicated-Assisted Treatment
Also called dual diagnosis treatment, MAT has a way of treating drug-induced psychosis and the problem with substance abuse separately as both of these problems are looked at individually. Both drug addiction and the drug-induced psychosis episode are treated simultaneously, their treatments may include psychotherapy and certain medications but are looked over as separate variables.
Read More: Telehealth Addiction Treatment: A Path To Recovery From Anywhere
Detoxification With Psychiatric Medication
Going to drug rehab alone will not lead to the riddance of drug-induced psychosis as it often leads to a relapse. When it is done with the help of antipsychotic drugs, the outcomes are much more positive and the chances of relapses are lower.
Conclusion
Questions like, “Can drugs cause psychosis?”, “What is drug-induced psychosis?”, and “What drugs cause drug-induced psychosis?”, have literally been answered quite comprehensively above and their treatment is also expounded on. Keeping that in mind, if you are looking for drug-induced psychosis treatment or anything that properly helps treat drug-induced psychosis symptoms, then look no further than Inland Empire Behavioral Group and book an appointment today, which can also treat problems like Anxiety, Depression, or PTSD.
