Drugs that Cause Delusions and Mental Health Problems

Many drugs can have a short-term positive effect on an addict’s mental health but severe long-term adverse effects. The majority of illicit substances change an individual’s behavior and mood entirely, often for the worse. Chronic abuse of specific lethal drugs can lead to a combination of both long term and short-term mental health problems, which can include the following:

• Hallucinations
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Aggression
• Bi-polar
• Psychosis
• A range of further mental health disorders

Individuals diagnosed with either one or multiple mental health issues would have had an underlying or already diagnosed mental health disorder.

How does drug use affect an individual’s mental health

Several factors would result in drugs affecting individual mental health. For many individuals, taking drugs, unfortunately, leads to more prolonged mental health disorders.

For example, cannabis also referred to as weed or marijuana, is often prescribed to individuals who suffer from chronic pain. The substance targets the pleasure cells of an individual nervous system which, as a result, makes the unique feel at ease and happy for a short period. The consequences, however, can result in the individual developing mental health disorders such as anxiety, paranoia, and schizophrenia. These mental health disorders will only become more severe are more complex to treat the longer the individual continues to take the substance.

Other drugs that can cause or worsen your mental health can include:

• Cocaine
• LSD
• MDMA
• PCP
• Inhalants
• Kratom
• Ketamine
• Methamphetamine
• Steroids
• Heroin
• Opioids

Drugs and delusions

Delusions are a complex phenomenon that is a severe problem and can lead to individuals becoming completely unpredictable. Anyone who has either experience delusions or feels as though they are developing delusions must seek medical intervention immediately. Whether your delusions are due to you taking illicit drugs, medical professionals want to get you the help you need to ensure you are not a risk to yourself or those around you.

What is drug-induced psychosis

The drug induces delusions or psychosis, also referred to as stimulant psychosis is a direct result of drug abuse or stimulants that may result in a psychotic episode. Many individuals who experience such attacks will have an underlying, undiagnosed mental health disorder. When an individual begins abusing such drugs as cannabis, LSD, cocaine, and hallucinogens, the possibility of the individual mental health systems is highly increased.

When the drugs mentioned above are taken frequently for long durations, other psychotic severe symptoms may occur, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Drug-induced psychosis will often feature a dual diagnosis which is rereferred to as a co-occurring mental health disorder and a substance abuse disorder that will require specialized treatment.

How long can a drug-induced psychosis last?

Drug-induced psychosis will typically only last until the drug has been cleared from the body; therefore, this can vary depending on the drug and the individual body mass. Furthermore, the length of the individual taking drugs can further change how long the pill stays in the system. The psychosis will last less than a day in most cases, but this is not for every individual.

Certain drugs such as PCP, cocaine, or amphetamines can trigger a psychosis episode in which symptoms can at rimes last several weeks. In addition, long-term psychosis can be caused by an underlying mental health disorder such a bipolar or schizophrenia.

Substance-induced psychosis treatment

Psychosis is not a condition but merely a symptom with temporary episodes that usually last no longer than a couple of hours or days. Unfortunately, it is a severe symptom that very often requires immediate emergency medical intervention.

When it comes to substance-induced psychosis, the straightforward cure is to stop abusing any illicit substance immediately. However, as many of us know, it is easier to say that than do it. Addiction is a nasty disease that can make it incredibly hard to stop, with withdrawal symptoms becoming unbearable. Luckily several treatment options are incredibly effective.

The first step is to have the patient wholly analyzed so the medical examiner can entirely understand the severity of the issue. This further allows the medical professionals to identify the best course of action for the patient. The individual will be placed into a safe and calm environment in which they will be monitored. Anti-anxiety drugs such as benzodiazepines can help with several symptoms of the drug includes psychosis, along with antipsychotics being utilized to help when dopamine stimulating drugs such as amphetamine trigger a psychotic episode.

Safety is one of the utmost important factors to consider when someone is experiencing a drug-induced psychosis episode. Medical professionals will want to observe and identify what the patient is experiencing, seeing, and hearing to understand what type of person they become when experiencing an episode. Medical professionals will further want to investigate:

• Are they going to have a seizure?
• Are they going to hurt themselves?
• Are they going to hurt someone else?
• Is their heart rate elevated?
• Are there any additional health risks?
• Who can stay will them safely until the effects of the drug have passed?

Medical professionals will have to validate that what they are experiencing will not referred be a permanent experience. They will need to be comforted safely to show them that while what they are experiencing may feel natural, it is not reality.

Complications

Individuals who have a history of experiencing psychosis are more likely to have an alcohol or drug problem. While this substance will usually provide short-term relief, they carry long-term severe symptoms.

Individuals who have psychosis will have an increased likelihood of committing suicide. An estimated 1 in 5 people who regularly experience psychosis will attempt to take their own lives at some point, with a further 1 in 25 people completely taking their own lives.

It is essential to seek medical intervention immediately if you or a loved one is experiencing psychosis or any form of mental health issues. Contact Shoreline Sober Living today to start your recovering journey.