Psychosis is what we call the condition that causes one to experience hallucinations, delusions, and detachment from reality. This is separate from specific psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Psychosis is just a description of a set of symptoms, which include hallucinations or delusions. This is not always serious, and most people with the symptoms of psychosis are able to function just fine with some amount of treatment.
Substance-induced psychotic disorder is defined as any psychotic episode or condition developed after excessive or continuous use of a substance. Stimulants are the class of drug which most often cause this issue, followed by hallucinogens. It is nearly expected that a stimulant binge (especially with methamphetamine) will lead to temporary psychosis. Drug induced psychosis often includes persecutory delusions, which are delusions that you are being persecuted in some way (believing you are being spied on, followed, manipulated, or that someone intends to harm you). The following lists are loosely ordered in terms of risk, starting with the most risky behavior/substance.
Factors that can put you at higher risk for drug-induced psychosis:
- Family or personal history of any psychotic disorder
- Long term stimulant or hallucinogen use
- Heavy doses of stimulants or hallucinogens
- Research chemicals
- Mixing stimulants
Drugs which are most likely to lead to drug-induced psychosis:
- 25i
- Methamphetamine
- Cocaine/Crack
- LSD
- MDMA/MDA
Psychosis is one of the more notable and obvious mental issues that can arise from drug use, but it is far from the only one. Any time you put a recreational dose of a psychoactive drug in your body, you are putting yourself at risk. It is more common than you think, and it can happen to anyone. The best way to prevent serious mental health issues while still using psychoactive substances, is to keep track of your stability and mental health. Therapy, journaling, and staying in touch with friends, are all good ways to monitor yourself. It is incredibly difficult to accurately assess the mental state of someone who is using, or has very recently used, any psychoactive drug - especially illegal ones, due to lack of regulation. So if you notice something off about yourself, take a break for whatever amount of time you feel is reasonable and analyze your sober self. Are you as capable as you were before? If you aren't, take a longer break. If it isn't a temporary ailment, you need to address it, and continuing to use could worsen the issue. Read more about maintaining your mental health while using HERE.
