Can Psychedelics Cause Psychosis?

A Look at the Links Between Psychosis and Hallucinogenic Drugs

Psychedelics are also called “hallucinogenic drugs,” and can cause hallucinations, leading in some cases to psychosis – which is a mental disorder where a person disconnects from reality. You start hallucinating and imagining things, sometimes falling into a state of semi-consciousness.

But what exactly is the link between psychedelics and how do they lead to psychotic symptoms – or substance-induced psychosis?

According to a scientific study, psychedelics are indeed a possible cause of psychosis, as they can lead to hallucinations and delusions. And in high doses, psychedelics can also lead to life-threatening conditions like seizures and coma, although this is very rare.

So, if you or a loved one is struggling, Purpose Healing Center advises seeking professional treatment. Get a confidential consultation and find the treatment you need to deal with substance abuse and drug-induced psychosis, whether from psychedelics, meth, or any other form of substance misuse.

What is the Nature of Psychosis?

What is psychosis? It is a mental disorder where an individual disconnects from reality. Someone who takes psychedelic drugs will likely experience psychosis, by the definition of the word. In that condition, they will likely hear things and see things. The things that they hear are “auditory hallucinations” and the things that they are seeing are “visual hallucinations”.

Other adverse events or experiences of such psychoactive substances include distorted thoughts and delusions as well. Before we help you understand how acute intoxication from psychedelics can lead to a longer-lasting form of psychotic disorders or a similar mental illness, we have to understand psychosis better.

Common Psychotic Disorders from Substance Abuse

There are several types of psychotic disorders people experience as a long-term consequence of substance abuse. For instance, some experience schizophrenia which is a chronic psychotic disorder usually occurring in adulthood.

While this can occur due to a variety of causes, including old age and genetic predisposition, substance abuse is among the common risk factors. Prolonged use of hallucinogens, psychedelics, or other drugs (containing psychoactive substances) leads to an increased risk of psychotic disorders.

In substance-induced psychosis, a person can experience a variety of symptoms. Some of them include:

• Confusion
• Agitation
• Paranoia
• Vivid hallucinations

Some people even experience psychotic episodes long after stimulants’ effects have worn off. This can be caused by drugs like methamphetamine – or even a depressant like alcohol.

What Is the Link Between Psychedelics and Psychosis?

Psychedelic drugs are also often called “hallucinogens”, which is a class of psychoactive substances. These drugs lead to a psychedelic experience where they affect your mood, consciousness, and perception. Some of the most well-known substances in this category include:

• LSD (or lysergic acid diethylamide)
• Psilocybin (magic mushrooms)
• Mescaline (the active ingredient in peyote cactus)
• PCP (phencyclidine)
• Salvia divinorum

The primary mechanism of these psychedelics is very easy to understand. According to recent studies, psychedelics interact with the serotonin receptors in your brain. Serotonin is a “monoamine” neurotransmitter that is responsible for your mood regulation – along with perception and cognition.

The psychedelic drugs overstimulate the serotonin receptors and cause distorted perceptions of reality. That is what leads to experiences like hallucinations and distorted thinking. In fact, it might also lead to altered sensory processing (i.e., your brain having difficulty processing sensory information like sounds, touch, etc.).

We will discuss the effects of psychedelics in more detail below. For now, you should know that its effects are considered pleasurable for some users, but also carry a risk of “psychotic experiences” – i.e, what we discussed earlier. At high doses, these drugs can lead to acute effects and psychotic disorders.

How Psychedelics Increase the Risk of Substance-Induced Psychotic Disorder?

Now, some of the main reasons why psychedelics cause psychosis have to do with a few risk factors. For instance, depending on the existing mental health conditions or perhaps, the dosage, the likelihood of psychotic symptoms increases.

• Pre-Existing Mental Health Conditions

If a person has a family history of mental illness, for instance, they might be more vulnerable to psychotic disorders. These illnesses could include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other psychiatric disorders. For someone who is already predisposed (i.e., genetically more inclined) to psychosis, using these types of substances can worsen psychotic episodes.

• High Doses

If someone takes psychedelics in high doses, especially in an unregulated setting without medical supervision or advice, it increases the risk of psychosis. That is because while some hallucinogens like LSD and mescaline are not particularly toxic in high doses, they can also create other symptoms – like extreme paranoia and hallucinations.

• Set and Setting

Consider a highly stressful environment where someone uses psychedelics. With other factors constant, a constant lineup of stress triggers or lack of safety can create a feeling of extreme paranoia. In such an environment, experiencing psychotic episodes is highly likely.

• Polydrug Use (Multiple Drugs Together)

“Polydrug” use is also common among many long-time struggling individuals characterized by chronic substance use disorders. It refers to the use of multiple drugs and substances – in combination – to achieve a more intense feeling of euphoria.

The typical choice of struggling individuals is alcohol, cocaine (which may lead to cocaine-induced psychosis), methamphetamine, and so on. Any one of the drug compounds the psychosis risk and leads to symptoms like anxiety and stress.

• Personal Vulnerability

We found out that some individuals are more likely to experience substance-induced psychosis. Some research indicates that the prevalence of substance abuse is common among people with psychosis.

However, some research also indicates certain people have a genetic predisposition to mental health disorders due to unique brain chemistry. Hence, even a single use of psychedelic drugs can trigger psychotic symptoms for some people who are predisposed.

What is Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)?

A scientific study tells us that there is a major long-term effect of psychedelic drugs on individuals with substance abuse  – hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD). It occurs when a person experiences hallucinatory effects even after the drug is no longer in their system.

In this condition, they experience visual disturbances like:

• Flashes of light
• Trailing
• Geometric patterns

This could happen even when they are sober. So, if you or someone you love and care about is facing these types of addiction symptoms, get medical help.

HPPD is not – technically speaking – the same as persistent psychosis. Still, it can lead to a troubling experience and disorientation. It is more common (i.e., HPPD) among individuals who frequently use psychedelics – or use it in high doses.

In rare cases, even a single use of psychedelics can lead to visual distortions or increased risk of long-term psychotic experiences.

What Are the Symptoms of Drug-Induced Psychosis?

To understand psychosis better, you can look at the common symptoms of this mental health disorder. However, you should know that the symptoms can vary significantly depending on several factors – like the age, the dose, the substance used, and the user’s own mental health history. Regardless, a few common symptoms will always include the following:

Hallucinations

These can be visual or auditory experiences that aren’t “grounded in reality”. They can be mild distortions of the visuals an individual is perceiving while awake or even full-blown delusions where they start seeing things “away from reality”.

Delusions

These are false beliefs like the feeling that someone has special powers (e.g., it’s typically the person using the hallucinogens). Sometimes, the person with psychotic symptoms might even believe that they are being persecuted (paranoid delusion).

Severe Paranoia

This is a heightened sense of distrust or fear of others. This often takes place with the person having false and irrational beliefs, which leads them to believe that others are trying to harm the individual.

Confusion and Disorientation

While these are the most common symptoms, they can still be slightly difficult to distinguish. The person experiencing psychosis will seem agitated and confused, especially disoriented when they try to separate reality from imagination.

Tactile Hallucinations

There’s evidence that using hallucinogens and psychedelics can lead to tactile hallucinations. These are sensations based on the feeling of “touch”, like insects crawling on the skin – which is actually not true in reality.

Can Psychedelics Cause Mental Illness?

Psychedelics don’t usually cause mental illness directly. However, they can trigger underlying psychotic disorders in individuals, especially people with a genetic predisposition toward them.

As stated earlier, there are rare cases where a single psychedelic experience can lead to long-term implications – which may include the onset of psychosis.

What Treatment Options Are Available for Substance-Induced Psychosis?

There’s a range of treatment options to help with psychosis due to substance abuse. At Purpose Healing Center, we work with clients to create a comprehensive treatment strategy. It might include therapies, medication, and intensive care through residential treatment.

However, the treatment you need might depend on individual factors. Therefore, we advise that you talk to an experienced professional at our treatment center, before you make the decision.

Medical Stabilization (Immediate Care)

Our facility offers immediate medical stabilization for individuals with severe psychological or physical symptoms. Our goal is to help them ween off substance use, and move toward holistic well-being.

Psychiatric Care

We, at Purpose Healing Center, also offer inpatient care for substance use disorders. If a client is experiencing severe psychotic episodes or paranoia, we also have psychiatric specialists ready to help.

Therapy and Counseling Support

We also offer comprehensive therapy options where experts provide cognitive behavioral therapy and other therapies to help support recovery.

Medication Management for Psychotic Symptoms

Our treatment options also include medication-based management for psychotic symptoms. We help our clients achieve more effective recovery through FDA-prescribed medication to deal with withdrawal symptoms.

Family Therapy and Support Groups

At Purpose Healing Center, we believe in lasting recovery through familial and community support. Therefore, we invite your family members into the counseling offered at treatment programs as part of individual therapies when possible and when approved by the client.

Get Professional Help for Recovery from Psychedelic Abuse

Can psychedelics cause psychosis? Yes, they can, in some instances. If someone uses such a substance for an extended period of time, they can develop what’s a called a psychotic disorder.

With that, they can experience a range of psychotic symptoms, including hallucinations and paranoia. In addition, the risk of experiencing tactile hallucinations and persecutory delusions during psychosis is also high.

What’s more important is that it can make life challenging. But the path to recovery is only one phone call away because at Purpose, we are here to help.

We can help you or your loved one in dealing with and overcoming psychosis. So, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Purpose Healing Center for a confidential consultation today.