The worst feeling is waking up and not being able to control yourself, trust your thoughts and find yourself distanced from reality. People experiencing meth-induced psychosis go through a similar nightmare every single day. Hence, it’s important to address this situation and treat it in all the right ways.
According to research, around 36.5% of people consuming meth for medical purposes experience meth-induced psychosis. This shows that it is evident for you to face certain symptoms of psychosis irrespective of how and why you are consuming meth.
This blog will help you understand the common symptoms, long-term effects, and effective treatment options for addressing all concerns related to meth-induced psychosis.
What is Meth Induced Psychosis?
Meth-induced psychosis is a mental health condition that causes severe symptoms of psychosis by using methamphetamine. Meth, or methamphetamine, is a highly addictive drug and is generally prescribed to treat two conditions-
- ADHD, to improve focus, control, and attention
- Obesity, suppressing appetite and increasing metabolism
Psychosis, on the other hand, is a mental state where the person goes far away from reality, fails to differentiate what’s real and what’s imaginary, and ultimately loses control over himself.
Meth, when used unethically in the crystal form, can induce pleasure, ultimately leaving you with the feeling of euphoria and adverse stimulant effects.
Symptoms of meth-induced psychosis
1. Paranoia
Being overly suspicious about things leads to paranoia, one of the common symptoms of meth-induced psychosis. Having strange beliefs, hearing things that don’t exist, and being stressed about things that don’t matter constitutes paranoia.
2. Agitation
Weird restlessness, feeling irritable, and being aggressive for no particular reason come under the umbrella of agitation and can be a threatening symptom of meth-induced psychosis.
3. Punding
Repetitive instances of punding where a person thinks he has to act on things but has no clear purpose or goal. It’s a combination of various compulsive actions leading to withdrawal from the family and social settings.
4. Subsequent tangential thoughts
Not talking with clarity is one of the early symptoms of meth-induced psychosis. A person may resolve the thought process around the object but never really provide the answer that the other person is looking for.
5. Incidence of persecutory delusion
Believing things without any evidence to support the statement is persecutory delusion. Most commonly, assuming that another person or an entire group is harming the person leads to anxiety, negative thought patterns, violent behavior, and suicidal thoughts.
Long-term effects of meth-induced psychosis
1. Chronic Psychosis Symptoms
Continuous episodes of hallucinations and delusions, psychotic flashbacks followed by stress, and increased risk of mental illness are some of the long-term effects of meth-induced psychosis.
2. Cognitive Disability
Meth-induced psychosis can have a direct impact on memory, where the person experiences memory loss, difficulty in making logical decisions, and focusing attention for a long time.
3. Negative impact on social life
Paranoid thoughts and erratic behavior can harm personal and professional relationships, leading to social withdrawal and harming one’s career.
4. Neurological Dissonance
Long-term meth use can cause irreversible damage to brain areas associated with emotion, memory, and executive functioning, severely depleting dopamine levels.
5. Behavioral Consequences
Difficulty regulating emotions, leading to outbursts, withdrawal, depression, anxiety, heightened aggression, or unpredictable behavior.
Treatment Options for Meth-Induced Psychosis
Treatment options for meth-induced psychosis focus on managing symptoms, preventing recurrence, and supporting long-term recovery. Some of the key approaches include:
1. Providing a safe environment
Individuals going through any type of psychosis need someone to show them reality in the calmest way possible. The first step in dealing with meth-induced psychosis patients is to shift them to a peaceful and non-judgmental space where necessary medical supervision can be provided to them on a regular basis.
2. Medications
Antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and mood stabilizers are often prescribed to individuals with meth-induced psychosis, which can help improve symptoms and reduce any co-occurring disorders.
3. Psychotherapy
CBT is one of the widely used therapies to address underlying thoughts, emotions, and behaviors contributing to substance use and psychosis. Additionally, trauma therapy is often provided to individuals with a history of trauma that may be linked to meth use.
4. Drug Rehabilitation Programs
Drug rehab programs often combine inpatient and outpatient treatments to help the person holistically. Structured inpatient programs offer detox, therapy, and support in a controlled environment, and outpatient therapy is for individuals to maintain long-term sobriety and humility.
5. Regular Family Involvement
It becomes difficult for an individual to fight alone. With adequate support from family and friends, this condition can improve drastically while educating people for emergencies.
FAQs: Meth-induced psychosis
Q: What does drug-induced psychosis feel like?
A: Drug-induced psychosis, especially meth-induced psychosis, can feel like experiencing it all at once. Losing touch with reality, paranoid thoughts, hallucinations, and delusions can be some of them.
Q: What are the early warning signs of psychosis?
A: Early signs include confusion, paranoia, social withdrawal, unusual thoughts, and hearing or seeing things that aren’t real.
Q: How do we get out of psychosis naturally?
A: Changing your lifestyle can alter a lot of things. Getting enough good quality sleep, eating a balanced diet, practicing mindfulness, and seeking professional help when required can help improve psychosis.
Q: How long can psychosis last?
A: It varies based on an individual’s condition and can last from a few hours to a few weeks.
Q: Can ADHD turn into psychosis?
A: ADHD itself doesn’t cause psychosis, but untreated ADHD or co-occurring conditions can increase the risk.
How Can Avisa Recovery Help You?
Meth-induced psychosis can lead to dangerous symptoms and ultimately make life difficult. If not treated at the right time, this can induce other mental health problems, and situations can become worse.
Our approach at Avisa Recovery is grounded in empathy, in-depth knowledge, and research-based psychology with the goal of enabling you to enjoy a life free from substance misuse and reclaiming your value. Each rehab center employs a unique treatment methodology, providing different degrees of treatment accessibility. It’s imperative to carefully select the treatment approach that aligns with your specific needs and opt for a facility that offers an extensive array of therapeutic methods, as well as holistic and experiential treatment alternatives.
