Cocaine-Induced Psychosis: Signs, Risks and Support

According to the most recent data that’s available, 2.1% of all 16 to 59 year olds in the UK used cocaine within the space of a year. That might sound like a small percentage, but it’s actually 810,000 people.

Casual and serious cocaine use has grown. And although most people are aware of how dangerous cocaine can be, many aren’t aware of cocaine-induced psychosis.

If you use the drug, it’s important to know about cocaine psychosis symptoms, the causes of it and when to seek help.

 

How Does Cocaine Affect the Brain?

Cocaine impacts a part of the brain known as the limbic system. This system is responsible for emotion, memory and motivation.

When cocaine is in the brain, it stops the breakdown of dopamine, the pleasure hormone, meaning the levels rise in your brain. This brings on feelings of euphoria, boosts in energy and changes your perception, making you more sensitive to light and sound.

While this may feel great in the short term, repeated or high-dose use can disrupt normal brain function.

The long-term effects of cocaine include impacts on motor skills, decision-making skills and memory. Alongside that, repeated cocaine use can lead to psychotic symptoms in some cases.

 

Symptoms of Cocaine-Induced Psychosis

Psychosis is a broad term and is used to explain when a person is in a mental state that has broken from reality. The symptoms of cocaine-induced psychosis include:

• Paranoia: Feeling watched or threatened.
• Hallucinations: Seeing or hearing things that aren’t real
• Delusions: Holding strong false beliefs or believing something when everything points otherwise
• Agitation or aggression: Angry and becoming erratic for no reason.
• Confusion: Disorganised and racing thoughts, in a mental fog.

 

What Causes It?

It’s not completely understood what causes cocaine psychosis, but it is believed that a dopamine imbalance may be a major component of the condition’s development.

Several contributing factors can lead to cocaine-induced psychosis. They include:

• High doses or frequent use
• Engaging in binge cocaine use
• Lack of sleep
• Underlying mental health conditions (especially psychosis)
• Long-term cocaine use
• Used cocaine from a young age
• Using crack cocaine

Developing psychosis due to cocaine use is not an inevitability. However, the risk of it occurring does increase with the more you use cocaine, along with other major physical and mental health issues.

 

How Long Does It Last?

Cocaine-induced psychosis can affect a person to a range of severity. Most commonly, acute symptoms of psychosis will last for a few hours, whilst milder symptoms may persist for days afterwards.

Those who use cocaine heavily or binge on it may experience psychosis symptoms for weeks after their misuse. The worst sufferers will be people who regularly abuse cocaine, and repeated episodes may increase the risk of longer-term issues.

 

Is Cocaine-Induced Psychosis Dangerous?

The simple answer is that cocaine-induced psychosis can be dangerous. Many physical and psychological risks come with the condition, including:

• Distress: Episodes can cause fear in users as they experience intense hallucinations and paranoia.
• Risky behaviour: Psychosis can impair judgement, leading to people making rash decisions and putting themselves in dangerous situations.
• Harm to self and others: Detached from reality, those using cocaine may harm others or be a danger to themselves, thinking they are protecting themselves.
• Worsening mental health: Cocaine psychosis can only exacerbate mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
• Long-term consequences: While not immediate, those suffering from psychosis could end up in legal trouble, suffer financial ruin due to drug use and become socially isolated.

 

When to Seek Help for Cocaine-Induced Psychosis

Cocaine psychosis is not a condition you should take lightly. It requires medical or professional support to deal with effectively.

You should seek support if you are:

• Experiencing severe psychosis symptoms
• If your symptoms are persisting after you’ve stopped using cocaine
• When your behaviour has become unsafe (danger to yourself or others)

 

Cocaine-Induced Psychosis Treatment and Recovery

If you want to stop concerning cocaine’s mental health effects, then stopping your use of the substance is vital. Professional support can help stabilise symptoms and provide a path to dealing with the root causes of your cocaine use.

Undergoing professional addiction treatment at a cocaine rehab will allow you to build a strong foundation for your recovery journey. Your likely path through addiction treatment will include:

• Cocaine detox
• Structured treatment programme, combining individual and group therapies
• Mental health support
• Aftercare support

 

Preventing Future Episodes

If you are concerned about cocaine paranoia and other psychotic symptoms, there are steps you can take to lessen the risk of recurring episodes.

You should:

• Avoid cocaine use to reduce the risk of future episodes.
• Recognise and address potential triggers such as poor sleep and high-stress events.
• Get support early from close friends and family and medical professionals.
• Exercise regularly and have a balanced diet.
• Engage in CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to help recognise episodes and learn better coping mechanisms.

 

Get Support with Cocaine-Induced Psychosis Today

Cocaine-induced psychosis is a serious condition, but it’s treatable. Even though symptoms can be distressing at the time you are experiencing them, professional support is available.

You shouldn’t rely on symptoms just going away because, without intervention, cocaine use can only cause more problems. Luckily, early action can make a huge difference, and organisations like Addiction Advocates can help.

Addiction Advocates can help you begin your recovery journey, helping you to achieve stability in your life. For confidential guidance completely free of charge, get in touch with the team today.