Cocaine psychosis is a rare condition that chronic cocaine users can develop after prolonged cocaine misuse. It is either the worsening of pre-existing mental illness or the development of a new illness due to cocaine use. Cocaine-induced psychosis could be a one-time episode or an ongoing disorder that requires medication, therapy, and other measures to treat it.
If you’ve ever wondered, ‘Can cocaine cause psychosis?’ read on. In this article, we’ll explain what cocaine is, what psychosis is, how cocaine can cause psychosis, and what to do if you or your loved one is struggling with either cocaine addiction or cocaine-induced psychosis.
What is cocaine?
Cocaine, or ‘crack’ as it is known on the street, is an addictive stimulant drug extracted from the leaves of the coca plant. It’s a Schedule II drug, which means that there is a high potential for abuse, and it is, therefore, strictly regulated in the US.
It is often used recreationally at parties or among young people because of the euphoric ‘high’ feeling users experience after using the drug. However, it can also be prescribed by a doctor as a local anesthesia for ear, eye, and throat surgeries.
What is psychosis?
Psychosis is where a person experiences episodes of delusion, hallucination, and mania. They experience a distance from reality, including hearing voices in their brains, seeing things that aren’t actually there, acting irrationally and destructively, or just saying things that don’t make logical sense.
Different mental or emotional illnesses can exhibit psychosis as a symptom:
- Bipolar disorder- People suffering from bipolar disorder often experience mania, which is a state of being removed from reality.
- Schizophrenia- This mental illness causes many forms of psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions.
- Depression- People with severe depression may experience delusions and ideas about self-harm or suicide.
- Anxiety- Clinical anxiety often causes panic attacks where the person believes they are dying or other dramatic fears that are not grounded in reality.
- Drug use- Mixing drugs, consuming too much of a particular drug, or using drugs for an extended period of time are all factors that can cause psychosis.
Causes of Cocaine Paranoia:
At this point, it is not known exactly why and how cocaine triggers psychosis in users. However, it is widely accepted that using cocaine with other substances like alcohol or other drugs, using cocaine for an extended time, or consuming a large amount of cocaine at one time does cocaine cause all causes of psychosis.
Additionally, people struggling with anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, or other co-occurring mental health conditions are at greater risk of experiencing psychosis if they use cocaine. This is because cocaine worsens pre-existing mental health conditions by causing psychosis.
Symptoms of Cocaine Psychosis:
While certain mental and emotional illnesses can display psychosis as a symptom, in the case of cocaine psychosis, the episode isn’t a result of a chronic disorder but rather a one-time episode or series of episodes. Here are some symptoms of cocaine psychosis:
- Hallucinations- this involves seeing things that aren’t there, hearing nonexistent sounds, and feeling things that aren’t in existence. Cocaine hallucinations may look like a person scratching their arm and insisting spiders are crawling up and down when there aren’t any. They may also speak to people or see animals, etc, that aren’t there in reality.
- Delusions- this is a thought that the person undergoing psychosis will believe in, even when presented with proof that the opposite is true. For example, they may baselessly believe that a loved one wants to kill them. No amount of reasoning or reassurance will allow the delusional person to calm down.
- Irrational thinking- the person may speak jumbledly, verbalizing sentences that don’t make sense and sound confused. They could speak about many different topics in no particular order in quick succession without the sentences making sense.
- Unregulated behavior- whereas some people display apathy and disinterest, people experiencing psychosis usually behave violently, aggressively, and even dangerously. They may be a physical threat to themselves or others, necessitating hospitalization to keep everyone safe.
Risk Factors of Cocaine Psychosis:
Although it’s almost impossible to predict who will experience cocaine psychosis, there are some risk factors that have been identified. If some or all of the risk factors are applicable to you, it doesn’t mean that you definitely will experience cocaine psychosis. It just means that you should be aware of the risks and take preventative measures to protect yourself.
Of course, even if you don’t identify with a majority of the risk factors, you must still be careful because anyone using cocaine can technically experience cocaine psychosis. Here are some of the risk factors:
- Prolonged cocaine misuse
- Dependence on cocaine
- Middle-aged or older
- Male
- Lower BMI (body mass index)
- Smoking cocaine
- Using cocaine from a young age
- A pre-existing mental health condition
Does Cocaine Make You Paranoid?
So, does cocaine cause psychosis? Although people using cocaine regularly for a long period of time are at risk of experiencing cocaine psychosis, not every person using cocaine will experience that. Additionally, the psychosis is not always long-lasting- often, it’s a one-time episode or series of episodes that passes.
The more common side effects and withdrawal symptoms of cocaine abuse are dilated pupils, narrowed blood vessels, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, headache, damage to internal organs, increased body temperature, seizures, nosebleeds, heart attack, stroke, coma, and death.
Treatment for Cocaine Psychosis:
If you suspect someone you know may be experiencing psychosis due to cocaine use and they are posing a risk to themselves or others, call 911 right away. You can consult the person’s psychiatrist for further advice if there is no immediate risk.
Usually, when the cocaine exits the body, the psychosis wears off at the same time. Help the addict by removing all access to cocaine. Of course, there’s nothing you can do to prevent an addict from consuming more cocaine if they are determined to do so, but you can try to ensure they don’t have easy access.
It is important not to pretend it didn’t happen once it passes because if you ignore it, it will likely happen again. Explain to the addict that they experienced a psychotic episode and that further evaluation and treatment like medication, rehab, and therapy are necessary to prevent it from happening again.
Treatment for Cocaine Addiction:
Cocaine addiction is a treatable condition when the addict admits that they have a problem they need to work on. Admitting you have a problem and asking for help may seem scary, but the alternative is much worse.
Recovery at Avenues Recovery provides you with a supportive environment, professional mental health counselors, and top-notch programs. Becoming sober can prevent catastrophic physical, mental, and emotional side effects while allowing you to experience peace, happiness, and serenity. Reach out today to start your journey.