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2 • PSYCHOSIS
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substance use
What is substance-induced psychosis?
• Substance-induced psychosis is a form of psychosis brought on by alcohol or other
drug use. It can also occur when a person is withdrawing from alcohol or other drugs.
• The most common symptoms include visual hallucinations, disorientation and
memory problems.
• Symptoms usually appear quickly and resolve within days to weeks. However, the
person may have another psychotic episode in the future if they use that drug again.
• While substance-induced psychosis is typically brief, alcohol or other drug use can
trigger the onset of longer-lasting psychotic disorders in individuals who are predisposed
to developing them.
Table 1.
Symptoms of psychosis
Psychosis can affect the way you feel emotionally and physically, the way you think,
and the way you behave. This table shows some common symptoms of psychosis.
Have you experienced any of these symptoms? Tick (
4
) the box next to the
symptoms that you have experienced.
Thoughts
Jumbled or disorganised thoughts
Delusions — false beliefs that usually involve a misinterpretation of perceptions
or experiences (e.g., thinking that someone is out to get you, that you have special
powers, or that passages from the newspaper have special meaning for you)
Hallucinations — seeing, hearing, smelling, sensing or tasting things that
others cannot
Feelings
Confusion
Fear
Agitation
Lack of interest in activities
Behaviours
Difficulty carrying on or keeping track of conversations
Having trouble remembering things
Difficulty maintaining hygiene and other daily activities
Inappropriate behaviour (e.g., silliness, laughing inappropriately)
Becoming angry or upset for no particular reason
Becoming very inactive or lethargic
Becoming completely unaware of the surrounding environment