Substance Abuse and Psychosis

The dual relationship

Abstract

In India, the number of drug users has been steadily increasing in recent times. Drug use causes various chemical changes in the brain, which also affects mental health. Mental health symptoms known as psychosis are more common among drug users. Hearing voices or seeing images in the absence of anyone is called hallucination. Furthermore, behaving abnormally and experiencing delusional thoughts is called delusion. Hallucination and delusion are symptoms of psychosis. Studies have shown that these symptoms of psychosis are found in 50% to 75% of individuals who use drugs such as: Amphetamine, Cannabis, Cocaine, Ecstasy, MDMA, PCP, Opiates and Magic mushrooms. This article discusses in detail the causal relationship of psychosis in drug users. It also discusses the drug usage patterns and their impacts and management among patients with psychotic mental illnesses.