What Is Meth Psychosis?
Key Takeaways
- Meth psychosis is a mental condition from prolonged meth use - Jump to Section
- Symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, and increased aggression - Jump to Section
- Symptoms vary but often involve paranoia, hallucinations, and aggression - Jump to Section
- Risk is higher with frequent meth use and certain mental health conditions - Jump to Section
- Duration varies; symptoms may persist for hours to years after meth use stops - Jump to Section
What is Meth Psychosis?
Meth psychosis is a specific type of psychosis disorder that develops with frequent and prolonged methamphetamine use. Psychosis is a mental disorder that alters your thoughts and emotions.
In some individuals, meth psychosis can recur and persist. Often, meth psychosis can occur during intoxication or withdrawal.
It is often difficult to distinguish from paranoid schizophrenia, a primary psychotic disorder. This is because meth psychosis and schizophrenia share many of the same symptoms, except one is caused by drug use, and the other is not.
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What are the Symptoms of Meth Psychosis?
Meth psychosis can lead to mental disturbances. Most people with meth-induced psychosis experience the following symptoms:
- Delusions
- Auditory, tactile, or visual hallucinations
- Obsessive thoughts and behaviors
- Talking quickly (jabbering)
- Jumping from one topic to another
- Not being able to hold a steady conversation
- Agitation and jumpiness
- Having “out there” or unusual beliefs
- Thinking others are out to get them
- Hearing voices
- Increased aggression toward other people
- Inability to manage impulses
- Meth sores on the skin due to obsessive tendencies (caused by scratching or picking the skin)
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in methamphetamine abuse. About 40 percent of people who use methamphetamine recreationally develop psychotic symptoms and syndromes.
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What Does Methamphetamine Psychosis Feel Like?
Meth psychosis symptoms vary by person. For example, you may experience more vivid hallucinations, while someone else may develop extreme paranoia. Some people can also experience more than one symptom at once, including:
Delusions
Delusions associated with meth-induced psychosis can range from mild to severe. By definition, delusions are someone’s beliefs that aren’t true or based on reality.
If you’re experiencing delusions, you may be unable to hold normal conversations. You may even think a typical exchange is a personal attack.
Hallucinations
Vivid hallucinations are one of the most common symptoms of meth-induced psychosis. These hallucinations may include seeing things that aren’t there or having the sensation of bugs crawling on the skin. This can cause obsessive scratching, leading to meth sores on the face, legs, and/or arms.
Paranoia
Paranoia and meth-induced hallucinations typically occur at the same time. If you hallucinate someone watching you, you may become paranoid and hostile.
Increased Energy and Hyperactivity
Meth increases brain activity and dopamine levels. This causes racing thoughts and actions. As a result, someone with meth psychosis often talks quickly (jabbers) and jumps from one topic to another during a conversation. They may also have unusual thoughts and beliefs.
Aggression
Aggression caused by meth psychosis can be very dangerous. You may act violently towards yourself, others, or loved ones. This is mostly due to the hyperactive effects of meth, which increase energy and can lead to spontaneous behaviors.
Who is at Risk of Meth-Induced Psychosis?
You are more likely to develop psychosis if you use meth frequently over a long period. There are also several other risk factors associated with meth-induced psychosis, including:
- Receiving a diagnosis for stimulant use disorder
- Having a family history of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or another type of mental health disorder
- Having a history of childhood trauma
- Using alcohol or other non-stimulant drugs (such as cannabis) in combination with meth
- Living with diagnosed psychosis personality traits or antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) before meth use began
Chronic methamphetamine users are about two to three times more likely to develop psychotic symptoms than the general population.
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How Long Does Meth Psychosis Last?
Meth psychosis can begin after just one use, within a few months of use, or years after meth abuse begins. The symptoms of meth psychosis typically occur while the person is on the drug. However, they can also appear after stopping drug use (during the withdrawal phase).
Psychosis may only last a few hours but can last for months or even years after you stop using meth. Psychotic episodes can also occur randomly due to stress or if you start using meth again.
Meth withdrawal symptoms may include psychosis, along with:
- Headaches
- Extreme drug cravings
- Low mood/anxiety
- Fatigue
- Increased appetite
- Agitation
Treatment for Meth Psychosis & Addiction
The treatment timeline for meth addiction includes:
- An intervention
- Medical detoxification at an inpatient treatment center
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or other types of counseling
- Aftercare
During treatment, meth abusers safely detox under the guidance of doctors and addiction professionals. Do not detox from meth alone, as withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening.
People with a co-occurring mental health disorder (a mental illness that occurs with addiction) may also benefit from intensive care at an inpatient treatment center. Anti-anxiety, insomnia, and anti-psychotic medications can be prescribed to help treat meth psychosis.
What is Methamphetamine?
Methamphetamine, also known as meth or crystal meth, is an illegal stimulant with a glass or rock-like appearance. Crystal meth is very addictive.
Using the drug just once can result in addiction. It acts on the brain’s reward system, leading to positive reinforcement to use it again.
Meth has many dangerous short- and long-term side effects, including:
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Meth psychosis
- Memory loss
- Meth mouth and meth mites
- Severe drug cravings
- Heart and breathing problems
- Health problems
- Sleep deprivation
- Aggressive/violent behavior
What's Next?
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- Fluyau, Dimy, et al. “Antipsychotics for Amphetamine Psychosis. A Systematic Review.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, Frontiers Media S.A., 15 Oct. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6804571/.
- Glasner-Edwards, Suzette, and Larissa J Mooney. “Methamphetamine Psychosis: Epidemiology and Management.” CNS Drugs, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5027896/.
- Grant, Kathleen M, et al. “Methamphetamine-Associated Psychosis.” Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology : the Official Journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Springer US, Mar. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3280383/.
- “Methamphetamine Associated Psychosis (MAP) – The Clinical Spectrum.” Psych Scene Hub, psychscenehub.com/psychinsights/methamphetamine-associated-psychosis-clinical-spectrum/.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Methamphetamine.” 2019. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine.
- Radfar SR, and Rawson RA. “Current Research on Methamphetamine: Epidemiology, Medical and Psychiatric Effects, Treatment, and Harm Reduction Efforts.” Addict Health, vol. 6, no. 3-4, 2014, pp. 146-54. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4354220/.
