While drugs do not directly cause schizophrenia, certain substances can act as an environmental trigger for the onset of the condition in individuals who are already genetically vulnerable. The drugs most frequently linked to triggering the onset or worsening of psychotic symptoms are cannabis, amphetamines, and hallucinogens.
Drugs known to trigger psychotic episodes include:
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.
People can experience hallucinations when they're high on illegal drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, LSD or ecstasy. They can also occur during withdrawal from alcohol or drugs if you suddenly stop taking them.
Medicines are the main schizophrenia treatment. Antipsychotic medicines are the most prescribed drugs. They're thought to control symptoms mainly by affecting brain receptors for different neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers. Most antipsychotic medications act on dopamine and serotonin receptors.
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that causes psychosis, but schizophrenia also has other symptoms. And it isn't the only cause of psychosis. In some cases, other mental illnesses cause psychosis, including depression, bipolar disorder, dementia and borderline personality disorder.
Note: Clozapine is the only FDA-approved medication for treating schizophrenia that is resistant to other treatments.
Psychedelics: Drugs like LSD and psilocybin can cause vivid hallucinations, emotional shifts, and changes in time perception. These are often referred to as “trips.”
While the voices go away for some, for many, they never completely fade. But it's possible to learn to manage them and take back some control in your day-to-day life.
Get facts about the most commonly misused and abused drugs.
Studies have shown using drugs, particularly cannabis, cocaine, LSD or amphetamines, can increase the risk of developing schizophrenia, psychosis or a similar illness. It is not clear if using drugs directly causes symptoms in people who are susceptible to schizophrenia, or if they are more likely to use drugs.
The "25 rule" (or "rule of quarters") in schizophrenia suggests that outcomes fall into four roughly equal groups: 25% recover fully, 25% improve significantly with some ongoing support, 25% improve somewhat but need considerable help, and 25% have a poor outcome with chronic illness or suicide risk, highlighting the varied nature of schizophrenia's long-term course, though some sources use a "rule of thirds" with similar proportions for different outcomes.
With early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, it is possible to recover from psychosis. Some people who receive early treatment never have another psychotic episode. For other people, recovery means the ability to lead a fulfilling and productive life, even if psychotic symptoms sometimes return.
Many different drugs can cause psychosis, especially when taken in large amounts, mixed with other substances or if used over a long period. The substances most likely to cause psychosis are: cannabis. psychedelics, such as LSD and magic mushrooms.
Childhood trauma, abuse, or neglect, can increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Social isolation, poor family relationships, and high levels of stress can also be factors. Please note that these factors do not guarantee the development of schizophrenia but may increase the risk.
Around the year 2000, psychiatric neuroscience research revealed that psychosis destroys brain tissue and causes brain atrophy (4) due to neuroinflammation and free radicals (5) both of which damage gray and white matter. Brain structure and function deteriorate with every psychotic relapse.
Schizophrenia changes how a person thinks and behaves.
The first signs can be hard to identify as they often develop during the teenage years. Symptoms such as becoming socially withdrawn and unresponsive or changes in sleeping patterns can be mistaken for an adolescent "phase".
These voices often seem real to the person hearing them and can feel intrusive, hostile, or commanding. They may comment on actions, deliver criticism, or issue instructions, all of which can disrupt daily life and increase distress.
Among people with schizophrenia the other significant correlates of happiness included lower perceived stress, and higher levels of trait resilience, event resilience, optimism, and personal mastery (all p-values <. 001).
Visual hallucinations occur in 25% – 50% of cases, and the individual may experience distress due to seeing dead loved ones, religious figures, patterns, objects, or odd lights. The individual's perception may be impacted, causing them to improperly judge the distance of objects.
Dissociative drugs distort perceptions of sight and sound and produce feelings of detachment (or dissociation) from the environment and self. These mind-altering effects are not hallucinations. PCP and ketamine are therefore more properly known as "dissociative anesthetics."
Various antiepileptic drugs, such as phenobarbital, zonisamide, levetiracetam, and gabapentin, are known for their potential to induce hallucinations. In such cases, dose reduction or switching to another antiepileptic drug may lead to a relatively quick cessation of hallucinations.
Cobenfy is the first treatment for the disease to use a new mechanism to ease symptoms, such as hearing voices and hallucinations, without debilitating side effects.
Amphetamines and Schizophrenia
Just like other drugs, amphetamines can also trigger the symptoms of schizophrenia. According to a recent survey by the US National Institute of Drug Abuse, more than five million people are taking an excessive amount of amphetamines.