The term “psychosis” often prompts thoughts of complex mental health concerns such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. But alcohol abuse can also trigger the onset of psychotic episodes. If someone that you care about has been exhibiting alcohol-induced psychosis symptoms, they are in crisis and need immediate professional help.
Alcohol-induced psychosis, which is also sometimes referred to as alcohol-related psychosis, is a mental health concern that involves a series of distressing symptoms that disrupt a person’s ability to correctly perceive their environment and interact with others.
It is important to understand that alcohol-induced psychosis symptoms are not the same as the intoxicating effects that a person typically experiences when they drink alcohol. Alcohol-induced psychosis symptoms can be much more severe and cause significantly greater harm.
According to a 2015 review from The Netherlands, the lifetime prevalence of alcohol-induced psychosis among the general public is about 0.4%. However, among people who develop alcohol use disorder (which is the clinical term for alcohol addiction), the rate of alcohol-induced psychosis rises to 4%. This represents a tenfold increase in alcohol-induced psychosis between the general public and people who have become addicted to alcohol.
The two main symptoms of alcohol-induced psychosis are hallucinations and delusions:
The following behaviors or characteristics may indicate that a person is experiencing symptoms of alcohol-induced psychosis:
Anyone who drinks alcohol is potentially at risk for alcohol-induced psychosis. The more a person drinks, the greater their risk becomes for developing these symptoms. However, the likelihood of developing alcohol-induced psychosis is higher among certain individuals.
According to the Dutch study that we referenced in an earlier section, alcohol-induced psychosis symptoms are most common among working-age men. That study also noted that people who meet criteria such as the following may also have an elevated risk for developing this mental health concern:
Studies also suggest that having a father who struggled with addiction and/or mental health concerns can also increase a person’s risk for experiencing symptoms of alcohol-induced psychosis.
Treatment for alcohol-induced psychosis must address two important concerns: the alcohol-induced psychosis symptoms that the individual has been experiencing and the compulsion to abuse alcohol that led to the onset of these symptoms.
In most cases, alcohol-induced psychosis symptoms will subside once a person stops drinking. To accomplish this, a person may need services such as the following:
You don’t have to wait until you hit “rock bottom” to get help for an addiction to alcohol. The day you enter treatment, you take a significant step toward a healthier and more hopeful future. Inner Voyage Recovery Center offers several levels of personalized outpatient care to help adults end their alcohol use and achieve successful, long-term recovery. To learn more about our programs and services, or to schedule a free assessment, give us a call or visit our admissions page.
Please call us at 470-863-8259
Emily Rowe is the Clinical Director at Inner Voyage Recovery Center. She is a Licensed Master of Social Work with 8 years of experience in clinical settings covering one on one sessions, family sessions, group sessions, crisis interventions and suicidal prevention. Recognized by leadership and colleagues as forward thinking, creative, empathetic, active listener and effective.
Inner Voyage prepares you to experience recovery, even if you’ve relapsed in the past, and to help you re-enter the world as your healed self. Call today to begin your Inner Voyage journey.