Alcohol and psychosis?

Question

If someone suffers from a personality disorder or psychosis, does alcohol exacerbate the symptoms? Or can alcohol be the cause of a psychological disorder in some people, for example if their brain chemistry has a weird reaction to alcohol? Please note, I am not talking about alcoholism.

Azalea8 obviously never had psychological issues..

Azalea8 obviously never had psychological issues..

Answer 1

Yes, alcohol is a known neurotoxin and can induce psychosis, depending on the subject. My experience, however, is that people with an underlying psychotic disorder often use alcohol to "self-medicate". In the day, I worked in a detox facility. I was surprised to find that withdrawal from alcohol without proper medication can be fatal. It is more addictive than heroin.
After going through the withdrawal process with many patients, I somehow lost my taste for excess alcohol consumption.

Interestingly, after detox, many of the patients would begin to exhibit the symptoms of their underlying psychosis; often schizophrenia. Since alcohol is poisonous, at toxic levels the brain begins to manufacture endogenous opiates, or heroin-like compounds. This is probably the soothing effect that a person with an underlying disorder is unconsciously trying to achieve.

Here is an interesting article on alcohol-induced psychosis:

http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3113.htm

Answer 2

I'm not qualified to answer about whether alochol could make symptoms worse, but whether its a personality disorder or a psychosis, why would anyone ever even consider drinking with either conditions? It would just seem to be enough to have to deal with either of those problems without throwing in the complication of alcohol.

Answer 3

I know from personal experience that drug and alcohol abuse has led to my anxiety disorder. I don't drink anymore and I am sooo much better!

Answer 4

Alcohol-related psychosis is a secondary psychosis with predominant hallucinations occurring in many alcohol-related conditions, including acute intoxication, withdrawal, after a major decrease in alcohol consumption, and alcohol idiosyncratic intoxication. Alcohol is a neurotoxin that affects the brain in a complex manner through prolonged exposure and repeated withdrawal, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Alcohol-related psychosis is often an indication of chronic alcoholism; thus, it is associated with medical, neurological, and psychosocial complications.
Alcohol-related psychosis spontaneously clears with discontinuation of alcohol use and may resume during repeated alcohol exposure. Although distinguishing alcohol-related psychosis from schizophrenia through clinical presentation often is difficult, it is generally accepted that alcohol-related psychosis remits with abstinence, unlike schizophrenia. If persistent psychosis develops, diagnostic confusion can result. Comorbid psychotic disorders, eg, schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder, may exist, resulting in the psychosis being attributed to the wrong etiology.

Alcohol idiosyncratic intoxication is an unusual condition that occurs when a small amount of alcohol produces intoxication that results in aggression, impaired consciousness, prolonged sleep, transient hallucinations, illusions, and delusions. These episodes occur rapidly, can last from only a few minutes to hours, and are followed by amnesia. Alcohol idiosyncratic intoxication often occurs in elderly persons and those with impaired impulse control.

Unlike alcoholism, alcohol-related psychosis lacks the in-depth research needed to understand its pathophysiology, demographics, characteristics, and treatment. This article will attempt to provide as much possible information for adequate knowledge of alcohol-related psychosis and the most up-to-date treatment.


Pathophysiology: Alcohol-related psychosis most likely relates to dopamine in the limbic and possibly other systems. The dopamine hypothesis often is applied to psychosis involving excessive activity of the dopaminergic system. Animal studies have shown dopaminergic activity to increase with increased release of dopamine when alcohol is administered. On the other hand, alcohol withdrawal generates a decrease in the firing of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area and a decrease in release of dopamine from the neuron.

The pathophysiological systems of intoxication, withdrawal, and alcohol idiosyncratic intoxication all are different, and their relationships to psychosis are unclear. To some degree, they all involve the neurotoxicity of alcohol with resultant neurological, genetic, biochemical, and physiological pathology.

Alcohol intoxication results in disinhibition, sedation, and anesthesia. Acute depression of the cerebral cortex and reticular activating system results. The pathophysiology of alcoholism involves alterations in short-term membrane regulation and long-term effects on gene expression.

In patients who are dependent on alcohol, alcohol withdrawal results in adrenergic hypersensitivity of the limbic system and brainstem. Thiamine deficiency also is a contributing factor and is known to be associated with more severe episodes of withdrawal psychosis, which may present as a delirious state known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS). Psychosis is not considered a symptom in uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal in patients who are not dependent on alcohol. The psychosis often is self-limited and recurs with subsequent withdrawals.

Answer 5

Is that someone u?