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Hallucinations in the Substance-Induced Psychosis

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Hallucinations in Psychoses and Affective Disorders

Abstract

Substance-induced psychotic disorder is any psychotic episode that is related to the abuse of an intoxicant. Prominent psychotic symptoms are hallucinations and/or delusions. This can be the result of substance use, abuse, intoxication, or withdrawal. The speed of onset and the type of psychotic symptoms vary depending on the type of substance. Regarding symptomatology, auditory hallucinations (specifically, hearing voices), visual hallucinations, and tactile hallucinations are most common in an alcohol-induced psychotic disorder, whereas persecutory delusions and tactile hallucinations (especially formication) are commonly seen in a cocaine- or amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder.

The diagnostic distinction between a substance-induced and a primary psychotic disorder is critically important, because each disorder has a different prognosis and requires a different treatment. This differentiation may be aided by time of onset, substance-use patterns, consistency of symptoms, family history, response to substance-abuse treatment, and client’s stated reason for substance use. Longitudinal follow-up of patients initially presenting with psychosis and substance-use comorbidity is warranted by the occurrence of heavy substance misuse overlying presentation of psychotic symptoms, adding greater complexity to the diagnostic process, and the greater instability of substance-induced psychosis diagnoses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, University of Milan Medical School, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy

    Massimo Carlo Mauri, Silvia Paletta & Chiara Di Pace

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  1. Massimo Carlo Mauri
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  2. Silvia Paletta
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  3. Chiara Di Pace
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Correspondence to Massimo Carlo Mauri .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Paolo Brambilla

  2. Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Massimo Carlo Mauri

  3. Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Alfredo Carlo Altamura

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Mauri, M.C., Paletta, S., Di Pace, C. (2018). Hallucinations in the Substance-Induced Psychosis. In: Brambilla, P., Mauri, M., Altamura, A. (eds) Hallucinations in Psychoses and Affective Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75124-5_5

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