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Opiate Withdrawal
Psychosis

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Psychosis by definition is described as, “A loss of contact with reality, usually including false beliefs about what is taking place or who one is and seeing and hearing things that are not there”. Opiate withdrawal induced psychosis is very different from the psychosis experienced on other drugs. It derives from a place of mental instability and severe anxiety. A sense of hopelessness is very common when in a withdrawal induced psychosis. Judgment and logical thinking are not present during a state of psychosis and can lead to impulsive actions. Depending on the circumstances and possible pre-disposed mental illnesses, a state of psychosis, especially in withdraw, can be extremely dangerous.

Effects of Opiate Withdrawal Psychosis

The psychosis derived from opiate withdrawal is usually not conducive with the psychosis brought about by other drugs such as methamphetamine. Hallucinations are not as common when experiencing psychosis from the withdrawal of opiates, but the actions and decisions made while in a state of psychosis mirror that of its general definition. A sense of desperation sets in while in opiate withdrawal. Both the physical and psychological aspects play a large part in this. The severe anxiety and depression can promote a feeling of hopelessness. It is this desperation and hopelessness that will cause an addict to make decisions that may go against their morals or values. That is when the psychosis takes over. An individual is truly disconnected from reality and all logical thinking when in active withdrawal from opiates. An individual is also more prone to paranoia and disconnected thinking. They may think someone is out to get them, or something is going to happen that would not make sense to someone thinking logically and clear. This can be very dangerous. Someone in a state of psychosis is extremely unpredictable. Addicts in opiate withdrawal induced psychosis will go to any length to get what they desire. This is one of the most dangerous and detrimental psychological states that are brought about by opiate withdrawal.

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Common Psychosis Symptoms

Common symptoms of psychosis include; Disorganized or scrambled thoughts, paranoia, delusional thinking, immense fear or anxiety, impaired speech or ability to write clearly and logically, and hallucinations. The severity of an individual’s psychosis can vary depending on drug use or pre existing mental issues or disorders. Opiate withdrawal induced psychosis commonly causes panic and illogical thinking to occur. An individual is more prone to make decisions that they would not normally make. Some say that an opiate induced psychosis is not as severe as psychosis stemmed from alcohol or methamphetamine use because of the lesser chance of hallucinations and schizophrenic tendencies. The sense of desperation and irrational thinking brought upon by this is just as dangerous. Someone suffering from psychosis due to opiate withdraw may be very hard to reason with. Communication is much more difficult when someone is in that type of mental state. Their thoughts may be scrambled or un-organized. Depending on the level of severity, the individual may not even make any sense or be able to put together full sentences.

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