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What do you think when you hear the word “psychosis?”
This is a question that’s been asked all across Oregon. Since the start of 2025, the term “psychosis” has seen an uptick in searches across Google for Oregon residents. Psychosis can be caused by a wide range of things, but did you know that alcohol was one of them?
Many lesser-known side effects of alcohol use can leave a lasting impact on mental health. Our team at Serenity Lane has seen these side effects and their consequences. Today, we’re going to talk about alcohol psychosis, what it is, why it happens, and what you can do if you or a loved one experiences it.
Psychosis, also referred to as a “psychotic episode,” is a term used to describe when someone is disconnected from reality. It doesn’t look the same from person to person, and it can be caused by a wide range of factors.
The primary symptoms of psychosis include hallucinations, delusions, and overall confusion. Hallucinations occur when someone experiences reality in a way that others don’t and can impact any of the five senses. Delusions occur when someone has strong beliefs and ideas that aren’t shared by others or generally understood. Finally, confusion may consist of being unaware of one's current or past experiences, speaking nonsense, having thoughts jump around rapidly, and more.
Psychosis can last for minutes, hours, or even days. It can be caused by untreated mental health disorders, trauma, stress, medications, brain injuries, and drug or alcohol misuse.
The relationship between alcohol and the brain is a complex one. To start, alcohol is not healthy for any organ in our body. When you regularly drink, you’re more likely to have organs beyond your digestive system impacted by alcohol.
When you drink, alcohol moves through your body through both your digestive tract and your bloodstream. When present, it influences your brain’s natural functioning, leading to calmness and decreased alertness. It can also impact your body’s ability to process important chemicals and vitamins, which then negatively affects the rest of your system.
If you continue to have alcohol consistently present, or present in large quantities, you run a higher risk of lasting damage to your brain. Underage drinking, in particular, can lead to permanently decreased cognition, memory, and motor skills. The same can happen for adults. The specific timeline and quantity you need to drink to “achieve” this varies depending on your health.
Alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) is a term used to describe the blanket effects of alcohol on the brain in the long term. It doesn’t have a set list of symptoms, but can include long-lasting confusion, memory impairment, changes to thinking, and decreased motor skills. People with ARBD are at increased risk of developing dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This leaves a lasting impact on how you can live your life, as it’s not reversible.
ARBD can be treated and even reversed in some circumstances with proper treatment and cessation of alcohol use. ARBD can contribute to the potential risk of psychosis.
When determining the cause of psychosis, it’s important to look at the context clues. The person experiencing the psychosis is often unable to give accurate information regarding their circumstances until after their episode. If you’re uncertain about whether psychosis is caused by alcohol, here are a few questions you can ask:
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you or your loved one may be living with an alcohol use disorder. If you’re still uncertain about whether their psychosis is caused by alcohol, the next thing you should look for is what symptoms they’re exhibiting.
Alcohol-induced psychosis can occur either while intoxicated or during alcohol withdrawal. Because of this, the specific symptoms and side effects you need to watch out for can vary. The symptoms of psychosis can also overlap with the symptoms of withdrawal or intoxication. Let’s take a closer look at withdrawal and intoxication symptoms and what psychosis symptoms match up with them.
As you can see, many symptoms of psychosis are common symptoms of withdrawal or intoxication. The biggest difference is the severity and amount of symptoms. Someone can have disorganized speech, for example, and not be experiencing psychosis. However, if they have disorganized speech and also feel like someone is out to get them, they might be going through psychosis.
One of the ways you can prevent alcohol psychosis from happening is by understanding how it happens in the first place. Many of the risk factors for alcohol-induced psychosis overlap with the symptoms of non-alcohol-induced psychosis. You don’t have to drink alcohol or take any substances to still have a potential risk of experiencing psychosis.
Here are some of the most common causes of psychosis and alcohol psychosis:
On top of this, having an alcohol use disorder or binge drinking can also increase your risk of psychosis.
The most important thing to do if someone you know is experiencing psychosis is to remain calm. Don’t judge the person living through it, and be open to what they’re saying. Sympathize with their fears and concerns, and do your best to redirect them whenever possible.
If at any point you feel you’re unsafe around someone dealing with psychosis, don’t hesitate to reach out to designated crisis centers. Simply dial 988 and you’ll be connected with someone who can help. It’s important that you do not contact the police for mental health-related emergencies (unless all other options are exhausted). Members of law enforcement are not trained mental health professionals and can make situations worse rapidly.
Whether you’re dealing with an alcohol use disorder, psychosis, or any combination of the two, help is available here for you. Through alcoholism treatment and mental health treatment, you can find the healing and support you deserve.
As one of the oldest non-profit rehab centers in the state, our team at Serenity Lane truly understands the wide variety of ways alcohol can impact your mental health. We’re here to guide you to long-term recovery. All you have to do is give us a call at 800-543-9905 and we’ll get you started right away.
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