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You and your friends had been planning a night out for a while. You were going to the Roseland Theater near downtown Portland to enjoy some live music. That day, you decided to pre-game ahead of time. You all met up and had a few drinks together when someone whipped out cocaine. You had experience with cocaine before, so you didn’t hesitate to take some for yourself. It was supposed to be a fun night, after all, so why not?
Everything is going great. You all take just a little bit longer before heading to the show together. The music is loud in the background as you shuffle through the crowd. You’d started to feel a bit off on the car ride over, but you shook it off as a bit of nausea from the food you ate earlier. As you stepped into the venue, however, the feeling started to build. Were people watching you? You glanced around and swore the voices nearby mentioned your name. How did they know that? Were your friends in on this? Why was this happening to you?
It turns out that you were experiencing paranoia, which was a side effect of your substance use. There are several drugs that cause paranoia. It’s not a side effect that is often spoken about, but our team here at Serenity Lane believes that speaking about all aspects of substance use can help the community make more informed decisions about their health. Helping people understand substance use can also help combat the stigma that often surrounds it.
It’s estimated that over 250,000 Oregonians aged 12+ are managing a substance use disorder. As the oldest non-profit rehab center in the state, we’re very aware of how substance use has impacted our state over the years. Today we’re going to talk about drugs that cause paranoia.
There are several different types of substances that can have paranoia as a potential side effect. They don’t all fall under the same category, either. Most substances interact and interfere with the chemicals produced in our brains and throughout the body. Shifts in these chemicals can sometimes lead to a person experiencing paranoia.
The most common substances related to paranoia include hallucinogens such as LSD and PSP, as well as other substances like cocaine, marijuana, and amphetamines. It is also possible for a person to experience paranoia because of alcohol consumption as well.
Just because a substance has a chance for the person to experience paranoia, doesn’t mean it will always happen. There are factors, however, that might increase the likelihood of paranoia occurring. These primarily revolve around mental illnesses such as PTSD or schizophrenia.
More common mental illnesses like depression and anxiety can even play a role, too. Paranoia often derives from already-held knowledge and beliefs. This means that someone who believes in aliens might be more inclined to experience a paranoid delusion where they think they’re going to be abducted. In the case of depression, the paranoia might play into the fears that are common with depression like worthlessness or believing your friends will one day realize they’re “better off without you.”
In the case of anxiety, the side effects of anxiety can easily feed into paranoia. Quickened heart rate and the fear of those around you becomes amplified and ends up evolving into paranoia due to substance use.
Paranoia is a type of delusion. A delusion is when a person is convinced that their thoughts and understandings are true, even though they aren’t true for everyone else around them. In the specific case of paranoia, this involves the belief that you are being threatened in some way, shape, or form.
It’s important to note that if you think someone might be experiencing paranoia, their thoughts and actions aren’t inherently rational. Do your best to help them and placate them, but know that if they get upset at you for your helpful actions, it’s not your fault and also isn’t their true belief.
There are different ways that paranoia can manifest itself within a person. Some instances of paranoia are much more extreme than others. Let’s go over a few of the most common types of paranoia.
These are just a few of the more common examples of paranoia. The specifics that a person experiences can vary depending on anything from their relationships to the media they consume and the beliefs they hold. The most important thing to note, however, is that paranoia is not based on reality, even though it may feel that way for the person experiencing it.
More often than not, drug-induced paranoia only lasts a few hours. Depending on the situation, it can leave a person feeling shaken up or more. Sometimes drug-induced paranoia can go hand-in-hand with other side effects like delusions or hallucinations. This can be a powerful combo and lead to scary situations for both the person experiencing it and those around them.
In rare cases, or in cases where someone has a longer history of substance use, drug-induced paranoia can last for days or weeks. It can also build up toward a full-blown, drug-induced psychosis. This is the combination of symptoms that disconnect a person from reality, usually including hallucinations, delusions, personality changes, and more.
Experiencing paranoia can be intimidating and terrifying. When it comes to substance use disorders, oftentimes a breaking point is reached before a person might decide to seek out a addiction recovery program. Whether you’re dealing with the repercussions of drug-induced paranoia, or you’re seeking out recovery for other reasons, Serenity Lane is here to help.
Our team is here and ready to help you whenever you want to start your journey toward recovery. At Serenity Lane, we will work with you to find a healing recovery plan that suits your specific needs. Give us a call anytime at (800) 543-9905 and we can get you started on your recovery journey.
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