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Fact sheet 9

Drug use and your Mental health

Taking drugs may seem like fun and a good way to take your mind off things or spend time with friends. But, sooner or later, drug use has negative effects on your mind as well as your body. It can contribute to, or trigger, mental health problems in some young people. And if you have an existing mental health problem and use drugs, the combined effect can cause even more problems.

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Types of drugs

A ‘drug’ is a broad label given to any substance that changes the way your brain works. Drugs can be classified into three groups: depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens.

Depressants slow down your reactions to things. Taken in small amounts they may make you feel more relaxed. Taken in large amounts they can cause nausea and vomiting and make you pass out as they slow down your breathing and heart rate. Depressant drugs include opiates and opioids (heroin, opium, morphine, codeine and methadone); cannabis (marijuana, hashish, hash oil); sedatives and hypnotics (including valium and rohypnol); barbiturates; and some solvents and inhalants, like petrol, glue, lighter fluids and paint thinners.

Stimulant drugs make you feel more awake and alert. They increase your heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure. Stimulants may make you feel agitated, keep you awake, decrease your appetite and dilate your pupils. Large amounts can cause anxiety, paranoia, aggression and stomach cramps. Psychosis from stimulants like methamphetamine, can even lead to violence, imprisonment or hospitalisation in a psychiatric setting. Stimulant drugs include methamphetamines (e.g. speed or ice), ephedrine (e.g. Sudafed), cocaine and ecstasy (MDMA).

Hallucinogens change your perceptions of reality and cause visual or auditory hallucinations. It’s impossible to predict whether your hallucinations will be positive or unpleasant. It’s not uncommon to experience anxiety, panic or paranoia during an hallucination. It’s also difficult to predict the length and frequency of hallucinations. Some people develop a drug-induced psychosis as a result of taking hallucinogenic drugs. Hallucinogenic drugs include LSD (acid, trips); magic mushrooms; mescaline. Cannabis may have hallucinogenic effects as well as depressant effects.

Reducing your drug use

Reducing your use of drugs will help to improve your mental health. It may take time, so don’t be too hard on yourself or give up if you don’t reach your goals straight away. Here are some things you could try:

  • Make it difficult to access drugs – don’t keep a supply of drugs and avoid spending time with people who use them.
  • Distract yourself when you feel like taking the drug – hang out with friends who are not taking the drug, go for a run or walk, listen to music.
  • Get support – your family and friends may give you more support if they know that you are doing something about your drug use.
  • Talk to someone – talking to a friend, family member or counsellor can help you to stay motivated to keep trying.
  • Look after yourself – eating well and drinking lots of water can help you to stay healthy.

When mental health problems and drug use combine

Although these drugs are only used by a small proportion of the population, more of these people experience mental illnesses. Mental health problems and drug use can interact to make each other worse and can have negative effects on many areas of life including work, relationships, health and safety.

People with mental health problems use drugs or alcohol for the same reason as anyone –  feel better, relax, have fun or be part of a group. While the immediate effect of drugs may give relief from some symptoms of mental illness (such as paranoia or hearing voices), when you stop taking the drug, the symptoms actually get worse. Problems commonly linked to drug use are depression, paranoia, anxiety and panic attacks.

Recovering from mental health problems is also more of a challenge for people who use drugs. They may have greater difficulty following through with treatment and the course of the mental illness may be longer and more severe.

What is psychosis?

Drugs can cause serious mental health problems in some people. For example, some drugs can trigger psychosis, a psychiatric disorder that is marked by delusions, hallucinations, incoherence and distorted perceptions of reality. The psychosis generally settles down once the drugs are out of the system, but the person remains more likely to develop a psychosis if they use that drug again. For some people, the psychosis may not subside and may be diagnosed as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Managing drug use

Managing your drug use can be a big step and it may be helpful for you to talk to a counsellor. Some counsellors specialise in drug and alcohol treatment, however all counsellors should be able to offer you help. A counsellor can help you to work out how best to manage your drug intake. Counselling can either be done in a group or individually. A counsellor can help you work out which option is best for you.

Self-help is another form of treatment for people who have drug dependencies. Self-help groups are made up of people who are affected by a particular drug problem. Instead of a group being run by a professional, it’s run by the members of the group. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are examples of self-help groups.

Key points to remember

  • Drug use can trigger a mental health problem or make an existing problem worse. The results can be serious or even fatal.
  • Use of meth/amphetamines (including ‘Ice’) can trigger psychosis or delirium (mental confusion). Regular use may lead to sleeping problems, anxiety or depression.
  • Cannabis worsens the symptoms of existing mental health problems and makes you more likely to develop a mental health problem, especially psychosis, in the long term.
  • Cocaine use can cause depression, anxiety, paranoia and panic attacks, as well as psychosis.
  • Ecstasy use can cause personality change, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, nervousness, hallucinations, tiredness, paranoia and depression in the short term. Depression is also common when the effects of ecstasy wear off.
  • Heroin is highly addictive. People with a mental health problem who use heroin are likely to make their symptoms worse and also limit the effectiveness of any treatment.

Extra information

State-based Alcohol and Drug Information Services:

  • ACT – (02) 6207 9977
  • QLD – 1800 177 833
  • NSW – 1800 422 599 or (02) 9361 8000
  • NT – 1800 131 350
  • SA – 1300 131 340 or (08) 8363 8618
  • VIC – 1800 888 236
  • TAS – 1800 811 994
  • WA – 1800 198 024 or (08) 9442 5000

Sources

This fact sheet is based on information from:

  1. Mental Illness Fellowship of Victoria - www.mifellowship.org
  2. Australian Drug Foundation - www.adf.org.au
  3. beyondblue - www.youthbeyondblue.com and www.beyondblue.org.au
  4. headspace - www.headspace.org.au
  5. NCPIC (2007) What’s the Deal? Cannabis Facts for Young People. Adelaide: Australian Network for Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention for Mental Health (Auseinet).
  6. ReachOut.com - www.reachout.com