Cocaine Psychosis: How Cocaine Can Cause Temporary Psychosis and Long-Term Paranoia

After using cocaine, people may experience a “crash” after the high diminishes. The effects of a cocaine high may last for up to an hour. As the cocaine high wears off, dopamine levels typically go back down and lead to a deficiency in the neurotransmitter, which can cause conditions like depression and anxiety. When someone uses cocaine for an extended period, a condition referred to as cocaine-induced psychosis can occur.

Cocaine-induced psychosis lasts anywhere from a few hours to as long as days or weeks. More than half of the people who have used cocaine reported that they experienced cocaine psychosis symptoms after using cocaine. The more someone uses cocaine, the more severe the symptoms of cocaine psychosis can become over time. Researchers suggest that cocaine-induced psychosis is a result of a deficiency of dopamine.

The type of therapy that the patient receives is determined by the patient’s:

In addition to treating the patient’s cocaine addiction, treatment providers can address their psychosis as well. Clinicians may feel that the patient needs to take medication to help manage their psychosis symptoms. Some of the medications prescribed for psychosis treatment include:

Treatment providers may not consider using some anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines because of the high risk of addiction. 

If you believe you or a loved one has a cocaine use disorder, take The Recovery Village Assessment to take the first step.

If you or someone you know struggles with cocaine use and psychosis, help is available. At The Recovery Village, a team of professionals can design an individualized treatment program to suit your specific conditions. Call and speak with a representative to learn more about which program could work for you.