Mental Health Is there a link between antipsychotics and alcoholism

[iridescentblack]

I can't find anything on the internet regarding a link between antipsychotics and alcoholism. I'm wondering if any of you know...

I've been an alcoholic probably since I was 26 and that was five years ago. Coming off Invega Sustenna pushed me over the edge. I started daydreaming constantly, even wound up with severe memory loss at times and this problem could not be resolved for almost the entire time I was on long-acting antipsychotics.

So specifically I'm looking for information on long-acting antipsychotics.

I had never abused alcohol in my life prior to 26 years old, coming off Invega Sustenna. Sure, I went to parties and binge drank, but there was never a dire need for alcohol that existed. When I finally turned 21, I wasn't allowed to legally drink yet because of legal problems, but even then... only drank on rare occasions. By that time in my life I was using alcohol "responsibly" and was quite proud of it.

Unfortunately I was put on long-acting antipsychotics shortly before my 22nd birthday and the only temporary comfort I could get was to have a strong tallboy every once in a while. By the time I was 26 I realized this was no longer an occasional thing. It had become recreational.

Has anyone else had this problem? I know I've seen a lot of comments in the Invega threads about people not being able to feel anything, resorting to drugs like alcohol and weed and whatnot...

 

[ions]

I'm on invega sustenna and drink (alcoholic) quite a bit. It's to help drown out the akisthisia and the "blood boil" feeling. In the hospital they give you milk. IRL I reach out to alcohol. Weed. Psychedelics. But boredom also fuels it. Can't direct you to any resources other than I'm both an alcohol abuser and on antipsychotics.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

I'm on invega sustenna and drink (alcoholic) quite a bit. It's to help drown out the akisthisia and the "blood boil" feeling. In the hospital they give you milk. IRL I reach out to alcohol. Weed. Psychedelics. But boredom also fuels it. Can't direct you to any resources other than I'm both an alcohol abuser and on antipsychotics.

What is the "blood boil" feeling?

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

I can't find anything on the internet regarding a link between antipsychotics and alcoholism. I'm wondering if any of you know...

I've been an alcoholic probably since I was 26 and that was five years ago. Coming off Invega Sustenna pushed me over the edge. I started daydreaming constantly, even wound up with severe memory loss at times and this problem could not be resolved for almost the entire time I was on long-acting antipsychotics.

So specifically I'm looking for information on long-acting antipsychotics.

I had never abused alcohol in my life prior to 26 years old, coming off Invega Sustenna. Sure, I went to parties and binge drank, but there was never a dire need for alcohol that existed. When I finally turned 21, I wasn't allowed to legally drink yet because of legal problems, but even then... only drank on rare occasions. By that time in my life I was using alcohol "responsibly" and was quite proud of it.

Unfortunately I was put on long-acting antipsychotics shortly before my 22nd birthday and the only temporary comfort I could get was to have a strong tallboy every once in a while. By the time I was 26 I realized this was no longer an occasional thing. It had become recreational.

Has anyone else had this problem? I know I've seen a lot of comments in the Invega threads about people not being able to feel anything, resorting to drugs like alcohol and weed and whatnot...

As far as I am aware there is no link whatsoever.

 

[ions]

What is the "blood boil" feeling?

It feels like your blood is boiling espeically on haldol. It's a metaphor for akisthisia. The restlessness.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Whilst I don't know the actual answer to this @iridescentblack I would hazard a guess that it's more likely that there is a significant correlation between people with mental illness, and alcoholism, and that therefore there would be some indirect link between antipsychotic use and alcoholism. Definitely something worth reading up on though.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

More like an intermediate factor of modifying factor. People with psychotic illnesses are known to experiment with essentially the spectrum of substances. Same with any issue and mental illness, though, to be honest. Doesn't mean it's safe. Weed is particularly negative, but can seem to be harmless if you turn your head in the right manner...some people can tolerate small amounts of ethanol, per their prescriber recommendation.

 

[iridescentblack]

My guess is falling into a pattern of drinking was an amalgamation of experiences that were somehow temporarily dealt with by drinking.

Mostly the information seems to be one-sided, that with the scientific data leaning on the side that mental illness leads to substance use, leaving antipsychotics out of the circumstance.

No direct correlation can be found in my searches. Probably no such link exists.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Mostly the information seems to be one-sided, that with the scientific data leaning on the side that mental illness leads to substance use

Yep absolutely, a direct and significant correlation between mental illness in general, and substance use in general, has been very well established.

Anecdotally I would safely say there is a significant link with psychosis and substance use.

 

[iridescentblack]

Yep absolutely, a direct and significant correlation between mental illness in general, and substance use in general, has been very well established.

Anecdotally I would safely say there is a significant link with psychosis and substance use.

Something just yanked at my curiosity, on that note...

I had someone help me look over the symptoms of a prior medication with me (vraylar) and I noticed one symptom in particular that interested me; apparently the drug causes the person taking it to (on occasions) develop a gambling addiction...

That got me thinking. That's all I'll say.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Something just yanked at my curiosity, on that note...

I had someone help me look over the symptoms of a prior medication with me (vraylar) and I noticed one symptom in particular that interested me; apparently the drug causes the person taking it to (on occasions) develop a gambling addiction...

That got me thinking. That's all I'll say.

Very interesting indeed. Gambling addiction (as you probably know) as with most behavioural addictions have everything to do with dopamine.

 

[iridescentblack]

Very interesting indeed. Gambling addiction (as you probably know) as with most behavioural addictions have everything to do with dopamine.

Normally I'm not the kind of person to do things compulsively. 'Used to shop for my food all in one shopping trip, organize errand stops for the most benefit in one day of the week and stuff like that. For some reason, I just became so impulsive coming off Invega Sustenna and I don't know why.

Substituted my shopping excursions for routine visits to McDonalds, compulsively went to buy drinks (soft and hard) at 24-hour convenience stores, spent tons of money on things I absolutely didn't need, and ended traveling around cities a lot because I just couldn't multi-task getting all my necessities at once!

Similar to gambling^ in my opinion.

Slowly getting all those compulsive habits under control, Finally. haha

Oh, also, I had an exercise addiction... pretty much the main ones listed here:

What Is Process Addiction & Types of Addictive Behaviors?

A process or behavioral addiction is defined as a compulsion to continually engage in behaviors despite the negative impact on one's healthy or daily life.

americanaddictioncenters.org