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Paranoia: Causes?

R

rival

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What are the causes of drug-induced paranoia?
I've had especially bad even totally delusional states brought on from excessive mephedrone use that persisted for sometime afterwards... almost a year later and my confidence is back (yay) but I am curious as too what the causes were? Is it something to do with dopamine? I witnesses several of my friends get paranoid on mephedrone too.
I also had a friend who had a really bad paranoid-attack too but he was binging on NRG-1 (naphyrone?)
 
Sleep deprivation is probably a big factor, but excess dopaminergic activity either through direct stimulation (caused by D1/2 direct agonists like methoxetamine, ketamine, PCP) or too much dopamine in the synapse (caused by releasing agents and reuptake inhibitors - methamphetamine, mephedrone, cocaine etc) are other possibilities. Another hypothetical mechanism involves sigma agonism (explaining the effectiveness of haloperidol as an antipsychotic, and why methamphetamine, PCP and cocaine are both psychotogens in big doses.)

Activation of certain serotonin receptors (esp. 5-ht2C) also causes anxiogenisis, probably by increasing the percieved intensity of stimuli experienced, leading to people interpreting sensory noise as THE FEDS, skin feeling creepy, etc. CB1/2 overactivation is well documented to cause anxiety (somehow) too. I bet it's by the same mechanism.
 
I actually found paranoia alot from stimulants thingking it had reached points of neurotoxicity, becuase of information in my thought process otherwise made no sense as well.

I know this isnt very technical but I guess if they lead to magnesium loss for example, I know times when I've been thrust into a K hole for example, I'm not paranoid at all, let alone know up from down.
As another antipode, shrooming feeling prolific states of pronoia, in an entheogenic sense, the gods who made me are with me and they are benevolent.
 
There can be so many reason, for myself I think it's underlying psychological issue. It's only ever happened with stims.

DJHENRU said:
I actually found paranoia alot from stimulants thingking it had reached points of neurotoxicity, becuase of information in my thought process otherwise made no sense as well.
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Interesting, I'm going to look into that.
 
AfterGlow said:
Troll? The obvious answer is... the DRUGS!
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I think he isn't trolling...

He mean the details obviously.
We should know it's the drugs. But, how do the drugs cause this? I would like this to go on. I am interested in learning more about how I have gotten severe anxiety from my past marijuana usage.
 
There are specific pathways that mediate dopamine and serotonin activity.
If you damage them, there is a localized shortage of dopamine.

In response, the brain will overproduce dopamine by releasing the stress hormone, cortisol.
In tests, doctors find increases in dopamine levels, so they attribute the psychotic symptoms to 'too much dopamine' or 'heightened sensitivity'.

They are not really sure what causes this, but they have strong evidence that dopamine is the primary issue. Serotonin is also implicated, which makes sense since serotonin plays a major role in blood distribution around these critical dopamine pathways.

I believe, based on personal experience, that the body is simply producing massive amounts of dopamine until it eventually 'spills over' into the starving pathways. There is a particular pathway that runs from your prefrontal cortex (right behind your eyes) which is the highest thinking center in the brain....ALL the way down to the limbic system which is your primal brain. The 'meso-limbic' reward pathway is critical for all drugs effectiveness, as well as basic pleasurable functions of life.

Exercise is always the best way to produce more dopamine. It has brought the most profound relief from 'paranoia' and psychosis.
St. John's Wort is a great herbal option. It has been shown to increase dopamine preferentially in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. It has a complex mode of action upon many neurotransmitter systems, so it is not well understood. But it has been shown to treat depression as effectively as SSRIs with much lower rates of side-effects. Caution: this herb has a LOT of interactions with other medications AND mdma. It has been linked to serotonin syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.

Recovery from drug induced psychosis typically takes about a year. The diagnosis for schizophrenia is withheld for at least ONE year after drug abstinence. Even though you are feeling better, continuing drug use is NOT recommended. At least give yourself another year or two, or you may be risking a return to the dark side...

Good Luck!
 
I always thought that paranoia could be caused from too much dopamine in the synapse or downregulation of the receptors / damage to the dopaminergic pathways.. but that's only guessing from personal experience with abusing stimulants..

That'd be why alot of people get paranoid on the come down rather than while they're high on the drug..
 
Some good answers, mephedrone 'seems' to be a dopaminergic drug and the dopamine theory makes sense...
I would agree with junkie-wino-creep in that there are also underlying contributing factors such as the baseline confidence/tendencies of the person. this would explain why some get paranoid and others dont.
i certainly now consider my mental health stable, but there were times when i felt completely insane eek
 
The fact that drugs are illegal play a major role. Dealing in drugs, scoring drugs, doing drugs are paranoid things. And when you feel lonesome during a comedown you can't just call anyone in to cheer your spirits. And when you feel sick you're afraid of calling the docs. All a vicious circle. Legalize it and 90% of the paranoias will be gone.
 
^ I never fear the police.. my paranoia has never stemmed from being caught by them...

I know the law :)
 
From what I understand, and its likely much more complex than this, but anxiety, paranoia, etc are a result of your brain reacting to the abstinence of the drug you've so frequently "flooded" it with. With cannabis, smoking it would typically induce feelings of euphoria, tranquility, etc. excessive drug use will trick your brain into relying on exogenous rather than endogenous sources of emotion. Therefore, cessation of whatever drug you typically used will leave your body without those feelings, and thus responds with the opposite feeling (i.e. paranoia in the absence of calmness).
 
I can't find the link, but it was explained to me as follows;

Too little dopamine: difficulty concentrating, ADHD-like symptoms
normal levels: easily able to focus, but also to tune out unwanted stimuli
Too much dopamine: Difficulty tuning out of anything, cannot not concentrate on anything, everything seems aimed at you.



As an aside, while I'm sure prohibition doesn't help, I've no doubt that proper regulation would not do much to prevent paranoia.

Edit: I think this was the link, it's well worth reading.
 
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Psychedelic Jay said:
Then what explains cannibus Panic attacks.
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you cant blame a panic attack solely on cannabis. its the reaction your nervous system (the variable) has on the cannabinoids (control). everyone is different, therefore no one on a drug forum can explain why you get panic attacks. i've certainly had them and all i can say is its very much dependent on your psychology and environment. not as much on smoking.
 
deez_nuggs said:
you cant blame a panic attack solely on cannabis. its the reaction your nervous system (the variable) has on the cannabinoids (control). everyone is different, therefore no one on a drug forum can explain why you get panic attacks. i've certainly had them and all i can say is its very much dependent on your psychology and environment. not as much on smoking.
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It's solely from smoking. Cannabis does inhibit gaba production. It is also known to cause feelings of dread in non anxiety ridden people.

There has to be a mechanism for the reaction. This is not just me.

Therefore step on your breaks bro. I used to smoke all day every day. Now I can't take one drag without feeling shitty, not high.
 
I agree, I believe cannabinoids can directly induce paranoia.

I had an experience on a mixture of JWH-018 and CP-55,940, I smoked some in a city center, and got on the metro system to go home. When it kicked in, after maybe ten minutes post ingestion, and started to peak on the tram home, I could hear people talking, and it all felt like it was about me, and threatening in nature, likewise eye contact....uggh

I'm autistic, and dislike direct eye contact anyway, so I always wear dark wraparound shades, or a pair of dark aviator-style shades, which effectively neutralises the unpleasantness of eye contact (I dislike bright lights, especially that from those abysmal, obnoxious energy-saver bulbs so thats another reason to wear them, for me)

But even with my shades on, even a peripheral glance made me paranoid as hell.

Felt absolutely fine though once away from all those icky people-thingies, walking home at night, in the snow, everything started to weave and move, the snow was sparkling in different colors, and I was really enjoying the trip, and tripping my arse off I most certainly was.

Normally, whilst I dislike people in general, as a class (some specific instances are fine, but the class 'people' is vile) I have no problem being in their presence, just being there, not interacting, but on those cannabinoids, paranoia kicked in full on, which just doesn't happen otherwise.

CB1 agonists are released from postsynaptic terminals in a rather unusual retrograde manner, causing presynaptic neuronal terminals to release less neurotransmitter, including GABA. GABAa agonists/allosteric positive modulators, such as muscimol and benzos respectively, are of course antianxiety/sleep aids etc, and help quell such anxious/paranoid thinking. On the flip side though, CB1 induced suppresion of inhibiton at GABA receptors will lead to increased dopamine release. Both rewarding and perhaps, like other DA releasers/DARIs could cause paranoia in and of themselves. Although I imagine (please correct me if I am wrong) but I guess suppression of inhibition induced DA relese is of a far smaller magnitude than that caused by a DARI like coke, or a releasing agent such as amphetamine.
 
Transform said:
I can't find the link, but it was explained to me as follows;

Too little dopamine: difficulty concentrating, ADHD-like symptoms
normal levels: easily able to focus, but also to tune out unwanted stimuli
Too much dopamine: Difficulty tuning out of anything, cannot not concentrate on anything, everything seems aimed at you.



As an aside, while I'm sure prohibition doesn't help, I've no doubt that proper regulation would not do much to prevent paranoia.

Edit: I think this was the link, it's well worth reading.
Click to expand...


I hope it wasn't your physician who gave you this "synopsis" (sounds like things I've heard from physicians in the past, and from fellow physicians to patients.......particularly from GPs and psychiatrists). I personally do not know of a single practicing psychiatrist who can honestly interpret monoamine-metabolites levels in cerebrospinal fluid (let alone, urine, saliva etc).

I do know of some physicians, psychologists and even nutritionists who claim to be able to intrepret costly pathology of this nature. There are numerous 'medical professionals' in big metropolitan areas who use "targeted amino-acid therapy" as their sole or primary means of treating any 'disorder'.......
 
No, I am lucky enough to not need to see a doctor often, I think it was largely cobbled together from what I've learnt in my travels and the link which I have now included in the post.

http://www.enotalone.com/article/4115.html

Is it a very bad model, or does it pass as a layman's simplification?
 
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