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The question of how long a psychotic episode lasts, is definitely not a question to be answered by someone experiencing such an episode. Not only does severe discomfort itself distort the sense of time, but distorted perceptions are the very definition of psychotic episodes.
It does need to be emphasized that neither distortions nor psychotic episodes themselves fall into one narrow descriptive category. Before exploring the question, How long does a psychotic episode last?, it’s necessary to look at what a psychotic episode actually involves.
Someone experiencing a psychotic episode will lose contact with reality and begin to perceive things that don’t exist. Well-known symptoms include:
But there are also milder symptoms that few people think of immediately upon hearing the word “psychotic”:
It’s even possible to experience “psychotic” symptoms apart from psychotic episodes, as in many cases of delusional (“paranoid”) disorder.
The drugs most frequently associated with psychotic episodes are marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, LSD and other stimulants and hallucinogens. Not all episodes are due to drug use: any brain-affecting factor such as Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury or mental illness can be a cause. However, many people have addiction disorder and another mental/behavioral illness, and it’s not always possible to determine what triggers a specific episode.
From one cause or another, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that around 3 percent of the U.S. population experience at least one psychotic episode in their lives. That may not sound like much, but it translates to over 100,000 cases each year. And these episodes present serious danger: a person may wander into traffic, step off a tall building, attack others or, most tragic of all, be shot by an emergency responder who misinterpreted erratic behavior as threatening.
The question of how dangerous a psychotic episode is, is tied to the question of how long it lasts. The majority of drug-induced psychotic episodes last from a few hours to a couple of days, though there are occasional reports of one dragging on for weeks or months. As the saying goes, a lot can happen (even) in an hour: but exactly what happens frequently relates to the amount of time it has to happen in. The longer a person remains in a state of psychosis, the more time he or she has not only to get into trouble, but to experience a wide range of symptoms: an episode that seemed minor at first may escalate without warning, or someone who seemed out of control may suddenly calm down.
Since it’s near impossible to predict how long an individual episode will last, or what will happen before it’s run its course, the more important question is: How quickly should someone experiencing a psychotic episode get medical help? The answer is: immediately. Even if the episode doesn’t look too serious at first, waiting for it to “run its course” is playing a dangerous game in light of the unpredictability involved. Professional medical treatment not only minimizes risks, but can shorten the duration of an episode.
And all the above is doubly true in cases of drug-induced psychotic episodes, which may be symptoms of overdose and which are nearly always connected to addiction disorders that need professional detox and long-term treatment.
If someone is in detox treatment apart from a previous episode, hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms may also be symptoms of withdrawing from drugs. If stimulant misuse is frequently associated with psychotic episodes, so is the discontinuation of depressants, the drug-spectrum opposites of stimulants. (The notorious delirium tremens, which occur in about 5 percent of alcohol-withdrawal cases and can kill, frequently manifest symptoms such as hallucinations, panic attacks, altered mental functions and unusual stimulus sensitivity.) In such cases, the psychotic episode rarely lasts longer than the 5–10 days it takes to complete acute withdrawal.
A longer-term danger is that proneness to psychotic episodes may linger for months, even years, after the drug has physically left the body. You’ve probably heard of “acid flashbacks,” cases of spontaneous hallucinating in people who took LSD years earlier. (Medical science calls this Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder.) While it’s unclear just how high the risk is that someone who regularly took LSD will have future psychotic episodes, it’s well established that addiction disorder is a chronic illness. Since it’s chronic, various symptoms may continue to surface periodically, long after the addicted person’s system is physically “clean.” Anyone who’s in recovery from addiction and has experienced psychotic episodes in the past, should be aware of symptoms to watch for and what to do in case of a new episode.
If someone else shows signs of a psychotic episode (whether or not you’ve seen them take any drugs), act promptly:
Many people have an additional question: Can psychotic episodes be prevented? They can’t always: there are many things about psychosis that even medical science isn’t certain about. However, doing everything possible to care for physical and mental health—including staying sober—will do much to swing the odds in your favor. If you have had a psychotic episode or think you might be vulnerable to one:
Knowing how long a psychotic episode might last is interesting and sometimes important information. Even more important, though, is getting more years in your life and more life in your years!
For additional information on mind-altering drugs, see the following articles:
Alcohol Withdrawal Hallucinations
Whether you’re researching for yourself or a loved one, Beach House can help. We understand that this is a serious time in your life and that the treatment center you choose matters. We want you to feel comfortable and empowered to make the right decision for yourself, a friend, or a family member. This is why a counselor is waiting and available to answer your questions and help put your mind at ease regarding the next steps. Many of the staff at Beach House have walked in your shoes. If you feel you’re ready or want more information about how to help a loved one, we can help today. You can also learn why we are voted the #1 rehab for addiction treatment in Florida.
