Drug use and mental health can affect each other in complex ways.
Drug use can:
- cause short-term effects on your mental health
- make existing difficulties worse
- lead to long-term or severe mental health difficulties
There is an increased risk of negative effects or problem drug use if you:
- start using drugs at a young age
- use stronger drugs or use drugs regularly
- have a mental health difficulty
- have a family history of mental health difficulties
- mix drugs that have similar negative effects or use more than 1 drug
The information in this guide is about non-medical use of drugs. We have other advice about medicines to treat mental health difficulties.
Short-term effects on your mental health
The effects of drugs can vary depending on:
- your size, weight and health
- how you take the drug
- the type and strength of the drug
- how much you take
- if you take alcohol, medicines or other drugs at the same time
- where you take the drug - for example in a calm or busy place
- how you feel when you take it
- if you have taken the drug before and how often
A drug or dose that can make one person feel good, can cause negative effects in another person.
Common effects drugs have on mental health include:
- confusion
- paranoia
- anxiety or panic
- problems with thinking, memory or concentration
- doing things without thinking first (impulsivity)
- low mood
- mood swings or aggression
- psychosis - you have confused thoughts, feelings and behaviour and you do not know what is real or not real
- hallucinations - you may see, hear or feel things that are not there
- thoughts of suicide
- self-harm
These effects can last after other effects of the drug have stopped.
Risks if you have a mental health difficulty
If you already have mental health difficulties, you may be more at risk of:
- frightening hallucinations
- intense anxiety and confusion
- fear and paranoia
- reduced life expectancy
- death
Comedowns
A comedown is how you feel as a drug leaves your body. Comedown symptoms can vary from person to person. Different drugs can also cause different symptoms.
Comedowns can last several days and can cause:
- problems sleeping
- mood swings
- anxiety
- low mood or depression
- problems with thinking, memory or concentration
- irritability
- paranoia or psychosis
- thoughts of suicide
Some drugs can lower your inhibitions. You may do things that you would not usually do. During a comedown, some people may feel ashamed or worry about something they did when they took drugs.
In rare cases, some drugs can cause visual hallucinations or other drug-like experiences in the days or weeks after. Sometimes effects can happen months or years later.
Some people call these experiences flashbacks or hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD). It is not always clear why flashbacks happen. But sometimes they can happen when you feel a lot of anxiety or stress.
Withdrawal
If you stop taking certain drugs after regular use, you may get withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal can cause physical and mental symptoms.
Some withdrawal symptoms can affect your mental health, such as:
- problems sleeping
- mood swings
- anxiety
- low mood or depression
- problems concentrating
- irritability
- paranoia or psychosis
- thoughts of suicide
Mental health difficulties and drug use
People with mental health difficulties may use drugs as a way of coping or for short-term relief of symptoms. But drugs can make the symptoms of mental health difficulties worse.
Mental health difficulties linked with drug use include:
- anxiety
- depression
- trauma
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- psychosis - you have confused thoughts, feelings and behaviour and you do not know what is real or not real
- bipolar disorder
- personality disorders
If you become dependent on drugs, it may be harder to take care of yourself. This can cause ongoing stress or trauma that make mental health difficulties worse.
You can never be sure of the contents or strength of drugs from the illegal drug market. You cannot know how you will react to a drug.
There are safer ways to manage your mental health. Other treatments focus on the cause of mental health difficulties. For example, talking therapies.
Neurodiversity and drug use
Neurodiversity is the range of ways that people's brains work. Different people may think, learn and experience the world in different ways.
Types of neurodiversity include:
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- autism
- dyslexia - affects reading, writing and spelling
Most neurodiverse people do not use drugs. But there are links between neurodiversity, mental health difficulties and drug use.
Some neurodiverse people may be more likely to use drugs or alcohol because of:
- related mental health difficulties such as anxiety
- experiences in school, work or health systems
- differences in areas of the brain related to taking risks or feeling pleasure
Social problems and drug use
Drug use can cause other problems in your life that leads to more stress or worry.
Areas of your life drugs can affect include:
- relationships
- work
- education
- money
- housing
- safety
Protecting your mental health
It is always safest not to use drugs. But there are things you can do to look after your mental health if you use drugs.
You could try to:
- reduce or stop drugs and alcohol for a while
- get enough sleep or rest - sleep tips and self-help
- eat a healthy, balanced diet
- do some physical activity - it releases chemicals in your brain that improve your mood (endorphins)
- do some exercises to manage stress
- talk to someone you trust about how you feel
- get help to quit smoking if you smoke - smoking and mental health
- find out about your options if you want help to stop using drugs
It can also help to find healthy ways to deal with:
When to get help for drug use
Many mental health effects of drugs can get better after a few days or weeks. But if things do not improve or get worse, it may help to talk to someone.
Organisations that provide mental health supports and services
If you see a GP about any symptoms, it's best to tell them about any drug use. It will help them to recommend the right treatment.
If you're worried about talking to your GP
Your GP is there to help you. They talk about things such as drug use all the time.
But if you feel uncomfortable talking about your drug use or symptoms, you could:
- write down what you need to say before your appointment - you can give your notes to your GP if you need to
- tell your GP how you feel - this can help you feel less nervous
- use everyday words - you do not need to know medical terms
Non-urgent advice: Talk to a GP or mental health professional if you:
- are worried about your physical or emotional wellbeing
- feel anxiety or despair that does not go away
- have thoughts of suicide
Ask for an urgent appointment if you are in crisis.
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 if
you or someone else has taken drugs and:
- has severe distress, confusion or panic - they cannot calm down and may be a danger to themselves or others
- has psychosis
- is about to harm themselves or someone else
- has signs of overdose
Tell the medics everything you know about the drug and give them any leftover drug if possible. It will help them to decide the right treatment.