Characterizing the Impacts of Psychosis on Methamphetamine Use Patterns Among Individuals with...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Methamphetamine-associated psychosis (MAP) is a complex neuropsychiatric condition.
• The subjective experience of MAP and its impact on recovery motivation remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between MAP experiences and changes in methamphetamine use.
• To identify factors influencing methamphetamine use patterns in individuals with MAP history.
• To inform the development of interventions for individuals with MAP.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 21 participants recently recovered from MAP.
• Interviews focused on MAP experiences, methamphetamine use in relation to psychosis, and treatment.
• A codebook was developed and iteratively refined based on interview data.

Main Results:

• Participants reported varied changes in methamphetamine use in response to MAP, including increases, decreases, or no change.
• Reasons for altered use were diverse; some reduced use to manage psychosis, while others increased use for safety or due to psychosis content.
• Not all participants found psychotic symptoms motivating enough to alter their methamphetamine use.

Conclusions:

• MAP elicits complex and idiosyncratic changes in methamphetamine use patterns, contrary to the assumption that psychosis universally reduces motivation for use.
• A significant number of participants increased methamphetamine use in response to MAP.
• Findings provide nuanced insights into the MAP-user relationship, informing future clinical intervention research.