Chronic psychosis associated with new hallucinogenic drug 25I-NBOMe
European Psychiatry October 23, 2023 O. Martin-Santiago, G. Guerra-Valera, C. Alario-Ruiz et al.
A single dose of the hallucinogenic drug 25I-NBOMe can trigger psychosis lasting months, as shown in a case of a 30-year-old man who required psychiatric admission five months after use. He developed paranoid delusions, self-referential experiences, and intrusive flashbacks, becoming isolated and irritable. He previously worked and had a strong social network, with occasional adolescent use of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine, and a family history of schizophrenia. Treatment with long-acting injectable aripiprazole reduced symptoms, allowing him to return to work within a year. The drug's expanding use may increase chronic psychosis cases, especially in vulnerable individuals, partly due to its phenylethylamine-like structure and the mistaken belief it is less dangerous.