In stimulant-induced psychosis, which class of medication is considered first-line treatment?

• A. Antidepressants
• B. Antipsychotics
• C. Benzodiazepines
• D. Mood stabilizers

Answer: (C)

Stimulant-induced psychosis is driven by excess dopamine activity in the brain, leading to delusions and hallucinations. The first-line approach is to rapidly reduce these psychotic symptoms by blocking dopamine receptors, which is what antipsychotic medications do. They directly address the neurochemical mechanism behind the psychosis in this context, making them the most effective initial treatment. Benzodiazepines can help with agitation or severe anxiety, but they don’t treat the psychosis itself and aren’t considered first-line for the psychotic symptoms. Antidepressants and mood stabilizers don’t counter the dopaminergic excess caused by stimulants and aren’t used as first-line therapy in this scenario.