Hallucinogen-induced mood disorder

Essential (Required) Features:

• The presentation is characterized by mood symptoms (e.g., depressed or elevated mood, decreased engagement in pleasurable activities, increased or decreased energy levels) that develop during or soon after intoxication with or withdrawal from hallucinogens.
• The intensity or duration of the mood symptoms is substantially in excess of mood symptoms that are characteristic of Hallucinogen Intoxication.
• The symptoms are not better accounted for by another mental disorder such as a Depressive Disorder, a Bipolar Disorder, or Schizophrenia or Other Primary Psychotic Disorder. Evidence supporting a diagnosis of another mental disorder would include mood symptoms preceding the onset of hallucinogen use, the symptoms persisting for a substantial period of time after cessation of hallucinogen use or withdrawal (e.g., 1 month or more), or other evidence of a pre-existing mental disorder with mood symptoms (e.g., a history of prior episodes not associated with hallucinogen use).
• The symptoms are not a manifestation of another medical condition.
• The symptoms cause significant distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.

When making a diagnosis of Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder, an additional diagnosis indicating the related pattern of hallucinogen use should also be assigned. These include Episode of Harmful Use of Hallucinogens, Harmful Pattern of Use of Hallucinogens, and Hallucinogen Dependence. A diagnosis of Hallucinogen Intoxication may also be assigned if applicable.

Specifiers for hallucinogen-induced mood symptoms:

An additional specifier can be added to denote the presence of either depressive symptoms in the absence of manic symptoms, manic symptoms in the absence of depressive symptoms, or mixed manic and depressive symptoms.

6C49.600 Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder with depressive symptoms

• All diagnostic requirements for Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder are met.
• The presentation is characterized by depressive symptoms judged to be the direct consequence of the use of or withdrawal from a specified substance or medication.
• Manic symptoms are not present.

6C49.601 Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder with manic symptoms

• All diagnostic requirements for Hallucinogen -Induced Mood Disorder are met.
• The presentation is characterized by manic symptoms judged to be the direct consequence of the use of or withdrawal from a specified substance or medication.
• Depressive symptoms are not present.

6C49.602 Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder with mixed depressive and manic symptoms

• All diagnostic requirements for Hallucinogen -Induced Mood Disorder are met.
• The presentation is characterized by both depressive and manic symptoms judged to be the direct consequence of the use of or withdrawal from a specified substance or medication.

6C49.60Z Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder, unspecified

Additional Clinical Features:

• Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder may present with patterns of symptoms that vary according to the characteristics of the user (e.g., genetics, metabolism, personality factors). Hallucinogens use in higher amounts or over longer periods of time is more likely to be associated with the development of a Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder.
• Symptoms of Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder usually resolve or improve after sustained cessation of hallucinogen use.
• The duration of Substance Withdrawal for some substances can be protracted. For substances with more protracted withdrawal periods, the onset of symptoms of Substance-Induced Mood Disorder can occur up to several weeks after the cessation of substance use. Substance-Induced Mood Disorder symptoms related to substances with more protracted withdrawal periods may also last for correspondingly longer periods of time.
• In cases in which multiple psychoactive substance are used, it is often challenging to distinguish which substance is the cause of the Substance-Induced Mood Disorder. When the specific etiological substance cannot be determined, a diagnosis of Substance-Induced Mood Disorder Due to Multiple Specified Psychoactive Substances including Medications may assigned. In cases of multiple psychoactive substance use in which more than one specific substance can be identified as a cause of the Substance-Induced Mood Disorder, the corresponding specific Substance-Induced Mood Disorder diagnoses should be given instead.

Boundary with Normality (Threshold):

• Symptoms of Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorders should be differentiated from transient physiological aftereffects of intoxication (‘hangover effect’). The duration or severity of the symptoms in Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorders must be in excess of ‘hangover effects’ of Hallucinogens and result in significant distress or impairment of functioning.

Boundaries with Other Disorders and Conditions (Differential Diagnosis):

• Boundary with Hallucinogen Intoxication: Mental or behavioural symptoms that occur during Hallucinogen Intoxication should only be used as a basis for diagnosing a Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder if the intensity or duration of the symptoms is substantially in excess of those that are characteristic of Hallucinogen Intoxication and the symptoms are sufficiently severe to warrant specific clinical attention.
• Boundary with Episode of Harmful Use of Hallucinogens, Harmful Pattern of Use of Hallucinogens, or Hallucinogen Dependence: The impact of repeated or continuous use of hallucinogens characteristic of Harmful Pattern of Use of Hallucinogens and Hallucinogens Dependence may include Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder. Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorders can also be associated with a single episode of hallucinogen use. In such cases, a Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder should be diagnosed together with a primary diagnosis of Episode of Harmful Use of Hallucinogens, Harmful Pattern of Use of Hallucinogens, or Hallucinogen Dependence.
• Boundary with mental disorders not induced by hallucinogens: Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorders are differentiated from mental disorders with similar features that are not induced by hallucinogens on the basis of their onset, course and clinical features. A diagnosis of Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder requires evidence from history, physical or mental examination, or laboratory findings of recent hallucinogen use, intoxication or withdrawal. Most Hallucinogen-Induced Mental Disorders resolve or improve within several weeks of cessation of hallucinogen use. Mental disorders not induced by hallucinogens may precede the onset of hallucinogen use or may continue to be symptomatic during periods of sustained abstinence. The co-occurrence of hallucinogen use or withdrawal and onset of symptoms of mental disorders should not be taken as evidence for a presumptive diagnosis of a Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder. Some people use substances to suppress symptoms of mental disorders (e.g., Schizophrenia and Other Primary Psychotic Disorders, Mood Disorders, Anxiety and Fear-Related Disorders, Personality Disorders) and full symptomatic presentations only emerge upon cessation or reduction in substance use. Furthermore, hallucinogen use can exacerbate symptoms or precipitate an episode of a pre-existing mental disorder. Finally, hallucinogen use may be associated with but not aetiologic for new onset of symptoms of a mental disorder. Although a diagnosis of a Hallucinogen-Induced Mood Disorder should not be assigned under these circumstances, an additional diagnosis of Episode of Harmful Use of Hallucinogens, Harmful Pattern of Use of Hallucinogens, or Hallucinogen Dependence may still be appropriate.