Information for the public
Taking care of your physical health
Taking care of your physical health
People with psychosis who use drugs and alcohol may develop physical health problems. This may be because of their lifestyle (for example, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking cigarettes), the side effects of some medications used to treat psychosis, or the effects of drug and/or alcohol use.
Physical health problems caused by drinking include inflammation of the pancreas (called pancreatitis), high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease and some types of cancer. If you are dependent on alcohol and stop drinking suddenly you may have seizures (fits) and delirium tremens (sometimes called DTs). Physical health problems caused by taking drugs include lung problems, contracting viruses such as hepatitis and HIV, and accidental overdose. Healthcare professionals will want to make sure that you are not at risk of developing such health problems and will monitor you regularly.
At least once a year, your GP should check your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels and you should be asked about any side effects of your medication. You should have more frequent checks if you have a significant physical health problem or there is a risk of you having a physical health problem because of alcohol or drug use.