Khat induced psychotic disorder: case report

Abstract

Background: Khat (Catha edulis) is a stimulant leaf khat comes from a tree which grows in countries bordering the Red Sea which are along the east coast of Africa and in west Asia. The psycho-active component within these leaves is cathinone. In Ethiopia, Khat is chewed routinely by users for its euphoric effects and as a recreational drug, and chewing khat has an important role as well in both traditional and religious ceremonies. In this case report, we describe the case of a 33-year-old male patient presented with psychotic symptoms after prolonged and heavy khat chewing. Case presentation: Findings on psychiatric evaluation encompassing detailed history and mental state examination suggest khat induced psychotic disorder severe in full remission; khat use disorder, severe, in early remission. Conclusions: This case demonstrates that the use of excess khat above 2 bundles for prolonged duration can manifest with psychotic episodes. A small number of case studies had supported a causal relationship between heavy khat use and psychosis or psychotic symptoms. There have been suicidal attempts and homicidal acts in those who used excess and prolonged use of khat. In our case, the improvement attributed to stopping the khat rather than taking antipsychotics. Therefore, we recommend an urgent social intervention to change the community norms regarding Khat use through psycho-education in media, institution and in person about the relationship between khat use and mental illness. In addition, we suggest the role of religious institutions on the management of khat use not be overlooked. Finally, this study makes a powerful argument for researchers and policy makers to do clinical study to settle a causal effect relation of khat on mental health.

Fatalities Involving Khat in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, 2018 to 2021

“…Moreover, studies show that khat affects driving, social behavior, and work performance. It has been associated with homicide, notably in mentally ill people [ 11 , 48 , 53 , 56 , 57 ], and two reported homicides have been linked to khat consumption [ 56 , 58 ].…”

Individual and community-level factors associated with khat (Catha edulis) use among women of reproductive age in Halaba zone, South Ethiopia: a multilevel mixed effect analysis

“…Several studies have been conducted to investigate the potential link between excessive khat use and the risk of mental health disorders such as psychosis (30)(31)(32)(33)(34), depression, stress, anxiety (34,35), mental distress (36), suicidal ideation (37), and paranoid ideation (38). A systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 studies found that the odds of psychotic symptoms among khat users were 2.22 times greater than the odds among non-khat users (39).…”

Tea in the Morning and Khat Afternoon: Health Threats Due to Khat Chewing

“…In 2018, his illness worsened to the extent he attempted to kill himself using a rope in the absence of a depressed mood. After he agreed to quit khat use, his illness improved in two weeks of his sobriety from khat consumption [ 17 ]. This case demonstrates that the use of excess khat above two bundles for a prolonged duration can manifest with psychotic episodes.…”