Euphoria Disease Treatment in Delhi, India

Euphoria can be well described as the overwhelming emotional and mental state of a person who feels excited, extremely satisfied, and self-confident and has a positive sense of well-being. It is considered to denote an abnormally extreme and magnified level of happiness and pleasure rather than what is seen in typical emotional situations. A person feels a sense of gratification and enormous joy. It is usually seen in individuals who have bipolar disorders in the manic phase. Bipolar disorder is characterised by mood swings ranging from a low depressive phase to high maniac or panic attacks.

Euphoria can also be noticed in people with various psychiatric disorders like Schizophrenia, which is a severe mental disorder in which people weirdly relate to reality. It impacts a person's ability to think, behave, decide and judge clearly.

Types of Euphoria

Euphoria can be categorised into the following types depending on the stimuli that prompt this condition. These are as follows:

1. Exercise-induced Euphoria: These include doing aerobics as well as long-distance running. Indulging in sustained exercises results in a state of Euphoria.
2. Drug-induced Euphoria: Various hallucinogenic drugs are responsible for inducing Euphoria. These drugs are also called Euphoriants. The mechanism of action of these drugs is primarily based on the secretion of dopamine.
3. Hypoxia-induced Euphoria: Any particular act done unintentionally, like strangulation, results in the suffocation of an individual. As a result, there is a dearth or shortage of adequate oxygen supply to the brain. However, suppose this act becomes intentional, and the state of suffocation persists for extended periods. In that case, it can result in Euphoria and, at times, even the death of an individual. Apart from that, high altitude sickness also results in Euphoria.
4. Music-induced Euphoria: Music is responsible for stimulating Euphoria as it arouses the brain's reward centre.
5. Sex-induced Euphoria: Indulging in sexual intercourse can induce a state of Euphoria. This occurs due to activating pleasure centres in the brain's limbic system.

Symptoms of Euphoria

Various symptoms of Euphoria are as follows:

• Paranoia
• Disorientation
• Mood swings
• Hallucination
• Confusion
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Over-joyed

Causes of Euphoria

The following factors are responsible for causing this state of Euphoria:

• Drug addiction: Various drugs accountable for this state are cannabis, cocaine, heroin, morphine, codeine and LSD.
• Neurologic disorders include head injury, multiple sclerosis, migraine, and seizures.
• Mental disorders: These comprise bipolar disorders, Schizophrenia and personality disorders.
• Habit-forming agents: These include the consumption of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.
• Other causes: These involve hypoxia or certain conditions like hyperthyroidism.

Diagnosis of Euphoria

This is done in the following steps by the psychiatrist:

1. Medical history: A detailed medical history of the patient is taken by the psychiatrist to assess the patient's overall condition, followed by the socio-economic status and any family history of the patient. Afterwards, a brief physical examination is done by the doctor.
2. Psychiatric evaluation: The primary purpose of this evaluation is to have a clear idea about the patient's state of mind from the behavioural pattern to understand more about the actual cause of the problem.
3. Brain imaging: These involve CT scan and MRI scan to detect any gross changes in the activity of the brain.
4. Laboratory tests: These are recommended if the underlying cause is suspected among the patients. These include blood tests comprising Liver function tests (LFT) and thyroid function tests.
5. Recording of mood patterns: The psychiatrist asks the patient to maintain a chart depicting daily mood swings and changes in sleep patterns. This will help the doctor to plan a more appropriate and efficient treatment plan.
6. Mini-mental state examination (MMSE): This is useful for assessing Alzheimer's disease, an underlying cause of Euphoria. This test is aimed at evaluating and assessing the behaviour pattern, cognitive ability, speech pattern, or other factors that highlight the patient's state.

Treatment of Euphoria

Treatment of Euphoria is primarily based upon the treatment of the underlying cause. Therefore, the following treatment approaches are taken into consideration:

• Drug abuse: These can be treated by detoxification, de-addiction programs, psychotherapy, rehabilitation programs, and regular assessments and follow-ups.
• Mental disorders: These are treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy sessions.
• Hypoxia: It requires the measurement of the patient's oxygen saturation by a pulse oximeter. For issues related to high altitudes, immediate transfer to low altitudes is necessary, along with oxygen administration.
• Alzheimer’s disease: Since treating this condition is challenging, certain medications help relieve the symptoms, improving cognitive function and preventing euphoria.
• Neurological disorders: These can be treated with anti-epileptic drugs like phenytoin, phenobarbital, valproate and carbamazepine. For head injuries, surgical intervention is required and performed by a neurosurgeon.
• Hyperthyroidism: This condition can be treated with the administration of anti-thyroid medications. Apart from that, surgery can also be performed in some instances.

Review

Reviewed by Dr. Sandeep Govil - Senior Consultant, Psychiatry, Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences.