Substance-Induced Mood Disorders: A Scoping Review

Substance-induced mood disorders (SIMDs) are an understudied area with a limited published literature. This scoping review evaluated published evidence to determine differences between SIMDs and independent mood disorders with comorbid SUD.

Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, English language articles were searched through October, 2023. Thirty-one studies were identified which explored the relationship between alcohol, cocaine, opioids, methamphetamine, cannabis, and multiple substance use and the induction of mood disorders. Varying symptoms and risk factors were identified for SIMD, specifically for alcohol and opioids. However, confounding factors and heterogeneity in the majority of studies make it difficult to establish clear differences between these groups.

Although our findings suggest risk factors and symptoms that may be implicated in SIMD, results are inconsistent. Further research using well-controlled, experimental, and longitudinal designs are needed to parse differences between SIMDs and comorbid mood disorders with SUDs.