Several youths have been diagnosed with a severe mental disorder after using synthetic copycat drugs.

Consultant psychiatrist Anton Grech yesterday described the increase in ‘legal highs’ as one of the main challenges that face emergency psychiatric care on the island.

“We have had patients exhibiting bizarre psychotic behaviour after using these drugs, slamming their heads against the wall, hearing voices and seeing visions,” Dr Grech said.

Psychosis is characterised by an impaired relationship with reality and is considered a severe mental disorder.

The Sunday Times of Malta  reported this week that local drug dealers were importing Chinese chemicals used to make synthetic cannabis and spraying it on plants themselves to meet demand.

The island’s foremost drug experts believe that more than half of all narcotics being sold in Malta are Chinese chemicals, as opposed to ‘traditional’ drugs such as cocaine or ecstasy. Dr Grech, who is also the chairman of Mental Health Services, said the phenomenon of drug users opting for synthetic alternatives had increased noticeably in recent months.

WATCH: Fake ecstasy and cocaine are gaining traction in Malta

“Why this is we can’t really say, but there has been a clear increase in the number of patients requiring psychiatric care as a result of these substances,” he said.

Dr Grech said the symptoms were mostly “self-limiting” – meaning patients only experienced psychosis for a few hours after abusing the chemicals.

However, he has also seen a number of cases where patients required longer-term treatment after the symptoms persisted.

Anthony Dimech, another psychiatrist working with substance abusers at Mount Carmel Hospital said that he had treated a patient suffering from severe psychotic behaviour for some six weeks after the person had used synthetic drugs.

He told of horrific scenes where teenagers abusing the drugs suffered paranoid delusions.

“I had one teenager who was found painting his kitchen walls with soup, as he thought his neighbours were spying on him through the walls,” he said.

Emphasising the dangers that the substances posed, Dr Grech said abusers experiencing these effects outside of a healthcare facility posed a serious threat to themselves and others.

“If someone is exhibiting psychosis as a result of these substances and driving a car, or standing on a roof, for instance, the consequences could be tragic,” he said.

Although little is known about the effects of synthetic drugs, experts believe the chemicals have much worse effects for those who are predisposed to mental health problems.

READ: Malta's latest highs are made in China

This, Dr Dimech said, was true of other substances, however the new synthetics seemed to be far more effective in leading to mental health problems.

According to the scientists who are charged with testing the substances seized by the Maltese authorities, the chemicals sold as cocaine, ecstasy or cannabis alternatives can be more than 10 times more potent and potentially lethal.

Jonathan Joslin, a consultant at Mater Dei Hospital’s Emergency Department, would not rule out the drugs having been behind a number of overdoses, even fatal ones, in recent months.

This could not be confirmed, as tests were not able to identify the new substances.

Dr Dimech said the same problem would affect the provision of mental healthcare.

“I warned [Mater Dei] hospital months ago that this problem would explode. It is already becoming a burden on the mental healthcare system,” he said.

ivan.martin@timesofmalta.com