To understand psychosis, it is important to know what it is, how to identify the symptoms and the options for treatment. Psychosis usually first appears in the late teenage years or early twenties. Approximately 3% of the people in the world (or 3 out of every 100 people) will have at least one psychotic episode in their lifetime. Psychosis occurs in both men and women in every culture and socioeconomic group. Most of the time, the cause of psychosis is very difficult to determine, but brain chemistry may be involved.
What is Psychosis?
The term psychosis refers simply to a loss of contact with reality. A psychotic episode, then, is a period of time in which a person cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not real. This may make the individual feel frightened, confused, or distressed; especially if experiencing a psychotic episode for the first time.
Psychosis is a symptom of several mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and some forms of depression. Psychosis can also be drug-induced or caused by an illness or an injury to the head.
Symptoms of Psychosis
Psychosis sometimes happens very suddenly and sometimes develops gradually. The symptoms of psychosis vary from person to person, but common symptoms include:
- Difficulty concentrating, memory loss, or disconnected thoughts
- Delusions: false beliefs that have no basis in fact and are not rooted in the person’s culture
- Hallucinations: hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, or feeling something that does not exist
- Changes in mood or emotion: may feel intense bursts of emotion or feel empty of emotion
- Very disorganized behavior: creating difficulty with simple everyday tasks (like bathing)
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Treatments for Psychosis
Psychosis is treatable with medication and counseling. Treatment is most effective when the individual receives help right away. For more information about psychosis or other mental health disorders, visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.