Psychosis – What it is, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Psychopathy is a much more serious condition than Psychosis , for which there is no treatment – ​​unlike Psychosis  . Furthermore, psychopathy is a personality disorder, while Psychosis  is a psychic disorder that does not concern the scope of the personality, but rather the loss of contact with reality.

Main Causes of Psychosis:

• Sometimes it is possible to identify the cause of Psychosis  as a specific mental health condition, such as:
• Schizophrenia – a condition that causes a range of psychological symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions.
• Bipolar disorder – a mental health condition that affects mood ; A person with bipolar disorder may have episodes of low mood ( depression ) and high or high mood (mania).
• Severe Depression – Some people with depression also experience symptoms of Psychosis  when they are very depressed.

Psychosis Can Also Be Triggered By:

• A traumatic experience.
• stress.
• Misuse of drugs.
• Misuse of alcohol .
• Side effects of prescribed medication.
• A physical condition – like a brain tumor.

How often a psychotic episode occurs and how long it takes may depend on the underlying cause.

Symptoms of Psychosis:  The two main symptoms of Psychosis  are:

• Hallucinations – where a person hears, sees, and in some cases feels, smells, or experiences things that are not there; A common hallucination is hearing voices.
• Delusions – where a person has strong beliefs that are not shared by others; A common delusion is that someone believes there is a conspiracy to harm them.

The combination of hallucinations and delusional thinking can cause severe distress and a change in behavior. Experiencing the symptoms of Psychosis  is often referred to as having a psychotic episode.

Treatment of Psychosis:  Treatment for Psychosis  involves the use of a combination of Antipsychotic Medication – which can help alleviate the symptoms of Psychosis  Psychological Therapies – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) of one-on-one talk therapy has proven to be successful in helping people with Psychosis ; Family interventions (a form of therapy that may involve partners, family members, and close friends) have been shown to reduce the need for hospital treatment in people with psychosis.

• Social support – support with social needs such as education, employment or housing.
• After an episode of Psychosis  , most people who improve their medication need to continue taking it for at least a year. About 50% of people need to take long-term medication to prevent recurring symptoms.
• If a person’s Psychosis  episodes are severe, they may need to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.