Psychotic Disorders

(Video coming soon)

Definition:

Psychotic disorders involve problems with thought processe s. In psychosis, a person’s thinking and emotions that are so impaired, that the person experi ences a loss of contact with reality. A psychotic break can be a brief reaction to trauma or some severe physical illnesses. These experiences can be frightening and may cause people w ho are suffering from psychosis to hurt themselves or others. It is important to see a doctor right away if you or s omeone you know is experiencing symptoms of psychosis.

Symptoms:

• Withdrawal from family and friends,
• Ongoing unusual thoughts and beliefs,
• Suspiciousness,
• Difficulty concentrating,
• Sleep changes—sleeping too much or not enough,
• Delusions and/or hallucinations,
• Disorganized speech—switching topics erratically ,
• Depression or anxiety,
• Suicidal thoughts or actions,
• Difficulty functioning.

Schizophrenia is psychosis that lasts longer than six months. Schizophrenia is a lifelong disease. Symptoms of Schizophrenia include:

• Delusions – false beliefs, thoughts or impressions that are not connected with reality,
• Hallucinations – hearing and/or seeing things that are not actually there and is not experienced by others,
• Schizoaffective disorder is a disorder in which individuals have features of both schizophrenia and mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety.

Causes:

Each case of psychosis is different, and the exact cause is not always entirely clear. There are certain illnesses that cause psychosis. There are also triggers like drug use, lack of sleep, and other environmental factors.

Treatment:

Psychotic disorders are most often treated with antipsychotic medications and some forms of therapeutic psychosocial interventions.