What is psychosis?
Psychosis has varied definitions but can be described as an intense impairment of mental
functioning or the inability to evaluate the extraneous environment and differentiate it from one's inner world. The person experiencing a period of psychosis loses touch with reality which can be highly distressing to run day-to-day affairs and manage relationships.
What are Psychotic Disorders?
Psychosis is found to be a standard component of many psychiatric, neuropsychiatric, and
medical conditions. It is a crucial feature of the schizophrenia spectrum. An acute symptom of schizophrenia makes it a primary treatment mark for medical professionals who still have not yet discovered the exact causes of psychosis. However, research has shown that it might involve genetic factors, hormones or brain chemical change Whilst the uncertain understanding of psychosis, it would not be wrong to define it as an un-understandable unit.
How to Understand Psychosis Symptoms?
The classification of psychosis symptoms is either “positive” or “negative.”
Positive symptoms are usually the ones that either add to or distort the person’s normal
functioning, whereas negative symptoms involve the person’s normal reduced or becoming lost.
Positive symptoms include:
● delusions (false beliefs held upon incorrect reasoning about external reality)
● hallucinations (hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling or feeling something that is not there)
● disorganised speech, thoughts or behaviour (e.g., switching rapidly between subjects in
speaking; finding it hard to concentrate or follow a conversation; being unable to
complete everyday tasks).
Negative symptoms include:
● restricted emotional and facial expression
● limited speech and verbal fluency
● difficulty with generating ideas or thoughts
● reduced ability to do tasks
● reduced socialisation and motivation.
Other symptoms might include:
● cognitive symptoms, such as difficulty in concentrating or memorising
● mood changes
● suicidal thoughts or behaviours
● substance abuse
● sleep disturbances.
Some Interesting Points
● The term psychosis is derived from the Greek psyche, meaning “soul,” “mind,” or
“breath.”This is because words that contain the root psyche are related to the essence of
life. So psychosis has come to mean that a person has lost the essence of life or that
they have developed a private view of the world or a private reality not shared by other
people.
What can help?
● Family Support
Family support and involvement are crucial ingredients for recovery.
A person with psychosis needs care and support from their family members, which can include
family members exhibiting empathy and making meaningful efforts to work alongside the patient
to fight off their condition.
● Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a psychotherapeutic treatment involving various techniques and approaches to address
one’s thoughts, emotions and behaviours. It involves the intervention of a therapist, and along with the patient, both try to understand the psychological challenges faced by the patient and
work together to manage behaviours and discover their underlying causes.
● Medications
Usually, antipsychotic drugs are recommended as the first treatment for psychosis. These can reduce the psychosis symptoms, but they do not treat or cure the underlying condition. In addition, using such medicine comes with its benefits and side effects.
Some Interesting Points
● The term psychosis is derived from the Greek psyche, meaning “soul,” “mind,” or
“breath.”This is because words that contain the root psyche are related to the essence of
life. So psychosis has come to mean that a person has lost the essence of life or that
they have developed a private view of the world or a private reality not shared by other
people.
References:
(“Psychosis”, n.d.)
(Tucker 2022)
(Ditzell 2022)
(“Science Direct”, n.d.)
(Understanding/Psychosis, n.d., #)
(“Stat Pearls”, n.d.)
(O'Leary and Borchard 2020)
References for images:
(“image”, n.d.)
(Cook and Ferraro, n.d.)
(Moreira 2015)
References:
Cook, Anne, and David Ferraro. n.d. “Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia | BPS.”
British Psychological Society. Accessed July 6, 2022.
https://www.bps.org.uk/what-psychology/understanding-psychosis-and-schizophrenia.
Ditzell, Jeffrey. 2022. “Psychosis: Causes, symptoms, and treatments.” Medical News Today.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248159#causes.
Fukao, Kenjiro, ed. 2022. Psychosis: Phenomenology, Psychopathology and Pathophysiology.
N.p.: IntechOpen.
“image.” n.d. YouTube. Accessed July 2, 2022.
https://www.google.com/search?q=images+of+psychosis+with+deep+meaning&tbm=isc
h&ved=2ahUKEwj3z5WEz9j4AhX1X_EDHddjDRgQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=images+of
+psychosis+with+deep+meaning&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoECCMQJzoGCAAQHhAIOg
QIABAeUKMEWMdQYNVTaAhwAHgAgAGrAogB7TGSAQQyLTI3mAE.
Moreira, Pablo. 2015. “Psicosis USACH 280515.” Slideshare.
https://www.slideshare.net/pblmza/psicosis-usach-280515.
O'Leary, Stephanie, and Therese Borchard. 2020. “9 Facts You Should Know About Psychosis.”
HealthCentral.
https://www.healthcentral.com/slideshow/facts-you-should-know-about-psychosis.
“Psychosis.” n.d. CAMH. Accessed July 2, 2022.
https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/psychosis.
“Science Direct.” n.d.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-scie
nce/psychosis#:~:text=Psychosis%20is%20defined%20as%20a,auditory%20in%20NP%
2DSLE).
“Stat Pearls.” n.d.
Tucker, Gary J. 2022. “psychosis | psychology | Britannica.” Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/science/psychosis.
Understanding/Psychosis. n.d.