Psychosis

Psychosis

Psychosis is a symptom or feature of mental illness typically characterized by radical changes in personality, impaired functioning, and a distorted or nonexistent sense of objective reality. Someone who is experiencing psychosis may have impaired reality testing; that is, they are unable to distinguish personal subjective experiences from the reality of the external world. They experience hallucinations and/or delusions that they believe are real and may behave and communicate in an inappropriate and incoherent fashion. Psychosis may appear as a symptom of a number of mental disorders, including mood and personality disorders. It is also the defining feature of schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, and the psychotic disorders (i.e., brief psychotic disorder, shared psychotic disorder, psychotic disorder due to a general medical condition, and substance-induced psychotic disorder). Schizophrenia is thought to be one of the ten most debilitating illnesses in the world according to the World Health Organise. 

People with psychotic symptoms should undergo a thorough physical examination and history to rule out such possible organic causes as seizures, delirium, or alcohol withdrawal, and such other psychiatric conditions as dissociation or panic attacks. If a psychiatric cause such as schizophrenia is suspected, a mental health professional will typically conduct an interview with the patient and administer one of several clinical inventories, or tests, to evaluate mental status. This assessment takes place in either an out-patient or hospital setting.

Psychotic symptoms and behaviors are considered psychiatric emergencies, and persons showing signs of psychosis are frequently taken by family, friends, or the police to a hospital emergency room. A person diagnosed with psychosis can be legally hospitalised against his or her will, particularly if he or she is potentially violent, threatening to commit suicide, or threatening to self-harm. A psychotic person may also be hospitalized if he or she is at risk to self in regard to ability to care for self, such as malnourishment, inability to dress appropriately for the climate, or otherwise take care of him/herself.

Psychosis that is symptomatic of schizophrenia or another psychiatric disorder should be treated by a psychologist and/or psychiatrist. An appropriate course of medication and/or psychosocial therapy is employed to treat the underlying primary disorder. If the patient is considered to be at risk for harming himself or others, inpatient treatment is usually recommended.

Other mental illnesses/disorders

The previous list is by no means the full list of mental disorders known in the world. There is an extensive list of various disorders some of which are age related such as the childhood disorders like conduct disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder amongst others and those occurring mostly in the older age group such as delirium and dementia. For an extensive list of all mental health disorders, you can access the 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' (DSM - 5th edition) or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD - 10th Edition).

Most importantly if you are worried about your or someone else's mental wellbeing it is important to access a health professional in order for them to undertake an assessment and formulate a plan of care.