Trauma Injuries

Psychosis

Psychosis occurs when a person no longer has any sense of what is real and what is fantasy. Someone diagnosed with psychosis is typically delusional and experiences hallucinations. Paranoia also sets in, and becoming excessively apprehensive and suspicious about everything can be expected. We often designate people with psychosis as being psychotic.

Psychosis may strike suddenly or develop over time. Depending on the evaluation, psychosis could be a short-term symptom caused by a physical or mental health disorder or the focal point of a long-term psychotic disorder. Even if psychosis is a characteristic of a chronic illness, the degree to which it affects the patient may vary to the point that sometimes the person acts like they are fully aware of their surroundings.

Adults who have been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder often show early signs as a teenager, or even in their middle aged years, that are related to schizophrenia. Normally, people do not show signs of psychosis until they are elderly though. Paraphrenia, a condition consisting of fearful delusions and hallucinations, is common among seniors. As much as two percent of the general population may have some level of psychosis.

Psychosis usually causes a high amount of stress in the lives of the patient and relatives and friends who bear witness to this odd behavior on a daily basis. Luckily, medication is sometimes an effective way to minimize the effects of psychosis, particularly when the patient has a support structure of family, friends, and medical professionals who genuinely care.

Symptoms

Psychosis severely impairs an individual's ability to process information, react emotionally, adequately communicate, comprehend reality, and interact with others. Young adults who have been diagnosed with a mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia frequently exhibit psychotic symptoms. Alcohol and drug abuse may contribute to this too. Psychosis disrupts a person's day-to-day routine and can be rather attenuating. The primary symptoms resulting from psychosis include:

• Delusion -- a false, unwavering, or strange opinion that the patient insists upon being true. This belief is not one that is usually shared by others among that individual's culture. The three forms of delusion are:
  • Delusions of paranoia -- belief that others are out to get them.
  • Grandiose delusions -- belief that they are someone who they are not (e.g., powerful politician).
  • Somatic delusions -- belief that they have a deadly disease when they are in perfectly good health.

• Hallucination -- imaginary sight, sound, feeling, or smell that is not brought on by any outside source. For instance, a person may hear voices when no one else in the room is speaking.