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.

Orlando, Florida 20 North Orange Avenue Suite 1600 Orlando, Florida 32801 Telephone: (800) 896-2709	Tampa, Florida One Tampa City Center 201 N. Franklin Street, 7th Floor Tampa, Florida 33602 Telephone: (800) 896-2709	Jacksonville, Florida 76 S. Laura Street Suite 1100 Jacksonville, Florida 32202 Telephone: (800) 896-2709	Fort Myers, Florida 12800 University Drive Suite 600 Fort Myers, Florida 33907 Telephone: (800) 896-2709	Davie, Florida 7450 Griffin Road Suite 230 Davie, Florida 33314 Telephone: (800) 896-2709
St. Petersburg, Florida 695 Central Avenue, Suite 150J St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 Telephone: (800) 896-2709	Atlanta, Georgia 191 Peachtree Street NE Suite 4200 Atlanta, GA 30303 Telephone: (800) 896-2709	Jackson, Mississippi 188 East Capitol St Jackson, Mississippi 39201 Telephone: (800) 896-2709

Alabama	Alaska	Arizona	Arkansas	California	Colorado	Connecticut	Delaware	Florida	Georgia	Hawaii	Idaho
Illinois	Indiana	Iowa	Kansas	Kentucky	Louisiana	Maine	Maryland	Massachusetts	Michigan	Minnesota	Mississippi
Missouri	Montana	Nebraska	Nevada	New Hampshire	New Jersey	New Mexico	New York	North Carolina	Ohio	Oklahoma	Oregon
Pennsylvania	Rhode Island	South Carolina	Tennessee	Texas	Utah	Vermont	Virginia	Washington	West Virginia	Wisconsin	Wyoming