The word psychosis
is used to describe a mental health problem that can affect the
brain, so that there is a loss of contact with reality. When someone
develops a mental health problem in this way it is called a psychotic
episode. According to
Rethink Mental Illness charity,
about 3 out of every 100 people will experience a psychotic episode,
making psychosis more common than diabetes. Most people make a full
recovery from the experience.
The
word ‘psychotic’ relates to ‘psychosis’, which is a
psychiatric term, and describes experiences, such as hearing or
seeing things or holding unusual beliefs, which other people don’t
experience or share. Psychotic experiences are surprisingly common,
but can also lead to diagnosis such as schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder, schizo-affective disorder, paranoia, several depression or
puerperal psychosis (a very severe form of postnatal depression).
One
sign of psychosis is that a person lacks insight into their own state
of mind. Psychosis distorts the senses, making it very difficult for
the ill person to tell what is real from what is not real. Someone
experiencing a first-episode psychosis may not understand what is
happening. Symptoms are unfamiliar and frightening, leaving the
person confused and distressed. If they do not know the facts and
have no real understanding about mental illness, their distress may
be increased by negative myths and stereotypes.
A
psychotic episode occurs in 3 phases: (1) Prodrome, (2) Acute, (3)
Recovery.
1.
PRODROME - refers to the early symptoms and signs of an illness that
precede the characteristic manifestations of the acute, fully
developed illness. It is defined as the period of time from the first
change in a person until development of the first frank psychotic
symptoms.
2.
ACUTE - clear psychotic symptoms are experienced, such as
disorganised thinking, hallucinations or delusions.
3.
RECOVERY - psychosis is treatable and most people recover, however,
the pattern of recovery varies from person to person.
CAUSES
OF PSYCHOTIC EXPERIENCES
Almost
anyone can have a brief psychotic episode. In general, psychotic
experiences may be caused by:
- Physical causes, such as illness: For example through a lack of sleep or high fevers (including malaria, pneumonia, other viral infections). They can also be a result of damage to the brain or dementia, lead and mercury poisoning, or changes in blood sugar levels.
- Drug use: Alcohol, street drugs, prescription medication (including steroids) can result in a psychotic experience that may continue even if the drug has worn off.
- Changes in brain chemistry: It’s not clear though whether these changes are the cause or the effect of the psychotic experience.
- Inherited vulnerability: However, no single gene has been found to be responsible, though, and the majority of people who have these experiences have no known family history.
- Traumatic events such as abuse: Many people who have psychotic experiences have been physically, emotionally, or sexually abused, and feel a need to push their feelings and memories away, because they are so painful. Psychotic experiences may be an expression of these overwhelming feelings and forbidden thoughts, and a way of coping with trauma.
TREATMENT
OF PSYCHOSIS
Treating
psychosis involves education, medication, close monitoring of
symptoms, stress management and creating a strong, supportive
environment. These treatments all help to speed up the
recovery process and promote good quality of life for both the person
and the family.
RECOVERY
Some of the most recent and hopeful news in
psychosis research is emerging from studies in the field of Early
Intervention. New studies challenge several long held myths in
psychiatry about the inability of people with psychosis to recover.
It now appears that such myths, by maintaining an overall pessimism
about outcomes, may significantly reduce a persons opportunities for
improvement and/or recovery. After three decades of empirical study,
it is now clear that early intervention is an important part of the
treatment strategy. Furthermore, the importance of family input for
treatment and the benefits of supportive partnerships between
clinicians and families are well established (Rethink Mental Illness
Charity).
