Psychosis

Understanding Psychosis

by Anthony Giuliano, PhD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Psychosis refers to changes in the brain that interfere with a person's experience of his or her world. Characteristic symptoms are:

• Hallucinations: hearing voices or seeing visions
• Delusions: false beliefs or marked unrealistic suspicions of others
• Confused thinking: jumbled thoughts or speech; difficulty concentrating

In addition to the above symptoms, people with psychosis also commonly experience:

• social withdrawal
• disrupted sleep patterns
• mood swings
• decreased motivation
• pervasive anxiety
• inability to enjoy activities
• odd, unusual behaviors

Approximately 3 out of every 100 people experience a psychotic episode, making psychosis more common than diabetes. People experiencing psychosis are at a heightened risk for suicide; this should always be assessed. Despite myths to the contrary, aggression is uncommon.

Psychotic Illnesses Emerge in Later Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Possible Early Warning Signs:

• Worrisome decline in academic, work, or social functioning (especially if another family member has a major mental illness)
• New difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly
• Suspiciousness or uneasiness with others
• Unusual ideas or behavior
• Spending more time alone than usual
• Increased sensitivity to sights or sounds, or mistaking noises for voices or messages
• Decline in self-care or personal hygiene
• Feeling more anxious, depressed, or out of touch
• Having strange feelings or no feelings at all
• Sense that “something's not quite right,” like your brain is playing tricks on you

Responding to Risk: YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Whatto do when “something's not quite right”:

You do not need to be afraid of psychosis.

• Psychosis is treatable
• Recovery from a first episode is common
• Stigma creates barriers to early referral and treatment
• Challenge it!

Recognize the early warning signs

• You may be the first to notice them
• Don't wait for a crisis to ask for help

Early identification and treatment can make all the difference!

• A little help can go a long way
• People tend to be more open to accepting help when their thinking is not so troubled
• It's easier to maintain functioning than to rebuild it

With treatment, most people make a meaningful recovery from a psychotic episode.

Additional Sources of Information

• New York Times Health Guides: Overview — Psychosis
• North American Society for Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia. NASCOS is a non-profit, web based group devoted solely to supporting families and caregivers of children whose onset of schizophrenic symptoms was before age 12.