Have you ever come across someone who suddenly believes that they’re Jesus? Or, a person who is strongly convinced that the world is conspiring against them? If you have, there’s a high likelihood that the victim was experiencing a psychotic episode.
More popularly known as psychosis, this is when an individual experiences a disconnection from reality. For a moment, they’re unable to differentiate what’s real from what isn’t. If you experience similar episodes or know someone who does, you might be wondering whether it’s curable. Thankfully, psychosis is treatable. This post sheds more light on what it is, the causes, symptoms and treatment options.
What Is Psychosis?
First, let’s get the facts straight: psychosis is not a condition. Rather, it’s an umbrella term for a series of symptoms that affect the mind to the extent of disconnecting the individual from reality. During a psychotic episode, the person may hear, feel or see things that aren’t real.
So what causes psychosis? Unfortunately, there’s no one specific factor that causes these signs. Oftentimes, it stems from a combination of factors that range from genetic disposition to brain development issues.
More specifically, psychotic episodes are associated with mental illnesses, such as:
- Bipolar
- Delusional disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Substance abuse
- Major depression
Other times though, they’re triggered by non-mental health issues. Exposure to traumatic events, substance misuse, brain injury or disease are all probable risk factors.
Regardless of the cause, there are several signs to indicate that you’re about to have an episode. Familiarizing yourself with these symptoms is crucial so you can seek appropriate help.
Symptoms of Psychosis
The symptoms of psychosis vary widely from one patient to another, and depend largely on the cause. Based on the underlying issue, the episode can strike instantly and unexpectedly. Or, it may happen gradually.
For other patients, the initial symptoms are mild. But, they intensify over time. Here’s a list of signs to watch out for:
- Social withdrawal – experiencing things that other people aren’t experiencing can be pretty isolating. This isolation can cause the victim to withdraw from friends and family.
- Extreme anxiety – if you have a tendency of disconnecting from reality, you may feel incredibly frightened and anxious. This anxiety can disrupt other aspects of your life like your sleeping pattern and ability to work.
- Confused speech – people who experience acute psychosis can have confused speech. This entails speaking rapidly or switching between topics mid-sentence.
- Delusions and hallucinations
Treatment Options for Psychosis
There are a couple of treatment options available to persons experiencing psychotic episodes. These include:
- Talking therapies – this type of therapy helps you make sense of the psychotic episodes and develop appropriate coping mechanisms. Most patients are offered cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp), which is tailored to help people experiencing these particular symptoms.
- Antipsychotic medicine – depending on the severity of the episodes, your doctor may also prescribe antipsychotic medication. These drugs work by inhibiting the effect of the dopamine neurotransmitter- the hormone that conveys messages to the brain.
- Family intervention – this treatment method is aimed at helping you and your family deal with the “condition.” You’ll get to sit down with your family and discuss your psychotic experiences at length. This will help them understand the severity of the issue and find ways to support you during those episodes. As the Bible reminds us in 1 Peter 4: 8 – 10 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
