What is Psychosis?

The word psychosis causes consternation and fear and is most commonly associated with madness and encourages stigma and degrading treatment of people with mental illness. In this article, mental health specialists from The Meadowglade, will try to clarify your doubts and at the same time reduce the stigma that surrounds this term. 

1. What is psychosis?

The word psychosis refers to a state of mental health characterized by a loss of contact with reality, accompanied by alterations in thought and perception. The Meadowglade mental health specialists explain that patients with psychosis see or perceive objects or people that are not present in reality. This could also lead to paranoid sensations that produce social and emotional isolation. According to The Meadowglade mental health specialists, psychosis is not a disease, but it is a syndrome. Psychosis varies in its course. It can present as a single episode with full recovery to psychosis with recurrent episodes and periods of well-being. 

2. What are the causes of Psychosis?

The exact cause of psychosis is unknown. However, specialists from The Meadowglade share that it is considered that psychosis is the product of the interaction of vital stressors and biological vulnerability (includes genetic factors and brain dysfunction such as poor neuronal migration or biochemical alteration). There is a greater predisposition to experience psychotic symptoms during adolescence or youth. 

The Meadowglade specialists indicate that the diseases that cause psychosis can be divided into exogenous and endogenous causes. 

Exogenous causes: Brain injuries or disorders, infectious diseases, endocrine diseases or intoxications such as: 

· Neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, dementia, epilepsy, brain tumors. 

· Infections 

· Cardiovascular: Stroke 

· Drugs or Drugs: Stimulants, steroids 

Endogenous causes: They are those that may have a genetic origin such as: 

· Schizophrenia 

· Bipolar disorder, severe depression 

· Some personality disorders. 

Risk factor's

· Genetic factors: Children with a genetic mutation, known as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, are at increased risk of developing a psychotic disorder, especially with schizophrenia. 

· Environmental factors: drug use, lack of sleep, other factors. 

3. What are the symptoms of Psychosis?

Symptoms vary from person to person and can change over time. The mental health specialists from the mental health rehabilitation center, The Meadowglade, will detail them below: 

· Delusions 

· Hallucinations 

· Changes in mood, including excitement, mania and depression 

· Disorganized speech 

· Motor changes 

· A sudden drop in grades or job performance 

· Problems to think clearly or to concentrate 

· Mistrust, paranoid ideas or discomfort in front of other people 

· Social isolation, spending much more time alone than usual 

· Unusual and overly intense new ideas, strange feelings, or a total lack of feelings 

· Less attention to personal care or hygiene 

· Difficulty distinguishing between reality and fantasy 

· Confused speech or trouble communicating. 

4. Conclusion

Psychosis is characterized by delusions and hallucinations. According to mental health specialists from The Meadowglade, there are different causes, including mental disorders, medical illnesses, and drugs. The mental disorder most frequently associated with psychosis is schizophrenia. The treatment consists of two aspects, one is the treatment with medications and the other is psychosocial treatment. Generally, psychosis is treatable and responds well to medication for acute symptoms, while psychosocial interventions serve to prevent relapse. In case you have symptoms or have a family member who experience some of the symptoms of psychosis, it is advisable that you consult a psychiatrist, who can help alleviate the symptoms and the discomfort they cause. The Meadowglade specialists, who have a lot of positive reviews from patients around the web, are always here for you.