What causes psychosis?

Psychosis occurs when you lose touch with reality. You may develop psychosis without an underlying condition. Experiencing extreme stress or trauma could trigger brief psychotic disorder, causing psychosis that lasts about a month and goes into remission.

However, most people develop psychosis as a result of medical and psychological conditions, including:

• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Delusional disorder
• Major depression with psychosis
• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Severe sleep deprivation 

Some medications, as well as alcohol and drug abuse, may also cause psychosis. 

How is psychosis associated with schizophrenia?

While psychosis may appear as one of many symptoms in the conditions listed above, it’s the primary symptom of schizophrenia. 

People with schizophrenia go through episodes of active disease followed by periods of remission with few symptoms. During active schizophrenic episodes, you have a psychotic break.

Does psychosis have early warning signs? 

In many cases, changes in behavior occur before a psychotic episode. Behavioral warning signs include: 

• Suddenly failing to perform on the job or in school
• Suddenly struggling to think clearly or concentrate
• Having suspicious or paranoid ideas about others
• Withdrawing from friends and family 
• Experiencing new intense feelings or losing all feeling
• Struggling to tell reality from fantasy
• Difficulty speaking or communicating

If you experience any of these symptoms, don't wait to schedule a consultation with the team at @Ease Psychiatry.

What symptoms develop due to psychosis?

When you break from reality, called a psychotic episode, you have unusual thoughts and perceive things differently. As a result, you don't grasp what is or isn't real and can't function (or have difficulty functioning) in everyday life.

Psychosis causes symptoms such as:

• Delusions (ideas or beliefs that aren't grounded in reality)
• Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, or tasting things that aren't there)
• Incoherent speech (difficulty speaking, using nonsense words, repeating words)
• Disorganized behavior
• Catatonic behavior
• Inappropriate behavior
• Sleeping problems
• Social withdrawal
• Anxiety

Disorganized behavior refers to laughing or talking to yourself or responding to internal thoughts and feelings. You may engage in purposeless movements like pacing or walking in circles.

How is psychosis treated?

Psychosis is a complex mental health disorder that often needs a variety of treatments and can lead to hospitalization.

Your customized treatment focuses on your unique needs and typically includes cognitive behavioral therapy (or another type of psychotherapy) together with antipsychotic medications.

Your therapist may also recommend coaching to support your success at school or work, as well as family education or group therapy.

If you need comprehensive care for psychosis, call @Ease Psychiatry or book an appointment online today.