Psychosis 

What is Psychosis?

Psychosis is a mental health condition characterized by a disconnection from reality, leading to a range of symptoms that can significantly impact a person's thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and behaviors. It's essential to recognize the signs and symptoms of psychosis to seek timely intervention and support for individuals experiencing these challenges.

Types of Psychotic Disorders

Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by a combination of hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and impaired social functioning. Hallucinations involve sensory experiences, such as hearing voices or seeing things that aren't there. Delusions are fixed false beliefs that are not based on reality, often involving paranoid or grandiose themes. Disorganized thinking may manifest as disjointed speech or difficulty organizing thoughts.

Schizoaffective Disorder: Schizoaffective disorder combines symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions, with mood disturbances, such as depression or mania. Individuals with schizoaffective disorder experience periods of psychosis alongside significant mood episodes, which can include depressive episodes, manic episodes, or a combination of both.

Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features: Bipolar disorder is characterized by fluctuations in mood between periods of depression and mania or hypomania. In some cases, individuals with bipolar disorder may experience psychosis during manic or depressive episodes. Psychotic features in bipolar disorder may include hallucinations, delusions, or other symptoms of psychosis.

Major Depressive Disorder with Psychotic Features: Major depressive disorder is a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest or pleasure in activities. In severe cases, individuals with major depressive disorder may experience psychosis, which can include hallucinations, delusions, or other psychotic symptoms alongside depressive symptoms.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Psychosis?

Hallucinations: Hearing voices, seeing things that aren't there, feeling sensations on the skin, or experiencing other sensory perceptions that aren't based in reality.

Delusions: Holding fixed false beliefs that are not based on reality, such as beliefs of being persecuted, having special powers, or experiencing unusual connections to others.

Disorganized Thinking: Difficulty organizing thoughts, speaking coherently, or following a logical conversation.

Disorganized Behavior: Engaging in behaviors that seem erratic, unpredictable, or inappropriate, such as agitation, aggression, or catatonia.

Negative Symptoms: Reduced emotional expression, social withdrawal, lack of motivation or pleasure in activities, and difficulty maintaining personal hygiene or self-care.

Can Hallucinations be Normal?

It's essential to recognize that some experiences commonly associated with psychosis, such as hearing voices, can sometimes occur in individuals without a psychotic disorder. For example, auditory hallucinations, or hearing voices, can occur in individuals during states of heightened stress, grief, or extreme fatigue. These experiences may not necessarily indicate the presence of psychosis or underlying psychopathology. However, if these experiences persist, worsen, or significantly impact daily functioning, it's crucial to seek evaluation and support from a mental health professional to rule out potential mental health concerns and receive appropriate care.

Where Can I Find Psychological Evaluation Near Me?

The first step to getting help for psychosis is determining the cause. A correct diagnosis is an important part of the treatment process. At Zephyr Care, we specialize in comprehensive mental health evaluations to help determine your diagnosis. Our evaluations cover things such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, trauma, OCD, ADHD, and autism. After the evaluation, we can help connect you with the resources that you need to continued treatment. Our evaluations are always neurodiversity-affirming and honor your unique lived experience. Contact us today!