Psychosis

Psychosis is mental health condition that is characterized by loss of contact with the reality. This condition may include seeing or hearing people or believing something that is not the reality. People who experience psychosis are said to be having a psychotic episode. If an individual is experiencing both delusions and hallucinations this can result in a change in their behaviour and extreme distress.

Symptoms

The 2 main symptoms of psychosis are:

• Hallucinations are when an individual can hear, see, feel, smell or taste something that does not exist in reality. These symptoms feel existent to those who are affected. A commonly found hallucination is hearing voices.
• Delusions are strong beliefs held by individuals, these are beliefs that are not shared by other people. A commonly found delusion would be the believe that someone is plotting or conspiring to harm them.

This condition is diagnosed on the basis of the individual’s symptoms. All the other conditions that may cause the same symptoms need to be ruled out.

Treatments:

• Pharmacological treatment which includes antipsychotic medication
• Psychotherapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and interventions for the family members have been effective.
• Social Support