Psychosis

Psychosis is an abnormal condition of the mind which is a mental state often described as involving a loss of contact with reality.

CAUSES

Psychosis is a serious medical condition caused by biochemical imbalances in the brain. The disturbance in normal brain functioning tends to cause people to have abnormal patterns of thinking, believing, perceiving and behaving. People with psychosis when left alone without any treatments will experience extreme distress which will significantly impair the daily functions of the individuals and can potentially disable the patients. A person with psychosis experiences a distortion of the reality. The biochemical imbalances in the brain will cause individuals to experience the world differently and exhibit bizarre behaviour patterns that cannot be explained by science.

Stress is a very common cause of psychosis. A history of living in a chronic stressful state and a current stressful episode can both contribute to the occurrence of psychosis. While the brain is trying to compensate for the extreme stress, biochemical imbalances tend to result from it, thereby triggering psychosis. Genetics is another major cause of psychosis, especially when the patient has a family history of psychosis or has defective genes. However, only a portion of such individuals actually get psychosis. The psychosis in these people is normally triggered by a stressful event.

SYMPTOMS

Some signs and symptoms of psychosis are:

• Hear or see things that are nonexistent
• Have strong strange beliefs
• Believe that others or themselves have the power to manipulate thoughts of others
• Become very suspicious of things
• Exhibit behaviours that are different than before
• Seem indifferent to anything
• Confusion

TREATMENTS

The first step is always education. Whether you are a patient yourself or a family member of the patient, more knowledge will give you more power in taking control of the illness and achieving recovery. Read books and articles about psychosis and try to understand its cause and things to consider when trying to recover from the illness.

The two most important things are medication and stress level. The medication is always the quickest way to make you feel better by correcting the biochemical imbalances in your brain. The important thing is for you to work with your psychiatrist to find the most suitable medication for you as there are so many different kinds of medication in the pharmacy. Medication coupled with psychotherapy is a strong combination to put the individuals on the road to recovery. At the same time, it is essential to keep stress level low because stress is the number one trigger of psychosis. During treatment, avoid stressful events and it is even helpful if you take a temporary break from work or school in order to assist with your recovery.

Last but not least, it is always helpful to set up a social support network for the patients. Psychosis is a debilitating illness that can cause extreme emotional distress for the individuals. A caring and supportive network will provide emotional supports for the patients that cannot be substituted by medication. A good and positive environment tends to speed up the recovery process.

REFERENCES

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis

http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-105&lang=1

http://keltymentalhealth.ca/mental-health/disorders/psychosis