Psychosis: The Signs

Psychosis is known for having a very broad range of signs and symptoms, but they can be grouped into 4 categories.

1) Delusions.

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A delusion is a fixed, false belief held by someone. This means that to the person this idea is absolutely true and they cannot be convinced otherwise by anyone. These delusions can often be paranoid, such as the person believing they are being watched, their phones are tapped or, quite often, they believe people are talking about them behind their backs. This can be very distressing to the person and if they are left untreated the person can become violent towards the people they believe are after them. However, not all delusions are paranoid. Some people may have “grandiose” delusions where they believe they can do anything, such as fly or beat anyone in a fight. These people can act as though there are no consequences, and can often spend money they can't afford to and skipping work or school. These delusions are as harmful to the person as paranoid delusions and anyone experiencing delusions should seek immediate help [2].

2) Hallucinations.

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Hallucinations can occur with any of the 5 senses (touch, smell, taste, hearing and vision) and are when the person perceives something that isn't there. The person experiencing the hallucination cannot distinguish it from reality and the hallucinations, like the delusions, can be nice or can be very distressing.

3) Disorganized Speech.

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People with psychosis can often have difficulties with speech, with thoughts that don't relate to each other or answering questions in odd ways. People with psychosis have reported feeling that their thoughts are going to fast for their speech to keep up, but have also reported having slow thought and slow speech [2].

4) Disorganized Behavior.

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Disorganized behavior is when a person is acting in a way that is inappropriate for the situation. A person with psychosis can act wildly, such as shouting in a library, but can also act “catatonic” and may not move at all or respond when they are spoken to.

Early access to care is important for a person with psychosis, as it may help prevent any long term effects, as well as keeping the person with psychosis safe, as well as those around them. Psychosis is said to have 3 stages: Early Warning, Acute and Recovery. The early warning signs can be quite vague, with signs such as loss of energy, social withdrawal and emotional changes like anxiety. However, the Acute stage is when the more obvious signs of psychosis happen. The acute stage is the most important time for a person to seek help for themselves or a friend, as this is also the time when treatment is most successful. Psychosis can go unrecognized and untreated for years and so it is vital that people are aware of how psychosis can feel in yourself and look in others.

References:

1: HSE.ie - Treating psychosis . 2015. HSE.ie - Treating psychosis . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/P/Psychosis/Treating-psychosis.html. [Accessed 10 March 2015].

2: Psychosis: Symptoms, Causes & Risk Factors. 2015. Psychosis: Symptoms, Causes & Risk Factors. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.healthline.com/health/psychosis#Symptoms2. [Accessed 10 March 2015].