A person can also experience a psychotic episode if they suddenly stop drinking alcohol or taking drugs after using them for a long time. This is known as withdrawal. It's also possible to experience psychosis after drinking large amounts of alcohol or if you're high on drugs. In rare situations, psychosis can also occur as a side effect of some types of medication or as a result of an overdose of that medication.
For example, levodopa, a medication used to treat Parkinson's disease , can sometimes cause psychotic episodes. However, any medicine that acts on the brain can cause psychosis with an overdose.
Never stop taking a prescribed medication unless advised to do so by your GP or another qualified healthcare professional responsible for your care. There's been a great deal of research into how psychosis affects the brain and how changes in the brain can trigger symptoms of psychosis.
Research has revealed several physical and biological changes occur in the brain during a psychotic episode. Grey matter is the part of the brain responsible for processing thoughts. The results of magnetic resonance imaging MRI scans have shown some people with a history of psychosis have less grey matter than most other people.
However, it's not yet fully understood why this is. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, one of many chemicals the brain uses to transmit information from one brain cell to another.
It is associated with how we feel whether something is significant, important, or interesting. It's thought levels of dopamine in the brain become too high in people with psychosis. The excess dopamine interrupts specific pathways in the brain that are responsible for some of its most important functions, such as:.
Evidence for the role of dopamine in psychosis comes from several sources, including brain scans and the fact medications known to reduce the effects of dopamine in the brain also reduce the symptoms of psychosis.
However, illegal drugs known to increase levels of dopamine in the brain — such as cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines — can trigger psychosis. It's important to speak to your GP as soon as possible as the early treatment of psychosis usually has better long-term outcomes.
There's no test to positively diagnose psychosis. However, your GP will look at your symptoms and rule out short-term causes, such as drug misuse. Your GP may ask questions to determine the cause of your psychosis. The evidence supporting the early treatment of psychosis means you're likely to be referred to a specialist urgently.
This will either be during or after your first episode of psychosis. Who you're referred to will depend on the services available in your area. You may be referred to:. Your psychiatrist will carry out a full assessment to help identify and diagnose any underlying mental health condition that could be causing your symptoms. This will help when planning your treatment for psychosis. The lack of insight associated with psychosis means people experiencing it aren't always able to recognise their strange behaviour.
They may be reluctant to visit their GP if they believe there's nothing wrong with them, and you may need to get help for them. Someone who has had psychotic episodes in the past may have been assigned a mental health worker, who works in social services, so try to contact them to express your concerns. Someone who is having a psychotic episode for the first time may need a friend, relative or someone else close to them to persuade them to visit their GP.
If a person who is having a psychotic episode refuses to seek help and is believed to present a risk to themselves or others, their nearest relative can request a psychological assessment. Your local mental health trust can advise you about this. If someone has very severe psychosis, they can be compulsorily detained at hospital for assessment and treatment under the Mental Health Scotland Act Treatment for psychosis involves a combination of antipsychotic medicines, psychological therapies, and social support.
Your treatment is likely to be co-ordinated by a team of mental health professionals working together. If this is your first psychotic episode, you may be referred to an early intervention team. An early intervention team is a team of healthcare professionals set up specifically to work with people who have experienced their first episode of psychosis.
Some early intervention teams only focus on a certain age range, such as people who are 14 to 35 years old. Treatment for psychosis will vary, depending on the underlying cause. You'll receive specific treatment if you've been diagnosed with an underlying mental health condition as well.
For example, treatment for bipolar disorder uses a variety of medications, which could include antipsychotics to treat symptoms of mania, lithium and anticonvulsants to help stabilise mood, as well as psychological therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy CBT.
Treatment for schizophrenia usually involves a combination of antipsychotic medication and social support. CBT or another type of psychotherapy called family therapy are also often used.
Psychosis related to drug or alcohol intoxication or withdrawal may only require a short course of antipsychotics or tranquillisers, which have a calming effect. Referral to an addiction counsellor may then be recommended. Antipsychotic medicines, also known as neuroleptics, are usually recommended as the first treatment for psychosis.
They work by blocking the effect of dopamine, a chemical that transmits messages in the brain. However, they're not suitable or effective for everyone, as side effects can affect people differently. In particular, antipsychotics will be monitored closely in people who also have epilepsy , a condition that causes seizures or fits. People who have cardiovascular disease — conditions that affect the heart, blood vessels, or circulation, such as heart disease — will also be closely monitored.
Antipsychotics can usually reduce feelings of anxiety or aggression within a few hours of use, but they may take several days or weeks to reduce other psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusional thoughts. Antipsychotics can be taken by mouth orally or given as an injection. There are several slow-release antipsychotics, where you only need one injection every two to six weeks.
Depending on the underlying cause of your psychosis, you may only need to take antipsychotics until your psychosis subsides. However, if you have a condition like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, you may need to take antipsychotics on a long-term basis to prevent further episodes of psychosis. Antipsychotics can have side effects, although not everyone will experience them and their severity will differ from person to person.
See the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine for a full list of possible side effects. In addition, long-term use of antipsychotics can lead to complications like weight gain and diabetes.
Remember that the voices are a part of you, so it may be helpful to respond to them in a way that you would like to be spoken to. For example, if your voice is stressed you could try speaking to it in a calming voice.
Some people find it helpful to visualise the voices. If you are worried about talking back to your voices in public, you could pretend you are speaking to someone on the phone. Standing up to voices that frighten or bully you can be tough.
You may find it helpful to have talking therapy to help you to take the power away from the negative voices. Distract yourself Listening to music, the radio or an audiobook may help you focus on something else.
Concentrating on a task such as a household chore or hobby can help to distract you from your voices. Keep a diary You could keep a diary of your voices. You may want to keep a record of the following:. Keeping a diary may help you to notice patterns and if anything you are doing is making them worse. This may help you to find new ways to cope with them. Use a mobile app The Hearing Voices mobile app offers support and promotes understanding of the challenges faced by people who hear voices.
It was developed in partnership with the Hearing Voices Network England. The app is free to download. You can find more information at:. You may feel that a mental health crisis linked to your psychosis is part of a spiritual crisis. It may have encouraged spiritual growth. You may find support from others who share your views helpful. For example, within faith communities. Some people feel that their mental health crisis has been positive and has caused growth in their personal lives.
You may believe that psychosis can be caused by a deeper psychological distress, which can be worked through. For example, if you feel as though your life is being controlled by outside forces, this might come from feelings of lack of control in your life. It can be very distressing if you are a carer, friend or relative of someone who has psychosis. You can get support. What is a carers assessment? NICE guidelines state that you should be given your own assessment through the community mental health team CMHT to work out what effect your caring role is having on your health.
And what support you need. Such as practical support and emergency support. The CMHT should tell you about your right to have a carers assessment through your local authority. How do I get support from my peers? You can get peer support through carer support services or carers groups. You can search for local groups in your area by using a search engine such as Google. Or you can call our advice service on They will search for you.
What is a care plan? The care plan is a written document that says what care your relative or friend will get and who is responsible for it. A care plan should always include a crisis plan.
A crisis plan will have information about who to contact if they become unwell. You should be given information about what to do in a crisis.
You can use this information to support and encourage them to stay well and get help if needed. Can I be involved in care planning? As a carer you should be involved in decisions about care planning. The healthcare team should encourage the person that you care for to allow information to be shared with you. What can I do if my friend or family member is in crisis? If you think your friend or relative is experiencing psychotic symptoms you may want them to see a doctor. This can be difficult if they do not believe they are unwell.
If you think that your friend or family member is a risk of harm to themselves or others you can:. Your nearest relative is a legal term under the Mental Health Act. What is a Mental Health Act Assessment? A Mental Health Act assessment is an assessment to see if someone needs to go to hospital to be treated against their will. How do I ask for a Mental Health Act assessment? If you are concerned that your friend or family member is a risk to themselves or other people you could try and get a Mental Health Act assessment by contacting an Approved Mental Health Professional AMHP.
Your friend or family member will only be detained under the Mental Health Act if they are assessed as a high risk to themselves or other people. Because of the stress involved in detaining someone it is usually the best option if your friend or family member can be encouraged to get the help for themselves, such as though their GP. There is no extra care available whilst detained, compared to in the community.
Cambridge University Press, This is a self-help guide for people who experience psychosis and their carers. It helps readers use Cognitive Therapy techniques to control their symptoms and delay or prevent becoming unwell again. Rufus May He is a psychologist who has different views on the cause and management of psychosis. His website has articles and further reading. Website: www. Caring for someone with psychosis or schizophrenia This is a free, online course provided by Kings College in London.
It is aimed at people who care for people who have psychosis or schizophrenia. The Royal College of Psychiatrists Their website has reliable information about different mental illnesses. They give information, support and understanding to people who hear voices and those who support them. They also support people who have visual hallucinations and people who have tactile sensations. They have a list of self-help groups across the country. Action on Postpartum Psychosis A national charity for women and families affected by postpartum psychosis.
They run a peer support service, provide information, training to health professionals, do research and promote awareness. Intervoice Intervoice are a charity. They encourage people all over the world to share ideas through their online community. You can also find information about hearing voices through their articles and resources. Donate Search Menu. About us About us. See our contacts page Looking to contact us?
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Get help now. Advice and information About mental illness Learn more about conditions Psychosis. Psychosis This page covers what psychosis is and how you can get treatment. If you would like more advice or information you can contact our Advice and Information Service by clicking here. Download Psychosis factsheet. Share: Contact us:. Overview Psychosis is a term to describe when you experience reality in a different way to other people.
Common examples are hearing voices. Or believing that people are trying to harm you. Psychosis can be a one-off experience or linked to other conditions. There is no single cause of psychosis. Researchers believe that environment and genetics may affect who develops psychosis.
You should be offered medication and talking therapy to help with your experiences. To access treatment for psychosis, you usually need to have an assessment by a specialist mental health service.
You may need to go to hospital if you are experiencing very distressing psychotic symptoms. Need more advice? If you need more advice or information you can contact our Advice and Information Service. Contact us Contact us. About What is psychosis? Common examples of psychosis include the following. For example: hearing voices, seeing things which other people do not see, feeling someone touching you who is not there, or smelling things which other people cannot.
You might hear voices sometimes or all of the time. Delusions These are beliefs that are not based on reality. For example, you may believe: that you are being followed by secret agents or members of the public, that people are out to get you or trying to kill you.
This can be strangers or people you know, that something has been planted in your brain to monitor your thoughts, you have special powers, are on a special mission or in some cases that you are a god, or your food or water is being poisoned.
Cognitive Experiences Cognitive experiences are ones that relate to mental action. Some cognitive experiences associated with psychosis are: concentration problems, memory problems, Unable understand new information, and difficulty making decisions.
Linked conditions What mental health conditions are linked with psychosis? Most people will experience an improvement in their symptoms with treatment. Sometimes people experiencing psychosis can become agitated and be at risk of hurting themselves or others. In these cases, it may be necessary to calm them down quickly. This method is called rapid tranquilization. A doctor or emergency response personnel will administer a fast-acting injection or liquid medicine to quickly relax the patient.
Symptoms of psychosis can be controlled with medications called antipsychotics. They reduce hallucinations and delusions and help people think more clearly. The type of antipsychotic that is prescribed will depend on the symptoms. In many cases, people only need to take antipsychotics for a short time to get their symptoms under control. People with schizophrenia may have to stay on medications for life. Cognitive behavioral therapy means meeting regularly to talk with a mental health counselor with the goal of changing thinking and behaviors.
This approach has been shown to be effective in helping people make permanent changes and better manage their illness. However, if left untreated, it can be challenging for people experiencing psychosis to take good care of themselves. That could cause other illnesses to go untreated. Most people who experience psychosis will recover with proper treatment. Even in severe cases, medication and therapy can help. Depressive psychosis is a combination of major depression and psychosis.
This means that someone experience depression and psychotic symptoms. Episodes of psychosis can be complications of medical or mental health conditions. We'll explore bipolar psychosis red flags, strategies to deal, and…. Learn about the causes and symptoms of psychotic depression and how the disorder is treated. Despite its benefits, the drug Adderall can still lead to side effects.
Is psychosis one of them? A diagnosis identifies an illness; symptoms are components of an illness. Health care providers draw on information from medical and family history and a physical examination to diagnose someone. If causes such as a brain tumor, infection or epilepsy are ruled out, a mental illness might be the reason. If the cause is related to a mental health condition, early diagnosis and treatment provide the best hope of recovery.
Research shows that the earlier people experiencing psychosis receive treatment, the better their long-term quality of life. CSC uses a team of health professionals and specialists who work with a person to create a personal treatment plan based on life goals while involving family members as much as possible. Portions of their website are available in Spanish. Traditional treatment for psychosis involves psychotherapy and medication.
Several types of therapy have successfully helped individuals learn to manage their condition. In addition, medication targets symptoms and helps reduce their impact. Search Close Menu. Sign In About Mental Illness. About Mental Illness Treatments. About Mental Illness Research. Your Journey Individuals with Mental Illness. Your Journey Family Members and Caregivers. Your Journey Identity and Cultural Dimensions.
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