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Psychosisis characterized by losing connection with reality.
It is not a mental health condition but is instead a symptom of many different mental disorders.
It causes people to experiencehallucinations,delusions, and incoherent behaviors.
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This article explores some of the common causes that are associated with psychosis.
Genetic Causes of Psychosis
Some evidence suggests that genes can increase your risk of developing psychosis.
Mental Health Conditions
Psychosis is a symptom of a number of different mental health conditions.
It often occurs as a result of a stressful event.
A brief psychotic episode can last from one day to up to a month.
People with this condition have symptoms of depression such as sadness, irritability, and loss of interest.
However, they also experience delusions, hallucinations, or both.
Statistics suggest that around four people out of every 1,000 will experience an episode of depression with psychotic features.
The risk appears to increase with age and is more common in people age 60 and older.
Postpartum psychosis most commonly occurs within two weeks of giving birth.
Research suggests that having bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder increases the risk of developing postpartum psychosis.
Schizoaffective Disorder
Schizoaffective disorderis a condition marked by symptoms of both psychosis and mood disruptions.
Similar to schizophrenia, this condition causes people to experience problems in how they perceive reality.
Along with hallucinations and delusions, they also experience problems with emotions, thinking, and social interactions.
Recap
A number of mental health conditions can cause psychosis.
This includes psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and brief psychotic disorder.
Other disorders such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder with psychotic features can also cause psychosis.
Substance Use
Psychosiscan also be triggered by the use of recreational substances.
When a person experiences psychosis as a result of taking a substance, it is known assubstance/medication-induced psychotic disorder.
However, evidence also suggests that the association between trauma and psychosis is complex.
Estimates suggest that 30% of people with a psychotic disorder are diagnosed with PTSD.
For comparison, around 7.8% of the general population is diagnosed with PTSD.
Medical Conditions and Injury
Damage to the brain from illness or injury can also cause psychosis.
A number of different medical conditions can also cause episodes of psychosis.
Some of these conditions include:
Psychosis can occur following atraumatic brain injury.
There are effective treatments available that can help people recover.
Consult your healthcare provider to learn more about your options and to determine why you are experiencing this symptom.
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