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What Is Psychosis?
It impacts the way that the brain processes information.
When experiencing psychosis, people may hear, see, feel, or believe things that are not real.
Lauri Rotko / Folio Images / Getty Images
Other conditions where psychosis may be present includepostpartum psychosisand depressive episodes.
About 7 in every 1000 people experience psychosis at some time in their lives.
Symptoms
Psychosis in itself is a symptom of another problem, not its own illness.
The earlier you get treatment and intervention, the better.
These signs and symptoms can occur over several months and may fluctuate in both severity and pop in.
This period of changing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors before a psychotic episode is called the prodromal phase.
Diagnosis
Psychosis is a symptom of another health condition, not a diagnosis in and of itself.
to determine what might be causing psychosis, a doctor will perform a physical and collect a medical history.
They will also ask questions about the symptoms including its severity and duration.
They will also want to know about any other symptoms that you might be experiencing.
Treatments
Treating psychosisdepends on the cause.
Hospitalization may be necessary.
Typical Antipsychotics
The older, first generation of antipsychotics are known astypical antipsychotics.
They can be a very effective treatment but may have harsher side effects, such astardive dyskinesiaandextrapyramidal side effects.
Psychotherapy can also be useful when people also havecomorbid conditionssuch as anxiety or mood disorders.
Coping
If you are experiencing symptoms of psychosis, it is important to seek help immediately.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
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Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
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