
UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOSIS
Psychosis: "a mental health issue
that causes people
to perceive or interpret things differently
from those
around them” (NHS,
2016)
The word 'psychosis' is used to describe experiences in which there has been some loss of contact with reality. This might involve seeing or hearing things that other people cannot see or hear (hallucinations) and believing things that are not actually true (delusions).
Many people, if put under unusual amounts of stress could develop symptoms of mental illness. Some people are vulnerable to developing psychosis due to their genetic makeup or difficult experiences early in life. The symptoms can be triggered by emotional distress, trauma, or memories of difficulties in childhood, such as being bullied, neglected or the lack of a stable home life.
Symptoms of Psychosis
The two main symptoms of psychosis are:
hallucinations – where a person hears, sees and, in some cases, feels, smells or tastes things that do not exist outside their mind but can feel very real to the person affected by them; a common hallucination is hearing voices
delusions – where a person has strong beliefs that are not shared by others; a common delusion is someone believing there's a conspiracy to harm them
The combination of hallucinations and delusional thinking can cause severe distress and a change in behaviour (NHS, 2016)
When to Get Medical Advice
You should see a GP immediately if you're experiencing symptoms of psychosis. Its important psychosis is treated as soon as possible, as early treatment can be more effective.
Introduction to 'Understanding Psychosis':
“I Clearly Heard Voices"
Watch The Story of David Harewood: Psychosis and Me
'Hearing voices is the most common symptom of psychosis'
Patient Information Leaflet: (NHS, 2015)
Schizophrenia: Overview
Schizophrenia is a severe long-term mental health condition.
It causes a range of different psychological symptoms (NHS, 2019)
Doctors often describe schizophrenia as a type of psychosis. This means the person may not always be able to distinguish their own thoughts and ideas from reality.
Symptoms of schizophrenia include:
hallucinations – hearing or seeing things that do not exist outside of the mind
delusions – unusual beliefs not based on reality
muddled thoughts based on hallucinations or delusions
losing interest in everyday activities
not caring about your personal hygiene
wanting to avoid people, including friends
Schizophrenia does not cause someone to be violent, and people with schizophrenia do not have
a split personality.
Personal Experience with Schizophrenia
Watch the story of Bethany Yeiser:
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