Psychosis is a group of mental disorders characterized by a disturbance in the perception of reality. These disorders lead to the patient beginning to live in another, imaginary world. The most commonly diagnosed form of psychosis is schizophrenia. What are the causes and symptoms of psychosis? How is her treatment going?
Psychosisis a group of mental disorders characterized by the loss of contact with reality. The sick person perceives and hears things that do not really exist, but are the result of a distorted perception of reality. Has thoughts that do not relate to what is actually happening.
A person suffering from psychosis lives in a different world in which he hears, sees and feels things that are a figment of imagination, but is not aware of this state of affairs, is not critical of the symptoms of the disease, i.e. his own incorrect observations and judgments. He believes they are part of reality. She is convinced of the reality of her experiences and thinks that she functions normally.
Psychosis - Causes
Psychosis results from disturbances in neurotransmission (related to the transmission of dopamine and serotonin) in the brain. They may appear in the course of somatic diseases (kidneys, liver, thyroid gland, brain). Then we are talking about somatogenic psychosis.
People addicted to alcohol, drugs or poisoning (intoxicating psychosis) may also occur.
Psychosis can also be diagnosed in elderly people with worsening memory.
Depression is also a risk factor as it can lead to the development of depressive psychosis.
Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder are influenced by several elements: genetic, psychological and environmental.
Psychosis - Symptoms
The sick person perceives reality as distorted, so it is difficult for him to find himself in the world. This leads to emotional instability, isolation. The sick person has problems with maintaining and establishing close contacts.
He has anxiety attacks frequently, usually for no reason. He is apathetic - he has problems with mobilizing to act, with making decisions. So he is perceived as a neurotic.
If the disease process is progressing, the following appear:
- hallucinations - the patient may develop auditory, visual,sensory, aromatic;
- delusions of various contents - all stimuli take on a new meaning and form new, allusive relationships. For example, the patient may be convinced that he is being followed, spied on (persecutory delusions), someone is reading his mind (delusions of exposure);
- disorganization of thoughts - the patient's statements are short and perfunctory, often strange, inadequate to the situation;
- behavior disorganization - the patient may undertake incomprehensible behavior, may be agitated or vice versa - motor slowdown;
- emotional coldness - difficulties in experiencing and expressing feelings;
Psychosis - treatment
The treatment uses antipsychotic drugs that inhibit uncontrolled excitations in the brain, and thus - inhibit the production of hallucinations and delusions. Psychotherapy may be helpful.
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