Psychosis happens when a person loses touch with reality. It is not a specific illness, but rather a syndrome showing some degree of disturbance in perception and judgement. It is a distressing condition that affects a person’s thoughts, feelings, communication and behaviour.
Around 1 in 50 people experience a psychotic episode in their lifetime. When a person experiences psychosis, they may experience hallucinations (where they hear voices or see things that do not exist, or disordered thinking or delusions (false beliefs that they are going to be harmed or that people are talking about them).
Some of these forms of disturbances show up as:
- Perceptual disturbances such as feelings that things around have changed
- Mood disturbances such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability and anger
- Cognitive disturbances such as poor attention and concentration, difficulties in thinking, suspiciousness and unusual beliefs
- Behavioural disturbances such as change in sleep and appetite patterns, social withdrawal, loss of interest in things, deterioration in occupation and academic functioning
Different people will probably interpret these disturbances differently. Some may see them as symptoms of stress, especially if the changes are associated with some stressful life events. Others may see them as part of the person’s personality. Cultural influences may also play a part in how the symptoms of psychosis might be interpreted. Psychotic symptoms are often attributed to supernatural causes rather than biological causes.
One’s personal understanding of the disturbances will determine if an individual will seek help. Even for those who suspect that it may be a mental condition, the stigma of seeking psychiatric help may deter them from consulting a psychiatrist. It is not surprising that there is often a long delay, sometimes even a few years, before the person reaches out for professional help.