Psychosis
Doubt is to certainty as neurosis is to psychosis. The neurotic is in doubt and has fears about persons and things; the psychotic has convictions and makes claims about them. In short, the neurotic has problems, the psychotic has solutions - Thomas Szasz
image by: VGeorgiev
HWN Suggests
Psychotic experiences are quite common even among people who don’t have a mental health condition
Have you ever seen or heard something that turned out not to exist? Or have you ever thought something was happening that no one else noticed – perhaps thinking you were being followed, or that something was trying to communicate with you? If so, you may have had a psychotic experience.
The good news is, you’re not alone. Psychosis, also called a psychotic experience or episode, is when someone perceives or interprets reality differently to the people around them. And it’s estimated that around 5-10% of people will have a psychotic experience in their lifetime.
While they’re different for each person, psychotic experiences often include hallucinations (seeing or…
Featured
Why Joker's depiction of mental illness is dangerously misinformed
With films playing a key role in shaping attitudes to mental health, two doctors say Joaquin Phoenix’s troubled supervillain perpetuates damaging stereotypes
Can an Illusory World Help Treat Psychosis’s Real-World Delusions?
Psychologists launch a clinical trial to gauge whether virtual reality can quell the fears of patients with the mental disorder.
Daily Marijuana Use And Highly Potent Weed Linked To Psychosis
Weed use is taking off as more states move to legalize it. And with all the buzz over medical marijuana, it's starting to gain an aura of healthfulness. But there are some serious health risks associated with frequent use. One of the more troubling ones is the risk of having a psychotic episode.
How Common Are Psychotic Experiences?
Having a hallucination or delusion doesn’t necessarily mean you have a mental health condition, such as schizophrenia.
Interventions to Prevent Psychosis
An impending psychotic break can be identified and prevented if it is recognized early and appropriate steps are taken to head it off.
Psychosis rates vary significantly around the globe – scientists are trying to find out why
Not everyone is equally likely to develop psychosis. Since the 1930s we’ve known that large differences in risk exist between different geographical locations and population groups. Young men, for instance, are more likely to develop a psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia. And ethnic minorities in Western countries are up to five times more likely to develop psychosis, compared with the ethnic majority.
What Psychotic Episodes Really Look and Feel Like
When we hear someone is psychotic, we automatically think of psychopaths and cold-blooded criminals. We automatically think “Oh wow, they’re really crazy!” And we automatically think of plenty of other myths and misconceptions that only further the stigma surrounding psychosis. In other words, the reality is that we get psychosis very wrong.
Articles of Interest
What Exactly Is Psychosis Anyway?
Understanding one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions.
Cannabis and psychosis: what is the link and who is at risk?
There has been a recent global rise in “green fever”, with various jurisdictions either decriminalising or legalising cannabis. But alongside relaxing the rules comes concern about the health implications of cannabis use. We often hear of a link between cannabis use and psychosis. So how strong is the link, and who is at risk?
Ice psychosis: what is it, and why do only some users get it?
There is growing concern about crystal methamphetamine (ice) use in Australia and internationally, in part because of the psychological effects of the drug. Although most people who use ice do not experience psychological problems, about one in three people who use it regularly report experiencing psychosis in their lifetime.
Scientists are learning to predict psychosis years in advance—and possibly prevent it
Scientists are trying to decipher early signs that may indicate risk of psychosis later on, and they are testing ways to reduce that risk. Right now, most signs are very vague and nonspecific, and the vast majority of kids who exhibit them stay healthy.
The Mystery of Urban Psychosis
Why are paranoia and schizophrenia more common in cities?
This Is What Meth-Induced Psychosis Feels Like
It appears that meth use is back on the rise, and with it a host of health and social problems that are going to become really hard to ignore.
What Really is a "Psychotic Break with Reality"?
The first thing to understand is that psychosis is not one thing. It is multi-dimensional in description and it has multiple causes. Frequently the cause is a severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, major depression, delusional disorder, as well as being a transient symptom of a variety of personality disorders.
Resources
7 Things People With Psychosis Want You To Know
Publicly, psychosis is rarely spoken about. Yet the tide is turning. Thanks to celebrities such as Homeland actor David Harewood, who opened up about his experience of it in a recent documentary, public understanding of psychosis – and empathy for those impacted – is rising, albeit slowly.
Early Psychosis Intervention
This website was created with the intent of providing a collective resource about Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) for the province of British Columbia (BC). The decision to create this website came from the EPI Advanced Practice Project (EPI APP). The EPI APP is an ongoing collaboration amongst BC health authorities, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Children and Family Development, and other service providers in order to facilitate best practices in EPI throughout the province.
International Early Psychosis Association
An international network for the study and treatment of early psychosis.
PsychosisSucks.ca
Welcome to the Fraser Health Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) Program website. This site promotes early detection, educates about psychosis and provides direction for seeking help.
TIPS
TIPS - an early intervention program for psychosis and other mental conditons...Norway.
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Psychotic disorders include severe mental disorders which are characterized by extreme impairment of a person's ability to think clearly, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, understand reality, and behave appropriately.
MedlinePlus
Psychosis is a loss of contact with reality that usually includes: -False beliefs about what is taking place or who one is (delusions) -Seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations)
National Alliance on Mental Health
Having a psychosis is challenging. The psychosis may be confusing, disorganizing, frightening and start quickly (e.g. after sleep deprivation) or emerge over months to years. Informed primarily by individuals who have lived with psychosis, this section provides suggestions and insights intended to help individuals adapt, cope and become inspired.
NHS
Psychosis is not a condition in itself — it is triggered by other conditions. Sometimes it is possible to identify the cause of psychosis as a specific mental health condition such as: -schizophrenia — a condition where people may have repeated episodes of psychosis -bipolar disorder — a condition where people have periods of depression at times and at other times have periods of feeling energetic, impulsive and happy (manic)
ReachOut.com
Around two in one hundred young people will have a psychotic episode. Find out what exactly psychosis is, the causes, symptoms, and types of psychosis and what you can do if you experience it.
