psychotic disorder

Psychosis

In psychopathology, psychosis ( ) is the inability to distinguish what is or is not real. Examples of psychotic symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized or incoherent thoughts or speech. Psychosis is a description of a person's state or symptoms, rather than a specific mental illness, and it is not related to the personality construct of psychopathy. Common causes of chronic psychosis include schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, and brain damage (usually as a result of alcoholism). Acute psychosis can also be caused by severe distress, sleep deprivation, sensory deprivation, some medications, and drug use and withdrawal (including alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogens, and stimulants). Acute psychosis is termed primary if it results from a psychiatric condition and secondary if it is caused by another medical condition or drugs. The diagnosis of a mental-health condition requires excluding other potential causes. Tests can be administered to check whether psychosis is caused by central nervous system diseases, toxins, or other health problems. Treatment may include antipsychotic medication, psychotherapy, and social support. Early treatment appears to improve outcomes. Medications appear to have a moderate effect. Outcomes depend on the underlying cause. Psychosis is not well-understood at the neurological level, but dopamine (along with other neurotransmitters) is known to play an important role. In the United States about 3% of people develop psychosis at some point in their lives. Psychosis has been described as early as the 4th cent...