Psychotic Disorders

How many times in a day do you face something and wish that you could have an alternative reality? Something that you design? So much can happen in a day, in a month, or in your life constantly that you want to escape, you want to run away and live another life. Create another identity, another reality that you dwell in. And sometimes we cannot fight the urge to go into an alternative universe, and we give in to it. And that paves way for us living in another world while existing in this one.

What are psychotic disorders?

Psychotic Disorders are those mental illnesses in which an individual starts imagining another reality and they forget about the actual one. They get completely lost in the world they create, sometimes it is a fantasy and sometimes it is an atmosphere of fear, anxiety, paranoia. An example of such is the mental illness, schizophrenia. In this disorder, you experience excessive emotions, and you have the feeling that there is another person in your head. A voice that is not yours telling you to be distrustful of your surroundings. It is always in your mind. Making you feel paranoid every time you do something. Other examples include delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, substance-induced disorder, etc.

 

The phases of the psychotic episode:

There are three main phases in a psychotic episode,

as follows:

Prodrome:

This is the first phase and an early one. The warning signs of this phase are not that significant or noticeable. There are just a few changes in a person such as they feel moody, or the way they describe their feelings is a little different, or maybe they seem a little off. These things are quite common and that is why we cannot conclude from this phase that an individual might be on the first stage of a psychotic episode.

Acute:

Acute is the second phase of a psychotic episode. It is also referred to as the critical or the serious phase. The warning signs are very distinct and clear. Clear psychotic disorders can be witnessed. An individual may suffer through hallucination, have an entire process of confused thinking, and experience extreme delusions. In this stage, the person affected by this can be extremely stressed out. So it is important that we try our level best to understand this situation and help out the people in need. People who go through this, need professional help and they should not be afraid of reaching out for it.

Recovery:

The last phase of a psychotic episode is recovery. As we can all infer from it, the person is now under treatment and getting professional help for their psychosis. In this phase, we see the individual getting better and becoming more and more of themselves every passing day. It is important that we still remain very supportive towards that person so that they don’t feel different in any way.

Common symptoms of the psychotic episode:

Signs to look out for before a psychotic episode:-

1. Feeling an emotional numbness, lack of emotions.
2. Not taking care of hygiene or not taking care of their own self.
3. The gradual decrease in their academic performance or at work
4. Trying to remain isolated. They want to be alone most of the time.
5. Feeling anxious or suspicious of people and things.

Signs of early psychosis disorders:

1. Losing their main senses, such as hearing, tasting, etc.
2. Lack of concentration
3. Hanging on to weird beliefs when they aren’t true
4. Maintaining distance from friends and family.

Signs of psychosis:

Hallucinating: You hear voices in your head or you see things and feel things that aren’t true. These are known as visual, auditory, and tactile hallucinations.

Becoming delusional: Starting to believe in things that are not accepted by others and can be false. Trying to recreate other scenarios in your head and living in them.

Noticeable changes in behavior due to psychosis disorders:

1. Delirium
2. Unorganized thinking
3. Disoriented speech
4. Extremely mood
5. Hallucinations and delusions

Causes of the psychotic episode:

Sickness or Injuries: There are many illnesses that have been said to trigger a psychotic episode, such as HIV/AIDS, heart attacks, brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc. Being in an accident where your brain gets injured is also said to be a cause.

Drugs: There are various drugs that can cause hallucinations and psychotic episodes. They are meant to do so, some are doctor-prescribed drugs. Abuse of alcohol and the use of substantial drugs like LSD, marijuana, and amphetamines are inclusive.

Genetic: Some Psychotic episodes are just hereditary. If the individual has a family history of people who have suffered through psychosis, then they are more likely to go through it as well.

Trauma: Trauma triggers psychotic episodes. The loss of a loved one, or going through sexual assault or abuse, etc. can cause trauma. These take a toll on your mental health causing a Psychotic episode.

How to deal with psychosis disorders:

Seek professional help: It is necessary to visit a doctor and seek out their help. Psychotic disorders require a professional diagnosis. They require professional treatment. You should not let it slide. If somebody you know might be experiencing psychosis, please try talking about it with them.

Antipsychotic Drugs: There are various drugs that can help with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. But these drugs can not cure the disorder, they can just reduce the symptoms. They are used in therapy for psychotic episodes.

Talk it over: Despite getting the treatment, trust somebody else with it. Talk it out with them. Help them understand what you are going through. There are people who are always there for you and don’t give up so easily.

How to cope with psychosis:

As serious as psychotic disorders are, and how they seem incurable, you need not worry. Psychosis is a treatable disease. But here are some tips on how to cope with all that is happening, such as:

Getting your physical health back on track:

It is important that you get yourself physically healthy once again or you might face a number of physical illnesses. Getting your physical health back on track includes getting adequate sleep, maintaining a proper diet. Getting enough sleep is a very important thing to do. Sleep is meant to rest your brain and for it to function properly the next day, sleep is necessary.

Understand what triggers you:

You should know your trigger point very well. So that in the future, you can work on them and not get affected by them. Understanding what can cause a psychotic episode in you can help you prevent it and you will not have to go through it again.

Try relaxation techniques:

Learning how to relax and remain calm can be really helpful. You can try various methods to be calm. Meditation is really recommended for this. It helps your brain de-stress itself and can help you to think more clearly and positively.

Approaching your friends:

There is no shame or harm in asking for your friend’s support through it all. They are there for you to help you, reach out to you whenever it is necessary. Also, letting out what you are holding on inside can be really helpful for you. You don’t have to carry this burden alone. There are people who love you, cherish you, and who will be there for you no matter what. Be strong for them.

An emergency plan:

It is important to keep a crisis plan handy in case you go through something like that again. Brief a few people that you trust about this plan so if need be, they can contact your doctor immediately.