

In rare cases, a person with psychosis may also develop type 2 diabetes. Side effects can also occur if someone is taking antipsychotics on a long-term basis. It's estimated 1 in 5 people with psychosis will attempt to commit suicide at some point in their life, and 1 in 25 people with psychosis will kill themselves. People with psychosis also have a higher than average risk of suicide. This may be because these substances can provide short-term symptom relief, although they usually make symptoms worse in the long term. People with a history of psychosis are much more likely to have drug or alcohol misuse problems, or both. take them to the nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department, if they agree.If you think the person's symptoms are placing them at possible risk of harm, you can: If you're concerned about someone you know and think they may have psychosis, you could contact their social worker or community mental health nurse if they've previously been diagnosed with a mental health condition. They're unaware that they're thinking and acting strangely.īecause of their lack of insight, it's often down to the friends, relatives, or carers of a person affected by psychosis to seek help for them. People with psychosis often have a lack of insight. Read more about the treatment of psychosis. If a person's psychotic episodes are severe, they may need to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Some people need to take medication long term to prevent symptoms recurring. Most people with psychosis who get better with medication need to continue taking it for at least a year. social support – support with social needs, such as education, employment, or accommodation.psychological therapies – the one-to-one talking therapy cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has proved successful in helping people with schizophrenia in appropriate cases, family therapy has been shown to reduce the need for hospital treatment in people with psychosis.antipsychotic medication – which can help relieve the symptoms of psychosis.Treatment for psychosis involves using a combination of: Your GP should refer you to a mental health specialist for further assessment and treatment.


whether you've been taking illegal substances.They may ask you some questions to help determine what's causing your psychosis. Your GP will look at your symptoms and rule out short-term causes, such as drug misuse. It's important psychosis is treated as soon as possible as early treatment usually has better long-term outcomes. You should see your GP immediately if you're experiencing psychotic episodes. Episodes related to bipolar disorder usually resolve, but may recur. How often a psychotic episode occurs and how long it lasts can depend on the underlying cause.įor example, schizophrenia can be long term, but most people can make a good recovery and about a quarter only have a single psychotic episode. Psychosis can also be triggered by traumatic experiences, stress, or physical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, a brain tumour, or as a result of drug misuse or alcohol misuse. severe depression – some people with depression also have symptoms of psychosis when they're very depressed.bipolar disorder – a mental health condition that affects mood a person with bipolar disorder can have episodes of depression (lows) and mania (highs).schizophrenia – a condition that causes a range of psychological symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions.It's sometimes possible to identify the cause of psychosis as a specific mental health condition, such as: Psychosis isn't a condition in itself – it's triggered by other conditions. The combination of hallucinations and delusional thinking can often severely disrupt perception, thinking, emotion, and behaviour.Įxperiencing the symptoms of psychosis is often referred to as having a psychotic episode. delusions – where a person believes things that, when examined rationally, are obviously untrue – for example, thinking your next door neighbour is planning to kill you.

