We misuse some medical terms in everyday life. For example, we can easily say to someone, “You are schizophrenic!” when in fact we are talking about a very serious psychological disorder. Psychosis suffers a similar fate. Because we are used to hearing it, we can use it in the wrong way, but when we dig deeper, we realize that psychosis is actually more complex than we think.

It is considered normal to experience psychological problems of varying intensity due to life circumstances, but sometimes these problems come to the point where they disrupt our connection with reality and this is where psychosis occurs. Psychosis can occur for many different reasons and is generally associated with psychological disorders. In some cases it is temporary and can be easily treated.

For those who have never heard of it, let’s start with a brief definition: What is psychosis?

En temel tanımıyla psikoz, kişinin gerçeklik ile arasındaki bağlantıyı bir miktar kaybetme durumudur. Psikoz durumu yaşayan kişinin gerçeklik algısı tamamen olmasa bile belirli bir oranda kaybolur. Düşünme bozukluğu, algı bozukluğu gibi semptomların yanı sıra halüsinasyon görme ve duyma gibi farklı semptomlarla da ortaya çıkabilir.

Some of the symptoms of psychosis that occur in such a person:

• Skeptical approach to other people
• Don’t have paranoid thoughts
• Feeling of restlessness
• Inability to think logically
• Social inhibition
• Increased desire to be alone
• Intense emergence of unusual thoughts
• Feeling strange emotions
• Lack of emotion
• Lack of care for personal hygiene
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Decrease or increase in sleep duration
• Difficulty distinguishing between reality and fantasy
• Difficulty in conversations
• Difficulty focusing at work or school
• Persistent feeling of anxiety
• Lack of motivation

In general, these are some of the most common symptoms that occur when a person develops psychosis. When we take a look, we can see that these symptoms are similar to other psychological disorders, but the most dangerous symptom of psychosis is actually hallucinating.

Hallucinating is one of the most severe symptoms of psychosis:

We had to open a separate chapter on hallucination because it is one of the symptoms that most clearly distinguishes psychosis from other psychological problems. In the most general definition, hallucination is to accept things that do not exist as if they do. Although it is something that happens entirely in the mind, due to psychosis, the person cannot resolve the difference between it and reality. There are different types of hallucinations:

• Auditory hallucinations with voices when no one is around
• Tactile hallucinations that manifest as unexplained sensations
• Visual hallucinations in which objects and people who are not there are seen, or objects and people who are there are seen falsely
• Olfactory hallucinations with smells that no one else can smell
• Taste hallucinations where you taste something even though your mouth is empty
• Delusions that you are controlled by others, that there is a greater meaning behind everything, that you have special powers

Psychosis is experienced in three main stages:

Prodrom
Acute
Recovery

Prodrom:

In the prodrome stage, your mind is just beginning to enter a state of psychosis and you experience minor symptoms that are not taken seriously. You may experience sleep problems, sadness, anxiety, loss of concentration, loss of motivation, withdrawal from friends and family, skepticism, strange beliefs.

Acute

Schizophrenia
Bipolar disorder
Severe depression

As we mentioned in the definition, psychosis is not a psychological disorder, it is actually a kind of symptom. This symptom can be caused by different psychological disorders. Unless the disorder is treated, psychosis will continue to manifest itself in episodes of varying intensity.

There are also types of psychosis that occur for different reasons:

Postpartum psychosis
Postictal psychosis
Myxedema psychosis
Korsakoff psychosis
Menstrual psychosis

Postpartum psychosis:

It is a type of psychosis that occurs in women who have recently given birth in a period of time between a few days and a few weeks after giving birth. It is thought to be caused by lack of sleep, hormone changes and genes. It can have symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions and mood swings.

Postictal psychosis

Postictal psychosis refers to psychosis that occurs in people with epilepsy. Postictal psychosis can occur if a patient with epilepsy has a succession of epileptic seizures. The risk is much higher in epilepsy patients with a history of mental illness.

Myxedema psychosis

In cases such as hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland is not functioning properly, myxedema psychosis occurs because thyroid hormones directly affect the brain. In such a psychosis, the person may experience symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. It is treated with thyroid hormone supplementation.

Korsakoff psychosis:

Korsakoff’s psychosis, which is also associated with alcohol addiction, is a psychosis caused by vitamin B1 deficiency in the body. It has symptoms such as memory problems, disorientation and emotional changes. It is treated with a healthy diet and B1 supplements.

Menstrual psychosis:

It is a rare condition, but in some women it can occur before or a few days after the onset of menstruation. Menstrual psychosis caused by hormone changes can manifest itself with symptoms such as confusion, hallucinations and believing things that are not true.

There are some conditions that trigger psychosis:

• Traumatic experiences
• Intense stress
• Drug use
• Excessive alcohol use
• Misuse of prescription drugs
• Brain tumor
• Dementia
• Head injuries
• Birth

When to see a doctor, how to treat psychosis?

People who are experiencing psychosis often do not realize it, which is why they should be warned by those around them. People with symptoms of psychosis should be examined by a specialist physician as soon as possible. In addition to antipsychotic medication, therapy can also be used to treat psychosis.

We have answered curious questions such as what is psychosis, which is a condition that distorts the person’s perception of reality, and what are its symptoms. Our information is for informational purposes only. As with all health issues, remember that you should get the most accurate and personalized information about psychosis from a specialist physician.