MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Psychosis

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Psychosis

Contents of this page:
Alternative names Definition Causes, incidence, and risk factors Symptoms Signs and tests	Treatment Expectations (prognosis) Complications Calling your health care provider Prevention

Alternative names

Psychotic

Definition Return to top

Psychosis is a loss of contact with reality, typically including delusions (false ideas about what is taking place or who one is) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things which aren't there).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

Psychosis is a severe mental condition characterized by a loss of contact with reality. There are numerous potential causes:

alcohol and certain drugs can induce psychosis
bipolar disorder (manic depression)
brain tumors
epilepsy
psychotic depression
schizophrenia
dementia (Alzheimer's and other degenerative brain disorders)
stroke

Symptoms Return to top

loss of touch with reality
seeing, hearing, feeling, or otherwise perceiving things that are not there (hallucinations)
disorganized thought and/or speech
emotion is exhibited in an abnormal manner
extreme excitement (mania)
confusion
depression and sometimes suicidal thoughts
unfounded fear/suspicion
mistaken perceptions (illusions)
false beliefs (delusions)

Signs and tests Return to top

Psychological evaluation and testing are used to diagnosis the cause of the psychosis.

Laboratory or radiological testing may not be essential, but sometimes can help pinpoint the exact diagnosis. This may include:

MRI of the brain
tests for syphilis
drug screens

Treatment Return to top

Treatment varies depending on the cause of the psychosis. Care in a hospital is often needed to ensure safety of the patient. Drugs that diminish auditory hallucinations and delusions and stabilize thinking and behavior (antipsychotic drugs) are helpful. Group or individual therapy can also be useful.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

The expectations for the outcome vary with the specific disorder. Many of the symptoms can be controlled with long-term treatment.

Complications Return to top

Psychosis can prevent a person from functioning normally. During psychotic states, there can be an inability to care for oneself. If the condition is left untreated, there is a possibility of self-harm or harm to others.

Calling your health care provider Return to top

Call your health care provider or mental health professional if a member of your family exhibits behavior indicating a lloss of contact with reality. If there is any concern about safety, as described above, immediately take the person to the nearest emergency room for evaluation.

Prevention Return to top

Prevention depends on the cause. For example, preventing alcohol abuse avoids alcohol induced psychosis.

Update Date: 5/4/2004

Updated by: Ram Chandran Kalyanam, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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