What Are The Types Of Psychosis?

Psychosis is a condition that affects the way your brain processes information. This might involve seeing or hearing things that other people cannot see or hear and believing things that are not true. Psychosis should be treated as soon as possible, as early treatment can be more effective. The doctor may ask you some questions to help determine what’s causing your psychosis.

Types Of Psychosis

1. Hallucinations 

Hallucinations could include:

• Hearing voices that other people don’t 
• Experiencing smells, tastes, and sensations that have no apparent cause
• Seeing objects that seem to be distorted or move in ways that they usually wouldn’t
• Seeing things that other people don’t

2. Delusions 

Many people have beliefs that lots of other people don’t share, but a delusion is usually a belief that nobody else shares and which other experiences show can’t be true. It is natural for delusions to feel completely real to you when you are experiencing them. 

You might think that you are a very important person. For instance, you may believe that you are powerful and rich or that you can control the weather or the stock markets. These kinds of beliefs are sometimes called delusions of grandeur. Some delusions can also be very frightening and can make you feel endangered or unsafe. For example, you might feel that something or someone is trying to control, harm, or kill you. These ideas are sometimes called paranoid delusions.

3. Disorganized Thinking and Speech

Hallucinations and delusions can make your thoughts and emotions feel confused and disorganized, but disorganized thinking can also be a specific type of psychosis. 

Mental health experts may use the following terms to describe what you are experiencing:

• A flight of ideas is when your thoughts move very quickly between ideas, making connections and seeing meaning between things that other people might not see.
• A racing thought is when your thoughts fly through your head very quickly. You may feel as if they are out of control when you experience them.

Several people find that they experience racing thoughts and a flight of ideas at the same time. If you have disorganized thinking you might:

• Find it difficult to keep your attention on one thing.
• Speak very fast and trip over your words so that other people may find it hard to understand what you are saying.
• Change the topic of conversation very quickly as your thoughts move from one thing to another.
• Link words together because of the way they sound rather than what they mean, which can make your speech sound jumbled to other people.

When To Get Medical Advice?

If you are experiencing symptoms of psychosis you should see a medical doctor right away. Psychosis must be treated as soon as possible, as early treatment can be more in effect.

The medical doctor may ask you some questions to help define what’s causing your psychosis. They should also refer you to a mental health specialist for further assessment and treatment.

Treatment for Psychosis

Treatment for psychosis may involve using a combination of:

• Psychological therapy
• Antipsychotic medicine 
• Social support 

Some people are recommended to take antipsychotics on a long-term basis. The medicine usually recommended is:

• Cholopormazine – this medication belongs to the class of drugs called phenothiazine antipsychotics. It works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances in the brain which lessens aggressive behavior and the desire to hurt yourself or others.