Psychosis

Psychosis can present as a single, transient episode or as a chronic condition. Pathologies in perception and thinking characterize it. Individuals often report that reality or their environment has changed.

Types:

1. Exogenous Psychosis: Triggered by external factors:

• Organic pathologies of the CNS causing degenerative changes
• Psychoactive substances
• Hallucinogenic substancesMarijuana
• Alcohol
• Intoxication from various substances

1. Endogenous Psychosis: Arises spontaneously.

Symptoms:

Perceptual Pathologies

:

• Hallucinations:

Auditory

Tactile (sensory)

Olfactory

Visceral (sensations in internal organs)

• Illusions:

Verbal illusions: a person hears insults or mocking in other people's conversations.

Types of Delusions:

• Paranoid Delusions: Believing one is being persecuted by others, organizations, or government structures intending to harm or damage their reputation.
• Referential Delusions: a belief that events, gestures, conversations... are somehow related to a person.
• Grandiose Delusions: Inflated beliefs about one’s abilities, such as having unique talents like telepathy or prophecy.
• Nihilistic Delusions: Total hopelessness, such as believing the world is ending or everything is meaningless.
• Hypochondriacal Delusions: Unfounded belief of having a severe illness despite medical evidence to the contrary.
• Religious Delusions: Varying content, such as feeling sinful or perceiving oneself as a messiah.
• Jealous Delusions: otherwise known as morbid, particularly in marital contexts, having a sense of betrayal despite evidence to the contrary.
• Erotomanic Delusions: Believing that someone unattainable loves them.
• Delusions of Influence: Believing that external forces control one’s thoughts or actions.
• Thought Insertion or Withdrawal: Believing that thoughts are being implanted or removed by an external force through telepathy or other means.

Immediate medication treatment is necessary.

Related: depression · bipolar disorder · psychiatrist consultation

Sources: NIMH — Understanding Psychosis; WHO — Schizophrenia.