Psychotic Disorders

What is a psychotic disorders? 

It include severe mental disorders which are characterized by extreme impairment of a person’s ability to think clearly, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, understand reality, and behave appropriately. Psychotic symptoms can be seen in teenagers with a number of serious mental illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depression), schizophrenia, and with some forms of alcohol and drug abuse.

Psychosis

What are the symptoms of psychosis?

  • Delusions are persistent false beliefs that continue despite apparent or reasonable proof that they are not true. The most common are paranoid delusions, in which a person feels they are being hurt or tormented by another person or group.
 
  • Hallucinations are the illusion of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, or experiencing things that are not really there. They are clear and distinct, giving the appearance of normal experiences. The hallucination in schizophrenia is an auditory “hearing voices.” 
 
  • Disorganized thinking and speech refers to thoughts and speech that are disorganized, confused, and/or do not make sense. They may struggle to keep on topic, or it may be severe enough that they are unable to understand or make sense to others. 
 
  • Disorganized or abnormal motor behavior are motions that can range from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation, disturbing or repetitive movements. 
 
  • Negative symptoms are declines in specific behaviors. Clients make experience decreased emotional expression, voice output, fewer or no movements with their hands or other parts of their body, and less feeling of enjoyment.  

What are the treatment options?

  • Medications typically used antipsychotics. They typically work on dopamine system in the brain to help with delusions, hallucinations, disorganized systems. 

 

  • Psychotherapy include cognitive behavioral treatment which can assist persons with psychosis to cope with and manage their condition. It may reduce symptoms and enhance function. Long-term therapy can also assist with secondary conditions such as anxiety, sadness, or substance abuse.
 
  • Electroconvulsive therapy treatment includes applying an electrical current to scalp, which stimulates certain regions of brain. This stimulation generates a short seizure, which can help persons with severe depression, agitation, and other issues improve their brain function. This is safe options but typically reserved for severe cases. 

Do you have a loved one struggling with psychotic disorders? 

At Novus Beginning Psychiatry, we take extra steps to help our clients. We work with families to address psychosis systems. Dr. Nibras is a compassionate and caring psychiatrist who truly invests in time and energy to help out his clients. You can read his reviews and call us to make a 15 minutes free consult with him.