An Overview of Psychosis in Teens

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Exactly Is Psychosis?SymptomsCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatmentCopingHow to Get Help

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Exactly Is Psychosis?

Symptoms

Causes and Risk Factors

Diagnosis

Treatment

Coping

How to Get Help

Teens canexperience all forms of mental illness, including psychosis. However, as with the signs of depression and other forms of mental illness in adolescence, the key indicators seen in adults may be missed or simply attributed to the normal stress of teenage development.

At a GlanceTeens who experience psychosis struggle to tell what’s real and what isn’t. Certain mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, and substance use, can cause symptoms of psychosis.If your teen shows signs of psychosis, it is vital to seek professional help—acting quickly may slow, stop, or even reverse the effects. Treatments may involve therapy, medication, and family interventions.

At a Glance

Teens who experience psychosis struggle to tell what’s real and what isn’t. Certain mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, and substance use, can cause symptoms of psychosis.If your teen shows signs of psychosis, it is vital to seek professional help—acting quickly may slow, stop, or even reverse the effects. Treatments may involve therapy, medication, and family interventions.

If your teen shows signs of psychosis, it is vital to seek professional help—acting quickly may slow, stop, or even reverse the effects. Treatments may involve therapy, medication, and family interventions.

Psychosisinvolves a disruption to a person’s thoughts and perceptions that make it difficult for them to distinguish between what is real and what isn’t. However, it’s important to know upfront that psychosis is a symptom rather than a diagnosis.

The severity of psychosis varies. One person may have mild impairment, while another struggles with activities of daily living due to their symptoms.

Psychosis generally stems from various psychiatric disorders, although it may also appear in the course of certain medical and neurological conditions. Doctors need to rule out these causes before a psychiatric diagnosis is made.

Early recognition and treatment can slow, stop, or in some cases even reverse the effects of psychosis. Parents need to be informed about what to look for and where to turn for help.

Symptoms of Psychosis in Teens

Many parents may rely on their child’s doctor to identify signs of mental illness or psychosis. However, according to NAMI, only 4.5% of people with psychosis report that medical professionals recognized their symptoms.

Teens with psychosis start to lose touch with certain aspects of reality.

Symptoms may appear for a while and then disappear. Parents, caregivers, and other adults in a teen’s life (such as teachers and coaches) may dismiss the behaviors as a phase or typical teenage mood swings. When symptoms come and go, they may assume a teen is doing fine during periods when symptoms are not present.

Early Warning Signs

The early warning signs of psychosis may be similar to thesigns of depressionor another mental illness, including:

Challenges Teens With Psychosis Face

It’s not uncommon for teens to attempt to hide or disguise their symptoms for as long as possible. A teen who is experiencing psychosis is likely to feel confused, embarrassed, and even afraid.

Signs of psychosis vary from person to person. It’s important to get a gauge of your teen’s well-being and closely monitor forchanges in their mood or behaviorthat go beyond the normal ups and downs of adolescence.

Parents should also know that sudden psychosis, as in the case of a brief psychotic disorder, is relatively unusual. By contrast, most people withschizophrenia, for example, exhibit signs of psychosis for months, if not years, before they are diagnosed.

Hallucinations

Hallucinations are a common symptom of psychosis and can affect any of the senses including sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

Auditory hallucinationsare the most commontype of hallucination. A teen mayhear voicesthat tell them what to do or warn them of danger. Some teens report the voice seems to come from inside their brain, while others feel as though they’re hearing voices around them from people who do not exist. For some, the voices simply sound like background noise.

Visual hallucinationsinvolve seeing things that aren’t really there. A teen may see people or objects that no one else sees. These hallucinations can run the gamut in terms of content and intensity. Some hallucinations are simply confusing (a wall seems to change color, or an object appears in an unexpected place), but they can also be intensely distressing (such as seeing blood on the floor or the face of a stranger in the mirror).

Olfactory hallucinationsinvolve smells. A person may detect odors that aren’t really present, such as perfume, rotten eggs, or garbage. Some olfactory hallucinations come and go, while others may be present all the time.

Teens with psychosis may also experience “phantom” physical sensations. People withtactile hallucinationscan feel like something is crawling on or under their skin or may turn around thinking that someone has tapped them on the shoulder when no one is there.

Overview of Hallucinations

Delusions

Disordered Thinking

At times, teens with psychosis may exhibit disorganized speech.They may become easily confused during a conversation. Their sentences may not make sense and their speech may contain meaningless words.

Thedisordered thinkingthat results from psychosis can affect focus, concentration, and make teens feel uneasy relating to others.

What Causes Psychosis in Teens?

The exact cause of psychosis is not known, but researchers suspect there are several contributing factors,such as genetics.For example, a teen who has a sibling with schizophrenia may carry a genetic predisposition for psychosis.

Teens who have a close relative (like a parent or sibling) who has experienced psychosis are at a higher risk for developing it themselves.

Psychosis Can Be a Symptom of Psychiatric Disorder

Certain psychiatric disorders may present with psychosis including:

Are There Any Risk Factors?

Researchers have also investigated potential environmental risk factors that may interact with and “trigger” a genetic vulnerability for psychosis,such as:

Teen Psychosis Can Be Linked to Marijuana Use

Studies have also demonstrated a link betweenteens who smoke marijuanaand psychosis. One systematic review and meta-analysis found that teens who use cannabis have a higher risk of developing psychosis. Using marijuana at an early age is associated with a higher risk of later developing psychosis.

Although there is not enough evidence to definitively conclude that marijuana causes psychosis, the studies thus far have indicated teens may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of marijuana.

Researchers suspect marijuana couldinterfere with normal brain development. During adolescence, the emotional and reasoning centers of the brain are not yet fully formed and need to continue to make new connections. Research has suggested that when teens use marijuana, it may increase their vulnerability to psychosis through this mechanism.

What to Do If Your Teen Is Showing Signs of Mental Illness

How Is Psychosis in Teens Diagnosed?

Psychosis is a symptom of a diagnosable condition rather than being one in and of itself. However, doctors and mental health professionals can evaluate a person’s feelings and behaviors to see if they are experiencing psychosis.

Establishing whether or not someone is experiencing psychosis, as well as figuring out what has caused the symptom, can help providers arrive at a diagnosis.

Questionnaires and Personal Interviews

The screening tools used for psychosis are usually questionnaires. The guidelines and criteria for diagnosing specific conditions and disorders that cause psychosis are found in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5-TR).

A person experiencing psychosis may not be aware of a specific trigger, but if there was an event or incident that precipitated the symptom, it can help a provider reach an accurate diagnosis.

Direct Observations

While they are asking questions, as well as at other times throughout the evaluation, a provider will also observe a person’s behavior, demeanor, and appearance for any clues that could indicate a particular diagnosis.

Daily Functioning

If a person is unable to answer these questions, providers may turn to family members who can provide insight and information.

Knowing about a person’s social activities and whether they can go to school or work is helpful for making a diagnosis. It can also help to know whether a person has been able to maintain close relationships with family and friends.

The Importance of Social Relationships

Determining a Diagnosis

Once a provider has gathered information about a person’s psychosis, they can compare it to the various diagnostic criteria for disorders that cause the symptom, and look for other potential explanations.

Sometimes, a doctor might want to order other tests to determine the cause for psychosis. For example, a blood or urine test to check for illicit drugs or an MRI of the brain to look for lesions or tumors.

If they are unsure of a diagnosis, a provider may refer a person with psychosis to a specialist for a more thorough evaluation or recommend admission to an inpatient psychiatric facility.

Difference Between Provisional and Differential Diagnoses

How to Treat Psychosis in Teens

There isn’t a cure for psychosis, but there are treatments. Parents, educators, and medical professionals should know that the sooner a teen with psychosis gets help, the better the outcome is likely to be.

Family Intervention

Family intervention is key for teens with psychosis. Studies show that parental participation can be highly protective against relapse.

Family-focused interventions may include psychoeducation, communication skills training, andproblem-solving therapy. A supportive home environment and learning how to assist a teen’s efforts are instrumental to recovery.

Parents of teens with psychosis often experience guilt and anxiety. Siblings will also have their own unique reactions to the situation, which may range from anger to confusion and fear.Family-based therapyis essential for ensuring everyone’s emotional needs are addressed.

Medication

Some teens with psychosis may benefit from medication. Antipsychotic medication can help balance certain brain chemicals that contribute to hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking.

Antipsychotics come in two classes: typical and atypical, the former representing an older class of medications that are less frequently prescribed. While they are not without side effects, atypical antipsychotics are generally less likely to cause serious side effects (such astardive dyskinesia) that are associated withtypical antipsychotics.

Examples of typical antipsychotic medications include:

Examples of atypical antipsychotic medications include:

Using Atypical Antipsychotics

Therapy

Individual therapy is an important part of a teen’s treatment for psychosis. There are many different options for psychotherapy, which may be used in conjunction with medications.

One example iscognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT). Together with a trained mental health professional, CBT can help teens learn to handle stress in a healthy way as well as cope with the unique and the challenges that stem from psychosis.

Other forms of therapy that may be used include:

The 7 Best Online Therapy Programs for Kids

Education

Teens with psychosis, as well as their families, need to be educated about their illness. A person with psychosis who understands their symptoms will be better equipped to cope with them.

Life skills training is also a crucial component of treatment.

Teens learning to live with a mental illness often benefit fromsocial skills training, which helps them learn to interact with peers in a socially appropriate manner.

They can also develop the life skills they need to effectively carry out their daily activities, such as bathing and preparing meals.

Tips for Coping With Psychosis in Teens

If you’re caring for a teen who is experiencing psychosis, you may feel confused, frightened, and overwhelmed. You may even experience a sense of grief. These emotions are normal and common in caregivers but can be especially intense for those caring for someone with psychosis.

Caregivingcan be incredibly stressful, but you should know that you don’t have to go through it alone. There are resources, support, and coping strategies that can help.

You can learn valuable coping skills and techniques formanaging stressthat will prepare you to care and advocate for your own needs as well as your teen’s.

If your teen is in immediate danger, such as threatening to harm themselves or someone else, call 911 or go to the emergency room.

Talk to your teen’s doctor about your concerns. They can refer your teen to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, who can perform an evaluation and begin to make a plan for treatment.

If you or a loved one are struggling with psychosis, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

17 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Alliance on Mental Illness.First Episode: Psychosis: Results from a 2011 NAMI Survey.Galletti C, Paolini E, Tortorella A, Compton MT.Auditory and non-auditory hallucinations in first-episode psychosis: Differential associations with diverse clinical features.Psychiatry Res. 2017;254:268–274. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.04.056Arciniegas DB.Psychosis.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):715–736. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466662.89908.e7Pain O, Dudbridge F, Cardno AG, et al.Genome-wide analysis of adolescent psychotic-like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2018;177(4):416-425. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32630Pain O, Dudbridge F, Cardno AG, et al.Genome‐wide analysis of adolescent psychotic‐like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.American J of Med Genetics Pt B. 2018;177(4):416-425. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32630Lipner E, O’Brien KJ, Pike MR, Ered A, Ellman LM.Environmental risk factors and cognitive outcomes in psychosis: Pre-, perinatal, and early life adversity.Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2023;63:205-240. doi:10.1007/7854_2022_378D’Onofrio BM, Rickert ME, Frans E, et al.Paternal age at childbearing and offspring psychiatric and academic morbidity.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(4):432. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4525Dana K, Finik J, Koenig S, et al.Prenatal exposure to famine and risk for development of psychopathology in adulthood: A meta-analysis.J Psychiatry Psychiatr Disord. 2019;3(5):227-240. doi:10.26502/jppd.2572-519X0077Popovic D, Schmitt A, Kaurani L, et al.Childhood trauma in schizophrenia: Current findings and research perspectives.Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2019;13. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.00274Vargas T, Conley RE, Mittal VA.Chronic stress, structural exposures and neurobiological mechanisms: A stimulation, discrepancy and deprivation model of psychosis.Int Rev Neurobiol. 2020;152:41-69. doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2019.11.004Kiburi SK, Molebatsi K, Ntlantsana V, Lynskey MT.Cannabis use in adolescence and risk of psychosis: Are there factors that moderate this relationship? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Subst Abus. 2021;42(4):527-542. doi:10.1080/08897077.2021.1876200Penzel N, Antonucci LA, Betz LT, et al.Association between age of cannabis initiation and gray matter covariance networks in recent onset psychosis.Neuropsychopharmacol. 2021;46(8):1484-1493. doi:10.1038/s41386-021-00977-9Arciniegas DB.Psychosis.Continuum(Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):715-36. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466662.89908.e7Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health[Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 3.20, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Psychotic Disorders. Updated June 2016.Claxton M, Onwumere J, Fornells-Ambrojo M.Do family interventions improve outcomes in early psychosis? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Psychol. 2017;8:371. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00371Health Quality Ontario .Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis: A Health Technology Assessment.Ont Health Technol Assess Ser. 2018;18(5):1-141. Published 2018 Oct 24.Dillinger RL, Kersun JM.Caring for caregivers: Understanding and meeting their needs in coping with first episode psychosis.Early Interv Psychiatry.2019. doi:10.1111/eip.12870Additional ReadingAmerican Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(5th ed.). 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

17 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Alliance on Mental Illness.First Episode: Psychosis: Results from a 2011 NAMI Survey.Galletti C, Paolini E, Tortorella A, Compton MT.Auditory and non-auditory hallucinations in first-episode psychosis: Differential associations with diverse clinical features.Psychiatry Res. 2017;254:268–274. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.04.056Arciniegas DB.Psychosis.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):715–736. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466662.89908.e7Pain O, Dudbridge F, Cardno AG, et al.Genome-wide analysis of adolescent psychotic-like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2018;177(4):416-425. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32630Pain O, Dudbridge F, Cardno AG, et al.Genome‐wide analysis of adolescent psychotic‐like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.American J of Med Genetics Pt B. 2018;177(4):416-425. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32630Lipner E, O’Brien KJ, Pike MR, Ered A, Ellman LM.Environmental risk factors and cognitive outcomes in psychosis: Pre-, perinatal, and early life adversity.Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2023;63:205-240. doi:10.1007/7854_2022_378D’Onofrio BM, Rickert ME, Frans E, et al.Paternal age at childbearing and offspring psychiatric and academic morbidity.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(4):432. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4525Dana K, Finik J, Koenig S, et al.Prenatal exposure to famine and risk for development of psychopathology in adulthood: A meta-analysis.J Psychiatry Psychiatr Disord. 2019;3(5):227-240. doi:10.26502/jppd.2572-519X0077Popovic D, Schmitt A, Kaurani L, et al.Childhood trauma in schizophrenia: Current findings and research perspectives.Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2019;13. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.00274Vargas T, Conley RE, Mittal VA.Chronic stress, structural exposures and neurobiological mechanisms: A stimulation, discrepancy and deprivation model of psychosis.Int Rev Neurobiol. 2020;152:41-69. doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2019.11.004Kiburi SK, Molebatsi K, Ntlantsana V, Lynskey MT.Cannabis use in adolescence and risk of psychosis: Are there factors that moderate this relationship? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Subst Abus. 2021;42(4):527-542. doi:10.1080/08897077.2021.1876200Penzel N, Antonucci LA, Betz LT, et al.Association between age of cannabis initiation and gray matter covariance networks in recent onset psychosis.Neuropsychopharmacol. 2021;46(8):1484-1493. doi:10.1038/s41386-021-00977-9Arciniegas DB.Psychosis.Continuum(Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):715-36. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466662.89908.e7Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health[Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 3.20, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Psychotic Disorders. Updated June 2016.Claxton M, Onwumere J, Fornells-Ambrojo M.Do family interventions improve outcomes in early psychosis? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Psychol. 2017;8:371. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00371Health Quality Ontario .Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis: A Health Technology Assessment.Ont Health Technol Assess Ser. 2018;18(5):1-141. Published 2018 Oct 24.Dillinger RL, Kersun JM.Caring for caregivers: Understanding and meeting their needs in coping with first episode psychosis.Early Interv Psychiatry.2019. doi:10.1111/eip.12870Additional ReadingAmerican Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(5th ed.). 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

National Alliance on Mental Illness.First Episode: Psychosis: Results from a 2011 NAMI Survey.Galletti C, Paolini E, Tortorella A, Compton MT.Auditory and non-auditory hallucinations in first-episode psychosis: Differential associations with diverse clinical features.Psychiatry Res. 2017;254:268–274. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.04.056Arciniegas DB.Psychosis.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):715–736. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466662.89908.e7Pain O, Dudbridge F, Cardno AG, et al.Genome-wide analysis of adolescent psychotic-like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2018;177(4):416-425. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32630Pain O, Dudbridge F, Cardno AG, et al.Genome‐wide analysis of adolescent psychotic‐like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.American J of Med Genetics Pt B. 2018;177(4):416-425. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32630Lipner E, O’Brien KJ, Pike MR, Ered A, Ellman LM.Environmental risk factors and cognitive outcomes in psychosis: Pre-, perinatal, and early life adversity.Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2023;63:205-240. doi:10.1007/7854_2022_378D’Onofrio BM, Rickert ME, Frans E, et al.Paternal age at childbearing and offspring psychiatric and academic morbidity.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(4):432. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4525Dana K, Finik J, Koenig S, et al.Prenatal exposure to famine and risk for development of psychopathology in adulthood: A meta-analysis.J Psychiatry Psychiatr Disord. 2019;3(5):227-240. doi:10.26502/jppd.2572-519X0077Popovic D, Schmitt A, Kaurani L, et al.Childhood trauma in schizophrenia: Current findings and research perspectives.Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2019;13. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.00274Vargas T, Conley RE, Mittal VA.Chronic stress, structural exposures and neurobiological mechanisms: A stimulation, discrepancy and deprivation model of psychosis.Int Rev Neurobiol. 2020;152:41-69. doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2019.11.004Kiburi SK, Molebatsi K, Ntlantsana V, Lynskey MT.Cannabis use in adolescence and risk of psychosis: Are there factors that moderate this relationship? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Subst Abus. 2021;42(4):527-542. doi:10.1080/08897077.2021.1876200Penzel N, Antonucci LA, Betz LT, et al.Association between age of cannabis initiation and gray matter covariance networks in recent onset psychosis.Neuropsychopharmacol. 2021;46(8):1484-1493. doi:10.1038/s41386-021-00977-9Arciniegas DB.Psychosis.Continuum(Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):715-36. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466662.89908.e7Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health[Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 3.20, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Psychotic Disorders. Updated June 2016.Claxton M, Onwumere J, Fornells-Ambrojo M.Do family interventions improve outcomes in early psychosis? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Psychol. 2017;8:371. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00371Health Quality Ontario .Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis: A Health Technology Assessment.Ont Health Technol Assess Ser. 2018;18(5):1-141. Published 2018 Oct 24.Dillinger RL, Kersun JM.Caring for caregivers: Understanding and meeting their needs in coping with first episode psychosis.Early Interv Psychiatry.2019. doi:10.1111/eip.12870

National Alliance on Mental Illness.First Episode: Psychosis: Results from a 2011 NAMI Survey.

Galletti C, Paolini E, Tortorella A, Compton MT.Auditory and non-auditory hallucinations in first-episode psychosis: Differential associations with diverse clinical features.Psychiatry Res. 2017;254:268–274. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.04.056

Arciniegas DB.Psychosis.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):715–736. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466662.89908.e7

Pain O, Dudbridge F, Cardno AG, et al.Genome-wide analysis of adolescent psychotic-like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2018;177(4):416-425. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32630

Pain O, Dudbridge F, Cardno AG, et al.Genome‐wide analysis of adolescent psychotic‐like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.American J of Med Genetics Pt B. 2018;177(4):416-425. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32630

Lipner E, O’Brien KJ, Pike MR, Ered A, Ellman LM.Environmental risk factors and cognitive outcomes in psychosis: Pre-, perinatal, and early life adversity.Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2023;63:205-240. doi:10.1007/7854_2022_378

D’Onofrio BM, Rickert ME, Frans E, et al.Paternal age at childbearing and offspring psychiatric and academic morbidity.JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(4):432. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.4525

Dana K, Finik J, Koenig S, et al.Prenatal exposure to famine and risk for development of psychopathology in adulthood: A meta-analysis.J Psychiatry Psychiatr Disord. 2019;3(5):227-240. doi:10.26502/jppd.2572-519X0077

Popovic D, Schmitt A, Kaurani L, et al.Childhood trauma in schizophrenia: Current findings and research perspectives.Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2019;13. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.00274

Vargas T, Conley RE, Mittal VA.Chronic stress, structural exposures and neurobiological mechanisms: A stimulation, discrepancy and deprivation model of psychosis.Int Rev Neurobiol. 2020;152:41-69. doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2019.11.004

Kiburi SK, Molebatsi K, Ntlantsana V, Lynskey MT.Cannabis use in adolescence and risk of psychosis: Are there factors that moderate this relationship? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Subst Abus. 2021;42(4):527-542. doi:10.1080/08897077.2021.1876200

Penzel N, Antonucci LA, Betz LT, et al.Association between age of cannabis initiation and gray matter covariance networks in recent onset psychosis.Neuropsychopharmacol. 2021;46(8):1484-1493. doi:10.1038/s41386-021-00977-9

Arciniegas DB.Psychosis.Continuum(Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3 Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry):715-36. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000466662.89908.e7

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health[Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 3.20, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Psychotic Disorders. Updated June 2016.

Claxton M, Onwumere J, Fornells-Ambrojo M.Do family interventions improve outcomes in early psychosis? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Psychol. 2017;8:371. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00371

Health Quality Ontario .Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis: A Health Technology Assessment.Ont Health Technol Assess Ser. 2018;18(5):1-141. Published 2018 Oct 24.

Dillinger RL, Kersun JM.Caring for caregivers: Understanding and meeting their needs in coping with first episode psychosis.Early Interv Psychiatry.2019. doi:10.1111/eip.12870

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(5th ed.). 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?

At a Glance#

Symptoms of Psychosis in Teens#

Early Warning Signs#

Challenges Teens With Psychosis Face#

Hallucinations#

Delusions#

Disordered Thinking#

What Causes Psychosis in Teens?#

Psychosis Can Be a Symptom of Psychiatric Disorder#

Are There Any Risk Factors?#

Teen Psychosis Can Be Linked to Marijuana Use#

How Is Psychosis in Teens Diagnosed?#

Questionnaires and Personal Interviews#

Direct Observations#

Daily Functioning#

Determining a Diagnosis#

How to Treat Psychosis in Teens#

Family Intervention#

Medication#

Therapy#

Education#

Tips for Coping With Psychosis in Teens#