Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon CausesGeneticsMental Health ConditionsSubstance UseTraumaMedical Conditions and Injury

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Common Causes

Genetics

Mental Health Conditions

Substance Use

Trauma

Medical Conditions and Injury

Close

It causes people to experiencehallucinations,delusions, and incoherent behaviors. When a person is experiencing psychosis, their distorted perceptions and thoughts interfere with their ability to determine what is real and what is not real.

The exact causes of psychosis are not entirely clear, but factors such as genetics, environment, illness, and mental disorders can all play a potential role. This article explores some of the common causes that are associated with psychosis.

Some of the most common causes associated with psychosis include:

While some causes of psychosis are related to factors that cannot be changed such as genetics, there are sometimes steps people can take to minimize their risk of experiencing psychosis. For example, avoiding substance use and getting treatment for mental health conditions can minimize the risk of having a psychotic episode.

Genetic Causes of Psychosis

Some evidence suggests that genes can increase your risk of developing psychosis. If someone in your family has had a psychotic episode, you may have a slightly higher risk of experiencing one too.

The genetic causes are believed to be highly complex, but a number of different genes have been implicated in raising a person’s risk of developing psychosis.

It is important to note that while psychosis appears to have a genetic component, having a family member with a psychotic condition does not necessarily mean you will also develop the condition.

Psychosis is a symptom of a number of different mental health conditions. Some conditions that can cause episodes of psychosis include:

Bipolar Disorder

While the experience varies from one person to the next, psychotic symptoms that often occur in bipolar disorder include:

Brief Psychotic Disorder

This involves a short-term occurrence of psychotic behavior. It often occurs as a result of a stressful event. A brief psychotic episode can last from one day to up to a month.

Major Depressive Disorder With Psychotic Features

Sometimes referred to aspsychotic depression, symptoms of psychosis may also sometimes occur in this type of major depressive disorder.  People with this condition have symptoms of depression such as sadness, irritability, and loss of interest. However, they also experience delusions, hallucinations, or both.

Statistics suggest that around four people out of every 1,000 will experience an episode of depression with psychotic features. The risk appears to increase with age and is more common in people age 60 and older.

Schizophrenia

Postpartum Psychosis

At its most severe, postpartum depression may lead to symptoms of psychosis, which is serious and requires hospitalization. Postpartum psychosis most commonly occurs within two weeks of giving birth. Research suggests that having bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder increases the risk of developing postpartum psychosis.

Schizoaffective Disorder

RecapA number of mental health conditions can cause psychosis. This includes psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and brief psychotic disorder. Other disorders such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder with psychotic features can also cause psychosis.

Recap

A number of mental health conditions can cause psychosis. This includes psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and brief psychotic disorder. Other disorders such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder with psychotic features can also cause psychosis.

When a person experiences psychosis as a result of taking a substance, it is known assubstance/medication-induced psychotic disorder.

Substances that might cause psychosis include:

People with a history of substance abuse are at an increased risk of developing psychosis. This may be due to the effects that drugs and alcohol have on the brain, or it may be that people with underlying mental health conditions are more likely to self-medicate with substances.

Traumatic life events, such as abuse or violence, can also increase the risk for psychosis. Being exposed to the trauma of war or enduring the death of a loved one, for example, has been known to play a role in the emergence of psychosis. Some symptoms of psychosis, particularly hallucinations, can occur when a person haspost-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) following a traumatic experience.

However, evidence also suggests that the association between trauma and psychosis is complex. Psychosis may occur as a part of PTSD as a result of having experienced a traumatic experience, but experiencing psychotic symptoms can also lead to trauma.

Estimates suggest that 30% of people with a psychotic disorder are diagnosed with PTSD. For comparison, around 7.8% of the general population is diagnosed with PTSD.

Damage to the brain from illness or injury can also cause psychosis. A number of different medical conditions can also cause episodes of psychosis.

Some of these conditions include:

Psychosis can occur following atraumatic brain injury. Being deficient in folate and vitamin D has been linked to the onset of schizophrenia and the worsening of psychotic symptoms.

A Word From Verywell

While the causes of psychosis are not completely understood, it is clear that there are many different factors that can play a role. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of psychosis, it is important to seek professional help right away. There are effective treatments available that can help people recover. Consult your healthcare provider to learn more about your options and to determine why you are experiencing this symptom.

Treatment for Psychosis

7 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.

Henriksen MG, Nordgaard J, Jansson LB.Genetics of schizophrenia: Overview of methods, findings and limitations.Front Hum Neurosci. 2017;11:322. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00322

Rothschild AJ.Challenges in the treatment of major depressive disorder with psychotic features.Schizophrenia Bulletin. 2013;39(4):787-796. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbt046

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.5th ed.

Sit D, Rothschild AJ, Wisner KL.A review of postpartum psychosis.J Women’s Health (Larchmt). 2006 May;15(4):352-68. doi:10.1089/jwh.2006.15.352

Joyce EM.Organic psychosis: The pathobiology and treatment of delusions.CNS Neurosci Ther. 2018;24(7):598-603. doi:10.1111/cns.12973

Firth J, Carney R, Stubbs B, Teasdale SB, Vancampfort D, Ward PB, Berk M, Sarris J.Nutritional deficiencies and clinical correlates in first-episode psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Schizophr Bull. 2018;44(6):1275-1292. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbx162

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?