What Is Psychosis?

Psychosis involves a loss of contact with reality, typically including delusions and/or hallucinations. Learn about psychosis symptoms and treatments.

January 17, 2025 · 6 min · 1141 words · Kelly Huff

Table of Contents

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Psychosis?TypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentsCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Psychosis?

Types

Symptoms

Causes

Diagnosis

Treatments

Coping

Close

Psychosisis a loss of contact with reality, typically includingdelusions(false ideas about what is taking place or who you are) andhallucinations(seeing or hearing things that aren’t there). It impacts the way that the brain processes information. When experiencing psychosis, people may hear, see, feel, or believe things that are not real.

Psychosis is a symptom associated with a number of health conditions including the manic phase ofbipolar I disorder, as well asschizophrenia,post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), andschizoaffective disorder. Other conditions where psychosis may be present includepostpartum psychosisand depressive episodes. About 7 in every 1000 people experience psychosis at some time in their lives.

Postpartum Psychosis Can Be Fatal If Left Untreated—Here’s What to Know

Psychosis vs. Schizophrenia: What Are the Differences?

Psychosis in itself is a symptom of another problem, not its own illness. Symptoms of psychosis include:

If you think you or someone you love is experiencing psychosis, it’s important to seek medical treatment immediately. The earlier you get treatment and intervention, the better. Experiencing psychotic symptoms can be scary to both you and the people around you and may even cause you to hurt yourself or others.

Potential Precursors to a Psychotic Episode

Not everyone has warning signs that a psychotic episode is coming, but some people do. These signs and symptoms can occur over several months and may fluctuate in both severity and type. This period of changing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors before a psychotic episode is called the prodromal phase. Symptoms of prodrome can include:

The exactcausesof psychosis are not entirely clear and each person’s experience may be different. Physical problems that can cause psychosis include:

Psychosis is a symptom of another health condition, not a diagnosis in and of itself. In order to determine what might be causing psychosis, a doctor will perform a physical and collect a medical history. They will also ask questions about the symptoms including its severity and duration. They will also want to know about any other symptoms that you might be experiencing.

In some cases, your doctor may perform special tests in order to rule out medical conditions that may be causing your psychosis. Once your doctor has diagnosed what is causing your symptoms, they can recommend treatments that are best suited to your particular situation.

Treating psychosisdepends on the cause. Hospitalization may be necessary. If you have a disorder that involves psychosis, starting, or changingantipsychoticsmay also be helpful in keeping psychotic symptoms and episodes at bay.

Typical Antipsychotics

The older, first generation of antipsychotics are known astypical antipsychotics. They can be a very effective treatment but may have harsher side effects, such astardive dyskinesiaandextrapyramidal side effects. Common typical antipsychotics include:

Atypical Antipsychotics

The newer, second-generation antipsychotics are calledatypical antipsychoticsand tend to have a lower risk for tardive dyskinesia and other movement disorders. Examples of common atypical antipsychotics include:

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy may be useful for dealing with cognitive symptoms of conditions such as schizophrenia and psychotic disorders. Psychotherapy can also be useful when people also havecomorbid conditionssuch as anxiety or mood disorders.

If you are experiencing symptoms of psychosis, it is important to seek help immediately. There are also things that you can do along with treatment that may help you better cope:

If you or a loved one are struggling with psychosis, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with psychosis, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

How to Spot the Signs of Psychosis in Adolescents

7 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 Institute of Mental Health.What is psychosis?.Moreno-Küstner B, Martín C, Pastor L.Prevalence of psychotic disorders and its association with methodological issues. A systematic review and meta-analyses.PLoS One. 2018;13(4):e0195687. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0195687Cleveland Clinic.Delusional disorder.Raza SK, Raza S.Postpartum psychosis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Cleveland Clinic.Schizophreniform disorder.National Alliance on Mental Illness.Psychosis.Morrison AK.Cognitive behavior therapy for people with schizophrenia.Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2009;6(12):32‐39.Additional Reading"Early Identification of Psychosis: A Primer." Mental Health Evaluation & Community Consultation Unit, Ministry of Health, Province of British Columbia.Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs Information. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Psychosis. MedLine Plus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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.National Institute of Mental Health.What is psychosis?.Moreno-Küstner B, Martín C, Pastor L.Prevalence of psychotic disorders and its association with methodological issues. A systematic review and meta-analyses.PLoS One. 2018;13(4):e0195687. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0195687Cleveland Clinic.Delusional disorder.Raza SK, Raza S.Postpartum psychosis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Cleveland Clinic.Schizophreniform disorder.National Alliance on Mental Illness.Psychosis.Morrison AK.Cognitive behavior therapy for people with schizophrenia.Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2009;6(12):32‐39.Additional Reading"Early Identification of Psychosis: A Primer." Mental Health Evaluation & Community Consultation Unit, Ministry of Health, Province of British Columbia.Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs Information. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Psychosis. MedLine Plus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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 Institute of Mental Health.What is psychosis?.Moreno-Küstner B, Martín C, Pastor L.Prevalence of psychotic disorders and its association with methodological issues. A systematic review and meta-analyses.PLoS One. 2018;13(4):e0195687. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0195687Cleveland Clinic.Delusional disorder.Raza SK, Raza S.Postpartum psychosis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Cleveland Clinic.Schizophreniform disorder.National Alliance on Mental Illness.Psychosis.Morrison AK.Cognitive behavior therapy for people with schizophrenia.Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2009;6(12):32‐39.

National Institute of Mental Health.What is psychosis?.

Moreno-Küstner B, Martín C, Pastor L.Prevalence of psychotic disorders and its association with methodological issues. A systematic review and meta-analyses.PLoS One. 2018;13(4):e0195687. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0195687

Cleveland Clinic.Delusional disorder.

Raza SK, Raza S.Postpartum psychosis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Cleveland Clinic.Schizophreniform disorder.

National Alliance on Mental Illness.Psychosis.

Morrison AK.Cognitive behavior therapy for people with schizophrenia.Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2009;6(12):32‐39.

“Early Identification of Psychosis: A Primer.” Mental Health Evaluation & Community Consultation Unit, Ministry of Health, Province of British Columbia.Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs Information. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Psychosis. MedLine Plus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs Information. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Psychosis. MedLine Plus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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