Psychosis is used to describe a group of conditions that affect the way someone thinks, feels and understands. A person may experience unusual and upsetting perceptions including hallucinations or delusions. These perceptions may also be accompanied by a reduced ability to cope with normal day to day functions. Some one who has these unusual experiences can be described as having an episode of psychosis.

 

Psychosis is quite common with approximately four out of every hundred people will experience an episode during their life, with most people making a full recovery.

 

Psychosis can affect:

 

Perception

Understanding and interpreting reality

 

Cognition

Changes in the thinking processes, logical progression of thoughts and ideas. For example believing you are being followed

 

Emotions

Feelings of sadness, anxiety, depression and detachment

 

Personality

Changes in ones self and identity. For example feeling that you are not yourself

 

Behaviour

Feeling that you are not in control of own thoughts and actions

 

Movement and coordination

Involuntary body movement

 

Reasons for psychosis

 

A psychotic episode is thought to be a behavioural manifestation of chemical imbalance in the brain, this can be contributed to by a number of different reasons including:

 

• DNA

• Drugs

• Traumatic experiences

• Sleep deprivation

• Viruses

 

The first step to recovery is to seek medical advice and arrange for an initial assessment with a Consultant Psychiatrist who specialises in psychosis. They would diagnose the illness and prepare the most appropriate treatment plan for the patient which would often include medication and talking therapies. Many sufferers feel they need to be in a safe trusting environment, at Wokingham Psychology we can arrange an admission to the one of the private Psychiatric Hospitals in London if this is felt necessary in order to help wioth recovery in a therapeutic and safe environment.