Psychosis Article Index for
Psychosis
 

Information About

Psychosis





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  Name Psychosis
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  DiseasesDB
  ICD10
  ICD9 -
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  OMIM 603342
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  MedlinePlus 001553
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  MeshName Psychotic+Disorders
  MeshNumber F03700675


Psychosis is a generic Psychiatric term for a Mental State often described as involving a "loss of contact with Reality ". ''Stedman's Medical Dictionary'' defines psychosis as "a severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning."1

People experiencing a psychotic episode may report changes and Disorganized Thinking . This is often accompanied by Lack Of Insight into the unusual or bizarre nature of their behaviour, as well as difficulty with social interaction and impairment in carrying out the activities of daily living.

A wide variety of nervous system stressors, both organic and functional, can cause a psychotic reaction. This has led to the belief that psychosis is the 'fever' of mental illness—a serious but nonspecific indicator.2}}

  • --- Hyponatremia 21}}

  • --- Hypokalemia 22}}

  • --- Hypomagnesemia 23

  • --- Hypophosphatemia 26}}

  • Hypoglycemia 27

  • Adult-onset Vanishing White Matter Leukoencephalopathy 33
    • Late-onset Metachromatic Leukodystrophy 3435 free full text 36 free full text

      Psychosis can even be caused by apparently innocuous ailments such as Flu 37}}38}} or Mumps .39}}


      Psychoactive drugs

      Psychotic states may occur with Psychoactive Drug Intoxication or Withdrawal . Drugs whose use, abuse or withdrawal are implicated include:
      • Alcohol 4041}}42

      • OTC drugs, such as:

      • --- Dextromethorphan

      • --- Amphetamine s

      • --- Hallucinogens such as


      • -- LSD


      • -- Psilocybin


      • -- Mescaline


      • -- MDMA (ecstasy)


      • Psychiatrist David Healy has criticised pharmaceutical companies for promoting simplified biological theories of mental illness that seem to imply the primacy of pharmaceutical treatments while ignoring social and developmental factors which are known to be important influences in the aetiology of psychosis.77

        Some theories regard many psychotic symptoms to be a problem with the perception of ownership of internally generated thoughts and experiences. 78 For example, the experience of hearing voices may arise from internally generated speech that is mislabeled by the psychotic person as coming from an external source.


        TREATMENT

        The treatment of psychosis often depends on what associated diagnosis (such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder) is thought to be present. However, the First Line Treatment for psychotic symptoms is usually a neuroleptic (also termed ' Antipsychotic ') medication, and in some cases Hospitalisation . There is growing evidence that Cognitive Behavior Therapy 79 and Family Therapy 80 can be effective in managing psychotic symptoms. When other treatments for psychosis are ineffective, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) (aka shock treatment) is sometimes utilized to relieve the underlying symptoms of psychosis, such as depression or schizophrenia. There is also increasing research suggesting that Animal-Assisted Therapy can contribute to the improvement in general well-being of people with schizophrenia.81


        FURTHER READING

        • Sims, A. (2002) ''Symptoms in the mind: An introduction to descriptive psychopathology (3rd edition)''. Edinburgh: Elsevier Science Ltd. ISBN 0-7020-2627-1



        Personal accounts

        • Dick, P.K. (1981) '' VALIS ''. London: Gollancz. {Link without Title} ISBN 0-679-73446-5

        • Hinshaw, S.P. (2002) ''The Years of Silence are Past: My Father's Life with Bipolar Disorder''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

        • Jamison, K.R. (1995) ''An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness''. London: Picador.
          ISBN 0-679-76330-9

        • Schreber, D.P. (2000) ''Memoirs of My Nervous Illness''. New York: New York Review of Books. ISBN 0-940322-20-X

        • McLean, R (2003) ''Recovered Not Cured: A Journey Through Schizophrenia''. Allen & Unwin. Australia. ISBN 1-86508-974-5

        • The Eden Express by Mark Vonnegut

        • James Tilly Matthews

        • Saks, Elyn R. (2007) ''The Center Cannot Hold -- My Journey Through Madness''. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 978-1-4013-0138-5



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