Psychosis

The main symptoms of psychosis are hallucinations, delusions and confused thinking and speaking.

Common treatments for psychosis include antipsychotic medicines, talking therapies and social support.

Common causes of psychosis include mental health conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The 3 main symptoms of psychosis are:

• hallucinations – where a person hears, sees and, in some cases, feels, smells or tastes things that do not exist outside their mind but can feel very real to the person affected by them; a common hallucination is hearing voices
• delusions – where a person has strong beliefs that are not shared by others; a common delusion is someone believing there's a conspiracy to harm them
• disordered thinking and speaking - a person's thoughts and ideas come very quickly, which can make their speech fast and confusing

The combination of hallucinations and delusional thinking can cause severe distress and a change in behaviour.

Experiencing the symptoms of psychosis is often referred to as having a psychotic episode.

It's sometimes possible to identify the cause of psychosis as a specific mental health condition, such as:

• schizophrenia – a condition that causes a range of psychological symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions
• bipolar disorder – a mental health condition that affects mood; a person with bipolar disorder can have episodes of low mood (depression) and highs or elated mood (mania)
• severe depression – some people with depression also have symptoms of psychosis when they're very depressed

Psychosis can also be triggered by:

• a traumatic experience
• stress
• drug misuse
• alcohol-use disorder
• side effects of prescribed medicine
• a physical condition, such as a brain tumour or dementia
• head injury
• childbirth

How often a psychotic episode occurs and how long it lasts can depend on the underlying cause.

Treatment for psychosis can depend on the cause, but usually involves a combination of

• antipsychotic medicine – which can help relieve the symptoms of psychosis
• talking therapies – the 1-to-1 talking therapy cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and family interventions (a form of therapy that may involve partners, family members and close friends) can be helpful
• social support – support with social needs, such as education, employment or accommodation

Some people are recommended to take antipsychotics on a long-term basis (and possibly for the rest of their lives). Other people may be able to gradually reduce their dosage and then stop taking them altogether if there is a marked improvement in symptoms.

Do not stop suddenly taking any prescribed medicines as this could trigger a relapse of your symptoms.

If a person's psychotic episodes are severe, they may need to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.

Annual health checks

If you have a severe mental illness, you can have a physical check-up at your GP surgery once a year. These can make a big difference to your health and wellbeing.

Find out more about annual health checks for people with severe mental health conditions