What is psychosis?
D B Double
http://www.dbdouble.freeuk.com/Psychosis.ppt
Symptoms
Hallucinations
Delusions
Thought disorder
'Loss of contact with reality'
Disorders
Schizophrenia
Manic-depression (Bipolar disorder)
Paranoid disorder (Delusional disorder)
Psychotic depression
Classificatory criteria
International classification of diseases
(ICD)
Diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM)
of American Psychiatric Association
Distinction between schizophrenia and
manic-depression (bipolar disorder)
Organic versus functional disorders
Epidemiology
Most common risk period of first-episode
psychosis is ages 14 to 35
Lifetime risk schizophrenia 1 in 100, and
similarly for bipolar disorder
Greatest risk of diagnosis of schizophrenia in
socially deprived, especially young men
10-15% of population experience
hallucinations at some point in their life
Outcome
Less than a quarter remain permanently
affected
Third complete recovery
Better outcome generally in developing
countries than industrialised nations
Sudden onset better outcome than
gradual
Management
Understanding in context
Management of disturbance may
require Mental Health Act
Psychosocial interventions, support and
facilitation of recovery
Specific psychological treatments and
family interventions
Rehabilitation
Medication
Traditional and atypical anti-psychotic
drugs
Acute and preventative treatment
Mood-stabilising medication
(Antidepressants and minor
tranquillisers)
Side effects and discontinuation
problems
What is mental illness?
Conclusion - ? Brain disorder
(such as chemical imbalance)
Research not led to clear conclusions
All experience and behaviour involves
neurochemical changes and this is true
for 'normal' as well as psychotic
experience
Further reading
Recent Advances in Understanding
Mental Illness and Psychotic
Experiences. British Psychological
Society report (link)
Critical psychiatry website
(http://www.anti-psychiatry.co.uk/)