|
Psychosis |
|
|
What is
Psychosis |
There is a group of
illnesses which disrupt the functioning of the brain so
much, they cause a condition called psychosis. When
someone experiences psychosis they are unable to
distinguish what is real - there is a loss of contact
with reality. Most people recover well from an episode
of psychosis. Among symptoms doctors look for, are:
Confused Thinking Delusions Hallucination The causes of
psychosis are not fully understood. They are likely to
be a combination of hereditary and other factors. It is
probable that some people are born with a predisposition
to develop this kind of illness, and that certain things
for example, stress or use of drugs such as marijuana,
LSD or amphetamines can trigger their first episode |
|
What causes
Psychosis |
The causes of
psychosis are not fully understood. They are likely to
be a combination of hereditary and other factors. It is
probable that some people are born with a predisposition
to develop this kind of illness, and that certain things
for example, stress or use of drugs such as marijuana,
LSD or speed can trigger their first episode. Some
people experience a brief form of psychosis which lasts
only a few days or weeks. Some people experience a few
episodes of psychosis only. Some people experience
psychosis associated with a longer-term illness such as
schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. |
|
How many people develop
Psychosis |
About three in a
hundred people will experience psychosis at some time in
their lives. Most of these will be first affected in
their late teens and early twenties |
|
