Psychotic Disorders
Your loved one hasn't seemed like themselves lately. They've been saying things that seem unusual or claim to see things that aren't there. You're right to be concerned. When people start to see or hear things that aren't there or begin to lose touch with reality, they may be experiencing a psychotic disorder. It can be a scary time, but help is available.
Banyan Mental Health offers psychotic disorder treatment at our centers around the nation. Our psychosis therapists work with you or your loved one to help get symptoms under control. Learn more about psychotic disorder treatment.
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Our admissions coordinators are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have as you consider whether treatment at Banyan is right for you or your loved one.
What are Psychotic Disorders
A psychotic disorder is a type of mental illness that affects the mind, characterized by a disconnect from reality. People suffering from these disorders tend to have a skewed perception and display abnormal thinking. Common symptoms include hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations are false sensory perceptions, such as seeing or hearing things that aren't there, and can also be olfactory or gustatory. Delusions are false beliefs that are very real to the person with the disorder. Due to the severity of these mental health conditions, professional psychotic disorder treatment is typically necessary for improvement.
Two categories of symptoms lie at the heart of each type of psychotic disorder:
- Hallucinations: When a person has hallucinations, they can see or hear things that aren't there. They may hear voices, see people who aren't there or feel things, such as insects, crawling on their skin.
- Delusions: A delusion is a false belief that a person clings to, even if there is ample evidence that it isn't true. An example is thinking that the president of the US is communicating with them or that they are receiving messages from aliens or angels.
Hallucinations and delusions can cause someone to do things they otherwise wouldn't. For example, if someone is hearing voices, they may follow the instructions given by the voice, even if instructed to cause themselves or others harm.
While delusions and hallucinations are the two hallmark signs of a psychotic disorder, they are far from the only symptoms. A person with psychosis may also experience:
- Confused thinking
- Loss of interest in personal hygiene
- Loss of interest in activities
- Detached behavior
- Confused speech
- Mood swings
The symptoms of a psychotic disorder can make it very challenging to live. A person may pull away from their friends and family, stop going to work and stop doing things they previously loved.
Early Signs of Psychosis
Some studies have shown that many people have signs of psychosis for a full year before they begin to receive treatment. However, the sooner a person starts treatment, the more likely their outcome. Early warning signs may include:
- Suspicious behavior
- Social withdrawal
- Decline in self-care
- Changes in sleep
- Trouble communicating
Types of Psychotic Disorders
While schizophrenia may be the most well-known psychotic disorder, several types exist.
Brief Psychotic Disorder
With brief psychotic disorder, symptoms appear suddenly and last for a short period, often for less than one month. People with brief psychotic disorders typically recover fully.
Brief psychotic disorder can be caused by a stressor, such as a trauma or accident. In some cases, the disorder occurs without an obvious stressor. For some women, brief psychotic disorder occurs post-partum, usually within four weeks of delivery.
It can be tough to predict whether someone is at risk for developing a brief psychotic disorder or not. However, the good news is that getting treatment right away typically leads to a complete recovery.
Schizoaffective Disorder
People with schizoaffective disorder have symptoms of schizophrenia and a mood disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder. It's a very rare disorder, affecting less than 3 out of every 1,000 people.
Delusional Disorder
Once called paranoid disorder, delusional disorder occurs when a person can't tell reality from fiction. They have beliefs that aren't based on reality but that they are convinced are real. The delusions are often plausible, such as being poisoned or followed, but not occurring.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia often involves hallucinations and delusions and causes a person to disconnect from reality. People with schizophrenia experience symptoms for an extended period, usually at least six months. Symptoms often first appear when a person is in their late teens, with many being diagnosed in their mid to late twenties.
Schizophreniform disorder
Schizophreniform disorder has symptoms similar to schizophrenia, but they last for much less time: usually under six months. About two-thirds of people first diagnosed with schizophreniform disorder will go on to develop schizophrenia.
Substance-induced psychotic disorder
Certain substances and even medications can cause people to experience psychosis or symptoms of a psychotic disorder.
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Comprehensive Treatment Programs
Banyan Mental Health offers several treatment programs for psychotic disorders, based on the severity of a person's syndromes. For those amid psychosis, who may be a danger to themselves or others, residential care, which provides around-the-clock inpatient support, may be the best treatment option.
During residential treatment, our team will develop a plan that may include antipsychotic medications to help manage symptoms, therapy using evidence-based techniques, and holistic approaches such as yoga.
We emphasize treating the whole person and work to restore your loved one to good health as soon as possible.
Psychosis Recovery Timeline
Early intervention is key for an effective psychotic disorder treatment. The sooner a person gets help, the more likely they are to get their life back on track and to fully reduce symptoms. That's why it's so important to be aware of and on the lookout for early signs of psychosis.
Once a person begins treatment, they can expect the process to last for several months. Often, they may take medication for one to four weeks, while beginning talk therapy.
The exception is people with brief psychotic disorder, who usually see their symptoms fade after about one month.
Benefits of Our Treatment Programs
When someone is experiencing psychosis, they are potentially a risk to themselves or others. During a psychotic episode, a person is more likely to die by suicide, for example. They can also hurt those around them, unintentionally.
Treatment helps to reduce the risk of harm while ensuring that a person gets the help they need to begin healing.
Working with the team at Banyan Mental Health can get your loved one on the track to healing. We tailor treatments based on each individual's needs. Since getting the medication type and dosage right can take some trial and error, we pay attention to how your loved one responds and make adjustments when needed.
Start Your Recovery Journey Today
The sooner you or your loved one gets help for a psychotic disorder, the better. Early intervention can lead to improved outcomes and a better life. Banyan Mental Health is here to help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and see what we can do for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources:
- NCBI – Lifetime prevalence of psychotic and bipolar I disorders in a general population.
- NCBI – Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 328 diseases and injuries for 195 countries, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016
