You should see your GP immediately if you're experiencing psychotic episodes. It's important psychosis is treated as soon as possible as early treatment usually has better long-term outcomes. Your GP will look at your symptoms and rule out short-term causes, such as drug misuse.
There's no test to positively diagnose psychosis. However, your GP will ask about your symptoms and possible causes. For example, they may ask you: whether you're taking any medicines.
You should see a GP immediately if you're experiencing symptoms of psychosis. It's important psychosis is treated as soon as possible, as early treatment can be more effective. The GP may ask you some questions to help determine what's causing your psychosis.
Along with antipsychotic drugs, your doctor may prescribe another type of medication. Depending on your symptoms, they could give you or a mood stabilizer or antidepressant. We need more research about how effective these treatments are for schizophrenia, but many doctors try them.
A psychotic episode or disorder will result in the presence of one or more of the following five categories: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thought, disorganized behavior, negative symptoms.
Brain changes can happen in people whose psychosis goes untreated. "The more relapses and episodes a person has, the more we see that it can permanently change their brain function and structure," says Tso.
Psychosis can also be triggered by traumatic experiences, stress, or physical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, a brain tumour, or as a result of drug misuse or alcohol misuse. How often a psychotic episode occurs and how long it lasts can depend on the underlying cause.
Treatment and support for schizophrenia
The best place to start in getting a diagnosis is a GP. They can make an assessment and provide a referral to a psychiatrist for full diagnosis and treatment if needed.
GPs can provide treatment for mental health problems and offer long-term care and support. You can ask if there is a GP at your surgery who has an interest in mental health problems. It can help to write down a list of things you'd like to talk about with the GP. Such as symptoms or side-effects of medication.
Antipsychotic drugs are harmful if you do not need them. For someone with dementia, antipsychotic drugs can make everyday activities more difficult. They also have dangerous side effects such as more anxiety, restlessness, loss of hunger or thirst, excessive sleeping and even death.
Brain tumors and brain injury.
Some brain tumors may cause psychotic symptoms that seem like schizophrenia. Likewise, people who've had a traumatic brain injury may have symptoms such as psychosis.
Schizophrenia is one type of psychotic disorder. People with bipolar disorder may also have psychotic symptoms. Other problems that can cause psychosis include alcohol and some drugs, brain tumors, brain infections, and stroke.
Signs of early or first-episode psychosis
Hearing, seeing, tasting or believing things that others don't. Persistent, unusual thoughts or beliefs that can't be set aside regardless of what others believe. Strong and inappropriate emotions or no emotions at all. Withdrawing from family or friends.
In light of the above, MRI remains a sensitive imaging modality to detect lesions that are commonly associated with psychosis, including white matter diseases, brain tumors, and temporal lobe anomalies.
Symptoms of psychosis
confused thinking. delusions – false beliefs that are not shared by others. hallucinations – hearing, seeing, smelling or tasting something that isn't there. changed behaviours and feelings.
Brief psychotic disorder (BPD) according to DSM-5 is the sudden onset of psychotic behavior that lasts less than 1 month followed by complete remission with possible future relapses. It is differentiated from schizophreniform disorder and schizophrenia by the duration of the psychosis.
Your GP may refer you directly to a psychiatrist or to a member of a local mental health team, who can assess your needs and help determine if you need to see a psychiatrist or a different mental health professional.
Talk to your GP first
You'll need to talk to your GP to use some mental health services. This is known as a GP referral. Your GP can also talk to you about your mental health and help introduce you to the right mental health service for your needs.
Who can prescribe psychiatric medication? Your GP or a psychiatrist are the most likely people to prescribe you psychiatric medication. Some nurses and pharmacists may also be qualified to prescribe you medication.
People with psychosis typically experience delusions (false beliefs, for example, that people on television are sending them special messages or that others are trying to hurt them) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that others do not, such as hearing voices telling them to do something or criticizing them).
In severe cases, someone with psychosis may be at risk of self-harm, or harming others. About 1 in every 200 adult Australians will experience a psychotic illness each year. A first episode of psychosis is most likely to happen in a person's late teens or early adult years.
Psychosis is a symptom of schizophrenia and other mental health conditions, whereas schizophrenia is a mental health disorder characterized by additional symptoms. There are no subtypes of psychosis, but each individual may uniquely experience mental disruptions.
The typical course of a psychotic episode can be thought of as having three phases: Prodrome Phase, Acute Phase, and Recovery Phase.
With effective treatment most people will recover from their first episode of psychosis and may never have another episode. It is important to remember that psychosis is a treatable condition and if help is sought early, an individual may never suffer another episode.