Psychosis

Psychosis is a term that is used to describe a mental condition where somebody is unable to distinguish between reality and their imagination.

People who are experiencing psychosis are referred to as psychotic. People with psychosis often experience:

• hallucinations - where you hear or see things that are not there, and
• delusions - where you believe things that are untrue.

Psychosis is not a condition in itself. It is a symptom of other conditions. The most common cause of psychosis is a mental health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic depression).

Psychosis can also be triggered by physical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, or as a result of drug or alcohol abuse.

How long someone will experience a psychotic state of mind, known as a psychotic episode, will depend on the underlying causes. Drug- or alcohol-induced psychosis many only last for a few days. However, psychosis that is caused by schizophrenia or bipolar disorder may last indefinitely unless it's treated.

How common is psychosis?

Psychosis is more common that most people realise. It is estimated that one in every 200 people in the UK has experienced psychosis. Some people will only experience one psychotic episode, while others may experience a number of episodes throughout their life.

Treating psychosis

Prompt treatment is recommended for psychosis because studies suggest that the earlier the condition is treated, the better the long-term results tend to be. In the short term, medicines are used to treat the symptoms of psychosis to make sure that the person is no longer a danger to themselves or to others. The long-term treatment will depend on the underlying causes.

'Psychosis' is not the same as 'psychopath'

The term psychosis should not be confused with the term psychopath. The two conditions are very different.

Someone with psychosis has an acute condition that, if treated, can often lead to a full recovery. A psychopath is someone who has an incurable anti-social personality disorder, which means that they lack the capacity for empathy, are manipulative and often have a total disregard for the consequences of their actions.

Unlike people with psychosis, people with anti-social personality disorder can appear to act in a rational manner.

If you have psychosis, it may have implications for driving. See the 'useful links' section for how to inform the DVLA about medical conditons.