Where to Find Treatment for Psychosis

Psychotic disorders are defined as a group of serious illnesses that affect the mind, the alter a persons ability to think clearly, make correct judgements and respond emotionally amongst other feelings.

Psychosis is a condition that affects a persons mind and causes changes in the way they think, feel and respond, they also may not be able to distinguish from what is in their imagination and what is reality. Treatment for psychosis is varied and involves a combination of anti-psychotic medicines and psychological therapies, there will also be support from a variety of mental health professionals. The lack of awareness of psychosis means that people who are experiencing psychosis may not be able to recognise the symptoms as they are unaware of the effects and will be unable the recognise that they are behaving strangely.

Symptoms of psychosis

Firstly, it is critical that the symptoms are known before searching for treatment for psychosis, the symptoms are in four main categories during a psychotic episode. These are: hallucinations, delusions, confusion and disturbed thoughts and a lack of self awareness. The exact cause is unknown, but it has been researched that multiple factors could trigger a psychotic episode.
The symptoms can be highly disturbing and unfamiliar, leaving the patient confused about what is happening. It is important to visit the GP at the first signs of psychosis as early treatment has better long term outlooks.

Treatment for psychosis

After visiting the GP, and once the GP has gained an understanding of a patients experiences of psychosis, the sufferer will then be referred to a specialist team of mental health experts, which will include a psychologist, psychiatrist and a community mental health nurse and a full assessment will then be carried out to ensure there are no underlying mental health problems that are causing the symptoms.
Treatment will then be provided by this team and can be a mixture of anti-psychotic medicines and psychological therapies. The medicines work by blocking a chemical in the brain called dopamine which transmits messages from the brain, they will also reduce feelings of anxiety and aggression within a couple of hours of taking them.
Psychological treatments will involve counselling which can help reduce the severity and intensity of a psychotic episode. Another treatment for psychosis is attending self help groups as it can be an additional area of support. Treatment for psychosis has developed greatly in recent years and sufferers and friends and family of sufferers should be reassured by the progress being made.