What is psychosis? This is a certain pathological condition in which a mental disorder develops. A person in a state of psychosis ceases to adequately perceive himself, the people around him, the world around him. In addition to the disorder of perception, complete disorientation often appears. There are 4 signs of psychoses. What are they?
A pathological condition - psychosis - can be caused by both external and internal factors.
External factors usually include traumatic events that a person is not able to perceive and experience, various kinds of intoxication. So, for example, alcoholic psychosis is, unfortunately, extremely common.
Internal causes of psychosis usually lie in hormonal changes in the body, in age-related changes. It is often impossible to establish the exact root cause. For example, considering schizophrenia as a form of psychosis, it is almost never possible to identify what exactly triggered the development of the disorder or exacerbation of the condition.
Psychosis does not apply to those types of diseases that are constantly at their peak. This condition can occur from time to time, be very striking in its symptoms, or manifest itself superficially and almost imperceptibly.
How human behavior changes during psychosis
- The mood changes sharply and rapidly.
- A person can become very withdrawn and unsociable, completely immersed in himself. Or, on the contrary, to show excessive, inadequate activity.
- The perception of the world is distorted. Evaluation of actions and deeds that a person commits becomes painful and abnormal. At the same time, in a state of psychosis, as a rule, criticism of one's state completely disappears.
- Against the background of pathology, an increased craving for risk may arise, and a strange interest in something that previously did not attract a person may appear.
- Obsessive thoughts often arise. Increased anxiety is present.
- In a state of psychosis, a person often ceases to take care of himself, his appearance. He forgets - or does not want - to eat and drink, loses sleep or, on the contrary, is constantly in an apathetic and sleepy state, falls asleep anywhere, and getting out of bed is a great feat for him.
- In some cases, patients complain of a distortion of taste, colors, odors.
- There may be a state of passion, as well as subsequent amnesia.
- Stress tolerance is sharply reduced. In addition, concentration, will, attention, thinking suffer.
Four key symptoms of psychosis
Disorders of the affective sphere. Psychosis is often accompanied by a depressive disorder or a state of mania. However, paranoid thoughts may be present.
Perceptual disorders - hallucinations. Very often with psychosis, hallucinations take on terrible, very frightening outlines. They can be both auditory and visual, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory. As a rule, a sick person is not able to hide his hallucinations, therefore this symptom is clearly visible not only to doctors, but also to the patient's immediate environment.
Movement disorders. Depending on the type of psychosis, the patient may fall into a state of stupor, be too mobile and prone to stereotypically repetitive movements. Usually, increased agitation in psychosis poses an immediate threat both to the sick person himself and to the people around him. Therefore, this option requires urgent medical attention. Often, a pathological condition is characterized by a kind of loss of control of the patient over his body. Sudden movements appear, a person can scatter things, throw food, break dishes, grimace and grimace for no reason.
Delusional ideas. Delirium almost always accompanies a state of psychosis. It can be absurd or conditionally superficial. A person is not able to drive out delusional thoughts that appear from his head, they turn into obsessions that begin to haunt day and night. It is worth noting that with neurotic disorders, a delusional state never occurs.
