Understanding Psychosis Symptoms

Psychosis is a word that conjures up images of insane people, talking to themselves and not responding to people in their surroundings. Psychosis is not a specific disease but an umbrella term that is used to refer a wide range of conditions that can affect an individual. However, in general, it is a condition where there is some loss of contact with the reality as the individual remains preoccupied with himself, unaware of his surroundings. The behaviour, perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of individuals suffering from psychosis get changed significantly and they can be easily identified among normal people. 

Wide ranging symptoms 

People suffering from psychosis exhibit a wide variety of symptoms depending upon their severity of illness and circumstances in their lives. However, all these psychosis symptoms can be broadly classified under four categories.

• Hallucinations involving 5 senses
• Delusions involving beliefs that are untrue and bizarre
• Disturbed though process
• Strange behaviour lacking insight

Psychosis patients withdraw into a world of their own

People who experience psychotic disorders develop symptoms that belong to three phases that begin with social withdrawal and loss of energy. However, not all victims of psychosis show symptoms of three phases. Patients complain of a weak memory and lack of concentration. They experience emotional changes and show anger and irritability without any reason. They suffer from anxiety and sleep disturbances. They become suspicious of other people and things and have a feeling that something is not right and others are hatching conspiracies against them. 

Lack of emotions and insight

Psychosis patients become apathetic and do not show their true emotions to others. They start to speak less and less and withdraw to an imaginary world of their own. They become devoid of ideas and lack insight of a normal individual. They do not feel enjoyment in anything in the real world and lack motivation and drive. Many psychosis patients develop suicidal tendencies and some of them start substance abuse. Many of them experience sleep disturbances and find difficulty in functioning normally. 

Broadly speaking, psychosis is a mental disorder that results from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It has been found that brains of people suffering from psychosis undergo chemical and structural changes and there is a general reduction in the amount of gray matter inside the brain. New scientific studies have revealed that the symptoms of psychosis are triggered by antibodies that are produced in the brain in response to some of the proteins.