Psychosis

If you’re experiencing psychosis, you might see or hear or believe things that others may not. You may believe your experiences are real. Some people describe it as a ‘break from reality’.

Overview of psychosis

This section provides information about psychosis. How it is diagnosed, possible causes and where to get further information and support.

  • Psychosis is a medical term used to describe when you experience reality in a different way to others
  • Common examples are hearing voices and believing that people are trying to harm you
  • Psychosis can be a one-off experience or linked to other conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
  • There are many possible causes of psychosis, including drug use, extreme stress or brain injury
  • There’s no one single cause of psychosis, but researchers believe genes and your environment can play a part
  • You should be offered medication and talking therapy to help with your experiences
  • To access treatment for psychosis, you usually need to have an assessment by a specialist mental health service. such as the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT)
  • You may need to go to hospital if you are experiencing very distressing psychotic symptoms

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