What is psychosis?D B Double

http://www.dbdouble.freeuk.com/Psychosis.ppt

Symptoms

Hallucinations

Delusions

Thought disorder

'Loss of contact with reality'

Disorders

Schizophrenia

Manic-depression (Bipolar disorder)

Paranoid disorder (Delusional disorder)

Psychotic depression

Classificatory criteria

International classification of diseases (ICD)

Diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM) of American Psychiatric Association

Distinction between schizophrenia and manic-depression (bipolar disorder)

Organic versus functional disorders

Epidemiology

Most common risk period of first-episode psychosis is ages 14 to 35

Lifetime risk schizophrenia 1 in 100, and similarly for bipolar disorder

Greatest risk of diagnosis of schizophrenia in socially deprived, especially young men

10-15% of population experience hallucinations at some point in their life

Outcome

Less than a quarter remain permanently affected

Third complete recovery

Better outcome generally in developing countries than industrialised nations

Sudden onset better outcome than gradual

Management

Understanding in contextManagement of disturbance may require Mental Health ActPsychosocial interventions, support and facilitation of recoverySpecific psychological treatments and family interventionsRehabilitation

Medication

Traditional and atypical anti-psychotic drugsAcute and preventative treatmentMood-stabilising medication(Antidepressants and minor tranquillisers)Side effects and discontinuation problems

What is mental illness?

Conclusion - ? Brain disorder

(such as chemical imbalance)

Research not led to clear conclusions

All experience and behaviour involves neurochemical changes and this is true for 'normal' as well as psychotic experience

Further reading

Recent Advances in Understanding Mental Illness and Psychotic Experiences. British Psychological Society report (link)

Critical psychiatry website (http://www.anti-psychiatry.co.uk/)