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Psychosis – causes, side effects and treatments at NaturalPedia.com

Wednesday, June 13, 2018 by

Psychosis is used to describe conditions that affect the mind. An individual with psychosis is someone who has lost touch with reality.

A person who loses touch with reality is said to have a psychotic episode. During this period of psychosis, their perceptions and thoughts are disturbed. A person going through a psychotic episode may find it hard to differentiate between what is real and what isn’t.

Symptoms of psychosis may include delusions and false beliefs, as well as hallucinations or seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there.

Psychosis is usually linked to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Even though the conditions have other symptoms, a major criterion for schizophrenia is the presence of psychosis.

Known side effects of psychosis

The classic signs and side effects of psychosis usually include:

  • Catatonia – Unresponsiveness.
  • Delusions – False beliefs that are often based on fear or suspicion of things that aren’t real.
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Disordered thinking – Being unable to focus on one topic and forming strange connections between separate thoughts.
  • Disorganization – Being disorganized in behavior, speech, or thought.
  • Hallucinations – Feeling, hearing, or seeing things that don’t exist.

The milder initial symptoms of psychosis can include:

  • Depression
  • Distorted perceptions
  • Feelings of suspicion
  • General anxiety
  • Obsessive thinking
  • Sleep problems

These are the auditory hallucinations commonly linked to psychosis:

  • Hearing several voices talking, often negatively, about the person having a psychotic episode.
  • A voice narrating what the patient is doing.
  • A voice repeating what the patient is thinking.

Psychotic delusions include the paranoid type, which is often linked to schizophrenia, and delusions of grandeur.

  • Paranoid delusions – These can make the person with psychosis feel incredibly suspicious of individuals or organizations. They may even think that someone is plotting against them.
  • Delusions of grandeur – A very false but firm belief that you are someone with a special power or authority, like a world leader.

While it is difficult to determine who can develop psychosis, research implies that genetics may play a role. People are at risk of developing a psychotic disorder if they have a close family member, like a parent or sibling, with a psychotic disorder.

Children born with the genetic mutation called 22q11.2 deletion syndrome are also at risk of developing a psychotic disorder, especially schizophrenia.

Body systems harmed by psychosis

While psychosis isn’t linked to a lot of medical complications, when left untreated, individuals experiencing the condition may have a hard time taking care of themselves. This might result in other health conditions remaining undiagnosed.

The majority of individuals who experience psychosis can recover with proper treatment. Even severe cases can be resolved with medication and therapy.

Food items or nutrients that may prevent psychosis

The following foods or nutrients can help prevent psychosis or address its side effects:

  • Fish – Fish rich in omega 3-fatty acids, when consumed daily for at least three months, can help stabilize the mind and improve a person’s mental condition. Sources include mackerel, salmon, sardines, and tuna. You can also take omega 3 supplements in the form of fish oil capsules.
  • Green cardamom – Green cardamom seeds can help prevent or control psychosis. The cardamom seeds have healing properties that are good for the nervous system.

Individuals prone to psychotic episodes must avoid alcohol or drugs since they can directly affect the nervous system and trigger another episode.

Treatments, management plans for psychosis

Treatment for psychosis can involve the combination of medications and therapy. In most cases, people who have psychotic episodes experience an improvement in their symptoms following treatment.

Treatment options for psychosis include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), where an individual will regularly meet and talk with a mental health counselor. The therapy aims to change the patient’s thinking and behaviors. This method can effectively help people make permanent changes and manage their condition. CBT is suitable for cases where psychotic symptoms aren’t always resolved with medications.

Where to learn more

Summary

Psychosis is used to describe conditions that affect the mind. An individual with psychosis is someone who has lost touch with reality.

The classic signs and side effects of psychosis usually include catatonia, delusions, and difficulty concentrating.

While psychosis isn’t linked to a lot of medical complications, when left untreated, individuals experiencing the condition may have a hard time taking care of themselves.

Fish and green cardamom can help prevent psychosis or address its side effects.

Treatment options for psychosis include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), where an individual will regularly meet and talk with a mental health counselor.

Sources include:

NIMH.NIH.gov

MedicalNewsToday.com

Healthline.com

FindHomeRemedy.com



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