Psychotic disorders are a group of serious illnesses that
affect the mind. These illnesses alter a person's ability to think clearly,
make good judgments, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, understand
reality, and behave appropriately. When symptoms are severe, people with
psychotic disorders have difficulty staying in touch with reality and often are
unable to meet the ordinary demands of daily life. However, even the most
severe psychotic disorders usually are treatable.
There are different types of psychotic disorders, including:
Schizophrenia: People with this illness have changes in behavior and other symptoms
-- such as
delusions and hallucinations -- that last longer than six months, usually with
a decline in work, school and social functioning.
Schizophreniform disorder: People with this illness have symptoms of schizophrenia, but
the symptoms last more than one month but less than six months.
Brief psychotic disorder: People with this illness have sudden, short periods of
psychotic behavior, often in response to a very stressful event, such as a
death in the family. Recovery is often quick -- usually less than a month.
Delusional disorder: People with this illness have delusions
involving real-life situations that could be true, such as being followed,
being conspired against or having a disease. These delusions persist for at
least one month.
Shared psychotic disorder: This illness occurs when a person
develops delusions in the context of a relationship with another person who
already has his or her own delusion(s).
Substance-induced psychotic disorder: This condition is caused by
the use of or withdrawal from some substances, such as alcohol and crack
cocaine, that may cause hallucinations, delusions or confused speech.
Psychotic disorder due to a medical condition:
Hallucinations,
delusions or other symptoms may be the result of another illness that affects
brain function, such as a head injury or brain tumor.
Paraphrenia: This is a type of schizophrenia that starts late in
life and occurs in the elderly population.
What Are the Symptoms of a Psychotic Disorder?
Symptoms of a psychotic disorder vary from person to person and may change over time. The major
symptoms are hallucinations and delusions.
Hallucinations are unusual sensory experiences or perceptions of things that
aren't actually present, such as seeing things that aren't there, hearing
voices, smelling odors, having a "funny" taste in your mouth, and feeling
sensations on your skin even though nothing is touching your body.
Delusions are false beliefs that are persistent and organized, and that do
not go away after receiving logical or accurate information. For example, a
person who is certain his or her food is poisoned, even if it has been proven
that the food is fine, is suffering from a delusion.
Other possible symptoms of psychotic illnesses include:
Disorganized or incoherent speech
Confused thinking
Strange, possibly dangerous behavior
Slowed or unusual movements
Loss of interest in personal hygiene
Loss of interest in activities
Problems at school or work and with relationships
Cold, detached manner with the inability to express emotion
Mood swings or other mood symptoms, such as depression or mania
What Causes Psychotic Disorders?
The exact cause of psychotic disorders is not known, but
researchers believe that many factors may play a role. Some psychotic disorders
tend to run in families, suggesting that the tendency, or likelihood, to
develop the disorder may be inherited. Environmental factors may also play a
role in their development, including stress, drug abuse, and major life
changes.
In addition, people with certain psychotic disorders may have
an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. They may be either very
sensitive to or produce too much of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is a
neurotransmitter, a substance that helps nerve cells in the brain send messages
to each other. An imbalance of dopamine affects the way the brain reacts to
certain stimuli, such as sounds, smells and sights and can lead to
hallucinations and delusions.
A brain tumor can be either benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), primary, or secondary. Causes and risk factors include age, gender, family history, and exposure to chemicals. Symptoms range from headaches, leg and feet numbness to seizures. Treatment is dependant upon the type and location of the brain tumor.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Schizophrenia is a disabling brain disorder that may cause hallucinations and delusions and affect a person's ability to communicate and pay attention. Symptoms of psychosis appear in men in their late teens and early 20s and in women in their mid-20s to early 30s. With treatment involving the use of antipsychotic medications and psychosocial treatment, schizophrenia patients can lead rewarding and meaningful lives.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
Bipolar disorder (or manic depression) is a mental illness characterized by depression, mania, and severe mood swings. Treatment may incorporate mood stabilizer medications, antidepressants, and psychotherapy.
Schizoaffective disorder is a mental illness that features schizophrenia and a mood disorder, either major depression or bipolar disorder. Symptoms include agitation, suicidal thoughts, little need for sleep, delusions, hallucinations, and poor motivation. Treatment may involve psychotherapy, medication, skills training, or hospitalization.
In the United States, head injuries are one of the most common causes of death and disability. Head injuries due to bleeding are generally classified by the location of the blood within the scull, these include: epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, subarachnoid bleed, intracranial bleed, sheer injury, edema, and skull fracture. Some common symptoms of a head injury include: vomiting, bleeding from the ear, speech difficulties, paralysis, difficulty swallowing, and body numbness. Treatment of a head injury depends on the type and severity of the injury.
ICU psychosis is a disorder (also a form of delirium or acute brain failure) in which patients in an intensive care unit or a similar setting experience a cluster of serious psychiatric symptoms. These symptoms include anxiety, reastlessness, hearing voices, hallucinations, nightmares, paranoia and more. Causes of ICU psychosis are generally from a combination of environmental and medical conditions.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an illness where a person is overly preoccupied with some minor or imaginary flaw. People with BDD tend to have cosmetic surgery. BDD can be treated with SSRIs and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Brief psychotic disorder is a short-term mental illness that features psychotic symptoms. There are three forms of brief psychotic disorder. The first occurs shortly after a major stress, the second has no apparent trauma that triggers the illness, and the third is associated with postpartum onset. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, unusual behavior, disorientation, changes in eating and sleeping, and speech that doesn't make sense. Treatment typically involves medication and psychotherapy.
ICU psychosis is a disorder in which patients in an intensive care unit (ICU)
or a similar setting experience a cluster of serious psychiatric symptoms.
Another term that may be used interchangeably for ICU psychosis is ICU syndrome. ICU psychosis is also a form of delirium, or acute brain failure.
What causes ICU psychosis?
Environmental Causes
Sensory deprivation: A patient being put in a room that often has no
windows, and is away from family, friends, and all that is familiar and
comforting.
Sleep disturbance and deprivation: The constant disturbance and noise
with the hospital staff coming at all hours to check vital signs, give medications, etc.
Continuous light levels: Continuous disruption of the normal biorhythms with
lights on continually (no reference to day or night).