Psychosis is associated with several medical disorders and conditions. Some of the different types of psychosis include:
- Schizophrenia: a
psychiatric disorder characterised by disordered thinking and
behaviour, which often includes delusions and hallucinations. Psychotic
symptoms are experienced for at least six months, together with
significant social or occupational dysfunction.
- Schizophreniform disorder: symptoms are similar to schizophrenia, but persist for between one and six months.
- Schizoaffective disorder: prominent
mood symptoms occur with the characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia,
but occasionally psychotic symptoms are experienced in the absence of
mood symptoms.
- Delusional disorder: involves holding strong,
false beliefs (delusions). Hallucinations are usually not present.
Apart from the impact of the delusions, psychosocial functioning may not
be markedly impaired nor behaviour blatantly strange. However, under
some circumstances delusions are sufficiently false to cause problems
with day-to-day life.
- Substance-induced psychosis: drug and
alcohol use or withdrawal can result in psychotic symptoms. These may
disappear once the effects of the substances or withdrawal symptoms wear
off. In some cases, psychosis persists after the initial
substance-induced psychosis. This is common with stimulant drugs, e.g.
methamphetamine (“tik”).
- Dementia: psychotic symptoms may
appear with memory disturbances in conditions that cause physiological
deterioration of the brain, such as a head injury, AIDS,
post-encephalitis, Alzheimer’s Disease or a brain tumour.
- Bipolar disorder (manic depression):
psychosis generally appears as part of a more general severe mood
disturbance. Psychotic symptoms tend to match your mood. (For example,
when depressed, you may hear voices urging you to commit suicide.)
- Major Depressive Disorder: psychosis can be a feature of a severe major depression.
- Postpartum psychosis: psychosis that may develop during the six month period after childbirth. This is usually part of a severe mood disorder.
- Delirium: psychotic
symptoms may be part of an acute confusional state that results from
another severe medical disorder, such as meningitis, septicaemia or
after an epileptic convulsion.
- Brief psychotic episode: psychotic
symptoms appear suddenly in response to a recognisable and highly
stressful life event, such as being a victim of violent crime. Symptoms
may be severe but are short-lived: the psychosis lasts between one day
and one month. You may or may not be aware of your bizarre behaviour.
- Psychosis due to a general medical condition: psychotic
symptoms may appear as a result of brain tumours, epilepsy, and other
chronic medical conditions. The psychotic symptoms can sometimes be the
first sign of the underlying medical condition.
