It’s not easy being the one who has to help someone with psychosis. You may be worried about them or feel like they’re just being difficult. But the truth is, it’s not a simple problem to solve—and it can be hard to know how to help. Watching someone suffer during their first psychotic episode can be incredibly troublesome. But when you understand that the situation is temporary and treat them with kindness, they retell their experience in ways that make it much less scary to approach,
What Is Psychosis?
Psychosis is a mental state where you experience a loss of contact with reality. It’s not the same as everyday stress or grief and can be very scary.
Psychosis causes people to hear voices or see things they don’t see, believe they’re being followed or persecuted, and have trouble thinking clearly. Psychosis can also make you feel confused and out of control.
Psychosis is different for everyone. Some people experience it once in their life, while others have episodes of psychosis over many years. It can be a symptom of several mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Most people who experience psychosis can live normal lives if they get the right treatment and support from friends and family members.
Three Types of Psychosis
Someone with psychosis can experience one of these three types of psychosis:
1. Hallucinations
Hallucinations are false perceptions — you see, hear, smell, taste, or feel them, but they aren’t there. Hallucinations can be visual, auditory, olfactory (smelling), gustatory (tasting), or somatic (feeling). For instance, you might hear a voice that no one else can listen to. Or you might see things that don’t exist, like animals or people who are not there.
They might hear voices that they think others can listen to, or they may see things that are not real. Someone experiencing hallucinations might also have strange, disjointed thoughts or feel like their body is all over the place.
2. Delusions
A delusion is different from a hallucination in that it’s an unshakeable belief in something untrue or not based on reality, like being followed by the FBI or thinking you’re dead. A person with a delusion might have an irrational fear or worry that doesn’t make sense if you understand their situation.
Examples of delusions:
- Someone’s unfaithful
- There’s a conspiracy against you
- You’re going to die from a specific illness
- You have a critical mission to complete
- You’re being poisoned
- Someone is trying to hurt you
- Someone wants to hurt you
A person experiencing delusions might feel like they’ve lost control of their mind or life, become suspicious or paranoid, or strongly feel that others are watching or discussing them.
3. Disorganized Thinking and Speech
This is also known as formal thought disorder. It involves racing thoughts (when thoughts go through someone’s head quickly and seem beyond their control), flight of ideas (linking ideas in ways others would not), and talking incoherently.
When people with psychosis experience dissociation, they may get lost in a world of bizarre thoughts and ideas. In most cases, disorganized thinking is an effect of another mental illness.
There may be issues with speech organization, words strung together oddly, and people with psychosis may find it difficult to find the right words to express themselves.
What are the Causes of Psychosis?
In order to understand how to help someone with psychosis, it’s essential to know the causes of this condition. Psychotic symptoms can be caused by many factors, including:
- Drug Use or Abuse – Psychosis can be triggered by drug use or abuse, such as cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, or LSD.
- Brain Injury – A brain injury may cause psychotic symptoms as well. If a person has suffered a mild head injury due to an accident or fall, they may experience psychotic symptoms, including hallucinations and paranoia. In some cases, these symptoms may not appear until months after the injury occurred.
- Mental Illness – Mood disorders—such as depression and bipolar disorder—can also cause psychosis in some people who suffer from them. Psychotic symptoms are also associated with schizophrenia, a mental illness characterized by delusions and hallucinations.
- Genetic Factors – Some people are genetically predisposed to develop psychotic symptoms. However, this doesn’t mean that family members will automatically have psychosis too. Usually, genetics is only one factor of many that play a part in whether someone develops it.
- Sleep Deprivation – Psychosis can occur when someone is exhausted. Sleep deprivation can contribute to mental health problems, including depression and dementia. In the case of psychosis, when someone doesn’t sleep for several days or weeks, their ability to process information and make good decisions will be affected.
- Stressful Life Events – Psychosis can be a temporary problem after someone faces a major stressful event, like the death of a loved one or a natural disaster.
How to Help Someone Experiencing Psychosis?
Psychosis is a distressing condition. So how do you help someone who’s experiencing it? The key is understanding that psychosis isn’t permanent and will usually resolve itself as soon as a person recovers from the main cause of their symptoms.
Here are some tips to get started:
1. Listen Non-judgmentally
Listening non-judgmentally is the first step in helping someone with psychosis. It means you will not judge, blame or criticize the person experiencing psychosis. You will focus on understanding what they are saying and feeling. You will also focus on engaging with them in a way that shows you are interested in what they are saying and feeling.
A person experiencing psychosis can be confused, agitated, and frightened by their experiences. Being able to listen non-judgmentally helps to reduce the tension and fear that they may be feeling. This can help them to open up more about how they are feeling, which may lead to other ways you can help them while they are experiencing psychosis.
2. Speak in a Calm and Reassuring Manner
When experiencing psychosis, they are often unable to think clearly or make good decisions. This can be scary for them and you.
Try to use a calm and reassuring tone when you talk to them. It’s important that you don’t get angry or upset with them. Let them know that you are there for them and care about them.
3. Avoid Arguing or Debating
If you find yourself in a situation where someone is experiencing psychosis, it can be tempting to argue with them or debate their position. But this will only make the situation worse. The person experiencing psychosis is not able to think rationally at this time and will likely respond poorly to any argument or debate.
Instead, try to talk about the person’s feelings in an empathetic way. Ask questions about what they’re experiencing so that you can understand why they are feeling that way. Listen carefully to what they are saying and avoid arguing with or debating their claims.
4. Create a Safe and Comfortable Environment
Creating a safe and comfortable environment is key in helping someone with psychosis.
Psychosis can cause people to feel extremely uncomfortable, so it’s essential to create an atmosphere where they feel safe and relaxed.
This can be done by ensuring that the person controls their environment, allowing them to choose what they wear or how their room is set up.
It’s also important to avoid making assumptions about what may be causing their symptoms, as this can make them feel more anxious or upset.
5. Identify and Seek Help From a Mental Health Professional
It is crucial to identify and seek help from a mental health professional if you or someone you love is experiencing psychosis. The sooner you address it, the better. A therapist can help you work through your symptoms and develop management skills.
A therapist will also help you find ways to cope with any depression or anxiety associated with your psychotic symptoms. Psychosis can lead to self-harm and suicide attempts, so getting help as soon as possible is important!
6. Ensure the Person’s Medications Are Working Properly
Medication side effects sometimes cause psychotic symptoms. Even if you don’t know why a person is experiencing psychosis, it’s still important to ensure that their medications are working properly.
Ask the doctor about any new or changed medications a person has been prescribed and determine whether they need to change anything. This may include adding or changing an antipsychotic drug, varying doses of a mood stabilizer, or even adjusting dosages of antidepressant medication if necessary.
Conclusion
Psychosis is a scary and confusing experience that can leave people feeling frightened, stressed, and anxious. It may also be accompanied by depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. But it’s important to remember that psychosis isn’t permanent.
It resolves itself as soon as the underlying cause of the symptoms is treated. And fortunately, there are many effective psychiatric medications on the market today to treat psychotic symptoms safely and effectively.
You can do nothing more to prevent it from happening in the first place. With Hanei Health Solution, you can rest easy knowing that we will help you once it happens.
If you or someone you love has psychosis, contact us today. We are here to help you!
