TYPES OF PSYCHOSIS: CHARACTERISTICS, CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS - ECONOMÍA - 2025

The main types of psychosis are schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder, organic psychosis, postpartum psychosis, substance-induced psychosis, psychotic depression, bipolar disorder, and dementia.

Psychosis refers to a loss of contact with reality, where people have trouble distinguishing between what is real and what is not. This is called a psychotic episode.

Psychosis usually appears in the late teens, around the age of 20. According to statistics, approximately 3 out of 100 people will experience a psychotic episode in their lifetime.

It appears in both men and women and in any race or culture. In general, a psychotic episode is usually frightening, confusing and worrying for those who suffer from it because it is a rather unusual and unknown experience.

Types of psychosis

The following list contains all those disorders associated with psychosis.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia refers to a type of psychosis in which psychotic symptoms are experienced for about 6 months. They carry a clear significant decrease in the judgment capacity of the sufferer.

The symptoms and duration vary from person to person. Among the symptoms, disorganized thoughts and behaviors, with delusions and hallucinations, stand out.

Schizophreniform disorder

This type of psychosis is the same as the previous one, but differs in that the symptoms last less than 6 months. The illness resolves completely or may progress to other diagnoses, such as schizophrenia disorder or bipolar disorder.

Schizoaffective disorder

In this disorder a person will experience both symptoms of schizophrenia and symptoms of a mood disorder, either at the same time or alternating between them.

Delusional disorder

Very strong and false beliefs occur in delusional disorder. Hallucinations do not usually appear in this type of disorder. It is a disorder in which psychosocial functioning is not usually too disturbed, nor are there notoriously strange behaviors.

Brief psychotic disorder

The psychotic symptoms in this disorder appear suddenly in response to a highly stressful life event, such as the death of a loved one or having been the victim of a violent crime.

Symptoms can be severe, but are short-lived, usually lasting between a day and a month. The person may or may not be aware of their behavior.

Organic psychosis or due to a general medical condition

This type of psychosis can result from physical illness, brain injury, brain tumors, trauma, or infection.

A complete medical examination should be performed to rule out or confirm the type of psychosis. Among the tests that are used are brain scans or EEGs.

Postpartum psychosis

This can occur in a period of six months after delivery. Usually part of a severe mood disorder. Among the symptoms usually appear hallucinations and delusions (especially religious), where they believe that their child is the savior of the world or that she is possessed.

Other symptoms that occur are confusion, paranoia, mania, depressive state, irritability or insomnia. They also often have auditory hallucinations that can order you to harm the baby, disorganized speech, and a loss of contact with reality.

It is very important to detect the symptoms of postpartum psychosis early to establish prompt treatment and the safety of the newborn baby.

Substance-induced psychosis

Both the consumption and withdrawal of alcohol and drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, LSD, or amphetamines can lead to psychotic symptoms.

Once the effects of drugs or alcohol have worn off, the symptoms of psychosis usually resolve.

Psychotic depression

It is a depressive disorder that is accompanied by delusional ideation and sensory-perceptual hallucinations. The types of delusions usually revolve around the depressive state that the patient suffers.

It is the auditory hallucinations that appear most frequently, the content of which is closely related to the state of mind you suffer from. For example: hearing voices that devalue you, or criticizes, can even incite them to suicide.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression, since it is a disease where serious episodes of mania and depression alternate. Psychotic symptoms tend to coincide with the patient's current state of mind.

For example, if you are depressed, you may hear voices that urge you to commit suicide, whereas if you are in the manic phase, where your mood is high, you may be led to believe that you are capable of doing incredible things or even believe that they are special beings.

Dementia

Psychotic symptoms can also appear in dementia, memory disorders, or with physiological deterioration of the brain, such as AIDS, Alzheimer's disease or a brain tumor.

Major depressive disorder

In cases of more severe depressive disorders, it is not uncommon for episodes of psychosis to appear. Major depressive disorder is characterized by a depressed mood with loss of interest and pleasure in almost all activities for at least a two-week period.

Symptoms include sleep disturbances, change in energy levels, difficulty concentrating…

Symptoms of psychosis

Mild

The mildest initial symptoms are usually: feelings of suspicion, distorted perceptions, depression, suicidal feelings, obsessive thoughts, and trouble sleeping.

Changes in thought patterns

Such as having trouble concentrating, paying attention, having a conversation, or remembering things. What results in disorganized thinking with strange connections between thoughts such as jumping from one idea to another or not having an answer.

False beliefs

The person may be totally convinced that his belief is not shared by others, but even giving him a logical argument he cannot change his ideas. Examples of this type of belief are delusions of persecution or grandeur.

Changes in perception

During psychosis, people can hear, see, smell, even taste or feel something that is not really there. These changes in perception are called hallucinations.

Changes in mood and sensation

After a psychotic episode, people often experience mood swings.

Changes in behavior

After the episode, people may behave differently than they did. For example spending more time alone or laughing at inappropriate times.

Before any suicidal thoughts, an exhaustive evaluation should be carried out, in addition to collaborating with the family, since they may need support assistance in these situations.

Psychosis as a symptom usually appears in some of the mental illnesses.

Causes

In most cases it is difficult to know what caused a first psychotic episode, although current research indicates that it may be due to a combination of biological, genetic and social factors.

Depending on the cause, psychosis can appear quickly or slowly. After experiencing a psychotic episode, it is important for the person to undergo a full medical evaluation to rule out any type of physical illness that may be the cause.

Treatment

Psychoses can usually be treated and many people make a very good recovery. Research suggests that early detection will improve treatment outcome.

So the sooner help is obtained, the better your prognosis, although early in having a psychosis, people may be confused about whether these symptoms will go away on their own. That is, they do not know what is happening to them and therefore do not seek immediate treatment.

Once a full evaluation of the patient is done, it will be determined what type of psychosis he is experiencing and its possible causes. Treatments generally consist of medications and psychosocial interventions.

Medication

Regarding medication, it is considered essential in the treatment of psychoses, since it relieves symptoms and prevents the appearance of new episodes of the disease. Medications used to treat psychosis are known as antipsychotics or neuroleptics. In turn, they are divided into typical and atypical antipsychotics.

Among the typical ones that are used have us: chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, haloperidol or thiothixen. The atypicals include: clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone. Although the side effects are bothersome, they are not usually serious. Its side effects are: tiredness, dizziness, blurred vision, stiffness, spasms, constipation, weight gain, etc.

Regarding psychosocial interventions we have:

Cognitive behavioral therapy

This therapy has proven useful in a variety of disorders, including those suffering from psychosis. It helps to better understand the disease, to face it more effectively, find new alternative solutions, etc.

Case management

In this type of treatment, emotional support is offered to the person and the family, education about the disease and its treatment. This type of treatment will help the patient to re-establish a routine.

Group therapy

Group therapy is a great way to help anyone who has been through an episode of psychosis, as it helps with many issues in the illness.

Supportive psychotherapy

After an episode of psychosis, having someone to talk to is a very important part of treatment to continue the recovery process, cope with the illness, and move on with your life. This supportive psychotherapy involves meeting with the appropriate professional.