Psychosis
Psychosis is a symptom of serious mental illness. A person experiencing psychosis loses touch with what is usually accepted as reality. They may feel paranoid, hallucinate, hear voices or have delusions, or may feel very high or very low.
The two most common forms of psychosis are schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder. An affected person will often have their first episode of psychosis in young adulthood. It may be triggered by a difficult life event, or can arise 'out of the blue'.
Drug use, including cannabis and cocaine, has been linked to the onset of psychosis. Although psychosis can be very frightening for the person and their family, it can be successfully controlled through medication and other treatments.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is the most common form of psychosis. Symptoms include delusions, unclear or disordered thoughts and hallucinations. People with schizophrenia may hear voices or see or smell things which are not there.
They may have trouble organising their thoughts, and seem muddled or confused. They may also have delusions, which are beliefs which are not true: they may say they are known by famous people or think that people on the TV are talking about them.
The symptoms of schizophrenia are sometimes mistaken as moodiness or teenage rebellion. In young people, hearing voices is not necessarily a sign of schizophrenia, but instead may be due to anxiety, stress or depression.
Bipolar affective disorder
This is another serious form of psychosis. It is very rare in young children and usually starts during young adulthood. Its main symptom is extreme long-term changes of mood.
‘When someone is ‘high’, they can become very overactive and loud, and lose their inhibitions. They may spend money that they do not have, or behave inappropriately. They can also suffer from delusions, for example, that they are famous, or have special powers.
But mania can also alternate with periods of depression, which can be crippling and can cause sufferers to feel suicidal or to self-harm. Bi-polar disorder can be treated with medication and talking therapies. If you are concerned that your child might have bi-polar it is essential to get professional help.’
Help from YoungMinds
YoungMinds has publications that can help with concerns about psychosis:
Visit our publications section
YoungMinds Parents Information Service can offer further advice on psychosis and serious mental health conditions:
Find out more about the Parents Information Service
Call us on 0800 018 2138
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