Acute psychosis

Acute psychosis is a state in which a person can be found at a given moment; a person in that state has often lost contact with reality partially or completely.

Symptoms

• Delusions: a type of imaginary idea that one has about oneself; the person cannot distinguish between what is and is not real.
• Hallucinations: things you perceive that are not really there (e.g. hearing voices or seeing ghosts)
• Confusion: coherent conversations can hardly take place, forgetting what one is doing, etcetera.

How do you recognise that someone has acute psychosis?

The person often has a confused way of talking, mixes up things and speaks gibberish. Usually the answers to questions are short. He/she may sometimes adopt a petrified posture that virtually does not change. There is hardly any eye contact, the person usually looks to the side of you. A sort of suspicion/watchfulness.

Causes

• Psychosis susceptibility among close relatives
• Taking drugs
• Personal and environmental factors e.g. stress, lack of sleep
• Trauma

Treatment

• Reducing anxiety and improving sleep habits often through prescription of benzodiazepines
• Taking antipsychotics to reduce anxiety
• Sometimes also antidepressants
• Understanding the triggers of the psychosis
• Creating a good day/night time, rest rythm

Latest publication date: 02/08/2024
Supervising author: Dr Claeys Isabel