Knowra Psychosis Psychosis Psychosis is a mental state involving significant disruption in reality testing, often marked by delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized thought and behavior. It can arise in several psychiatric, neurological, and medical conditions.
Delusion : A strongly held belief that persists despite substantial evidence against it and is not explained by cultural context. Delusions are one way psychosis disrupts judgments about what is real.
Reality testing : The capacity to distinguish internal experiences, beliefs, and imaginings from external events. Disruption of this capacity is central to the concept of psychosis.
Psychiatric diagnosis : The classification of mental-health conditions using clinical criteria and assessment. Clinicians identify the condition associated with psychosis rather than treating the symptom as a diagnosis.
Schizophrenia : A psychiatric disorder involving persistent disturbances in perception, thought, emotion, and behavior, including psychosis in many cases. It is one diagnosis in which psychosis may occur, not a synonym for psychosis.
Stigma of mental illness : Social devaluation and discrimination directed at people because of actual or perceived mental illness. Stereotypes about psychosis can compound barriers to care and social participation.
Hallucination : A perception-like experience occurring without a corresponding external stimulus. Hallucinations can make internally generated experiences seem externally real.
Psychopathology : The study and description of mental symptoms, syndromes, and disorders. Psychosis is a symptom domain, not a diagnosis on its own.
Differential diagnosis : The process of distinguishing among conditions that could explain the same signs or symptoms. New or unusual psychosis can have psychiatric, neurological, substance-related, or medical causes.
Bipolar disorder : A mood disorder characterized by episodes of mania or hypomania and often depression. Psychosis can occur during severe mood episodes, linking but not equating the conditions.
Supported decision-making : A practice that helps people make and communicate their own decisions with chosen assistance. It protects autonomy when symptoms make choices or communication more difficult.
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