Psychosis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Psychosis

Alternative Names:

Psychotic

Treatment:

Treatment varies depending on the cause of the psychosis. Care in a hospital is often needed to ensure safety of the patient. Drugs that diminish auditory hallucinations and delusions and stabilize thinking and behavior (antipsychotic drugs) are helpful. Group or individual therapy can also be useful.

Expectations (prognosis):

The expectations for the outcome vary with the specific disorder. Many of the symptoms can be controlled with long-term treatment.

Complications:

Psychosis can prevent a person from functioning normally. During psychotic states, there can be an inability to care for oneself. If the condition is left untreated, there is a possibility of self-harm or harm to others.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider or mental health professional if a member of your family exhibits behavior indicating a loss of contact with reality. If there is any concern about safety, as described above, immediately take the person to the nearest emergency room for evaluation.

Review Date: 5/4/2004
Reviewed By: Ram Chandran Kalyanam, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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