Psychotic episodes
Psychosis can be caused by a mental (psychological)condition,a general medical condition, or a substancesuch as alcohol or drugs.
These three main causes are described in more detail below.
The following conditions have been known to trigger psychotic episodes in some people:
The underlying psychological cause often influences the type of psychotic episode someone experiences.
For example, a person with bipolar disorder is more likely to have grandiosedelusions. Someone with depression or schizophrenia is more likely to develop persecutory delusions.
The following medical conditions have been known to trigger psychotic episodes in some people:
Alcohol misuse and drug misuse can trigger a psychotic episode.
A person can also experience a psychotic episode if they suddenly stop drinkingalcohol ortaking drugs after using them for a long time. This is known as withdrawal.
It's also possible to experience psychosis after drinking large amounts of alcohol or if you're high on drugs.
Drugs known to trigger psychotic episodes include:
In rare situations, psychosis can also occur as a side effect of some types of medication or as a result of an overdose of that medication.
Never stop taking a prescribed medication unless advised to do so by your GP or another qualified healthcare professionalresponsible for your care.
See your GP if you're experiencing psychotic side effectscaused by medication.
There's been a great deal of research into how psychosis affects the brain and how changes in the brain can trigger symptoms of psychosis .
Researchers believe dopamine plays an important role in psychosis.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter,one of many chemicals the brain uses to transmit information from one brain cell to another.It's associated with how we feel whether something is significant, important, or interesting.
Disruption to these important brain functions may explain the symptoms of psychosis.
Evidence for the role of dopamine in psychosis comes from several sources, including brain scans andthe fact medicationsknown to reduce the effects of dopamine in the brain also reduce thesymptoms of psychosis.
Read about psychosis, a mental health problem that causes people to perceive or interpret things differently from those around them
Someone who develops psychosis will have their own unique set of symptoms and experiences, according to their particular circumstances.
Read about the causes of psychosis. Psychosis can be caused by psychological conditions, general medical conditions, or substances like alcohol and drugs
Read about diagnosing psychosis. See your GP if you have psychotic episodes as early treatment usually has better long-term outcomes
Read about treating psychosis. Treatment for psychosis involves a combination of antipsychotic medicines, psychological therapies, and social support.
Andrew is in his 50s and lives on the south coast. His early psychotic experiences lasted a number of years and had a profound effect on his life.
Sarah lives in the north of England. She had a significant psychotic episode in her early 20s, during which she was abducted and assaulted.
Delusions and voices have been a daily feature of Richard's life for more than 10 years. Despite this, he recently completed a master's degree.