Psychotic episodes
Someone who develops psychosis will have their own unique set of symptoms and experiences, according to their particular circumstances.
But in general, four main symptomsare associated with a psychotic episode:
These are outlined in more detail below.
Hallucinations are where someone sees, hears, smells, tastes or feels things that don't exist outside their mind.
A delusion is where a person has an unshakeable belief in something untrue.
A person with persecutorydelusions may believe an individual or organisation is making plans to hurt or kill them.
A person with grandiose delusions maybelieve they have power or authority. For example, they may think they're the president of a country or they have the power to bring people back from the dead.
People with psychosis sometimes have disturbed, confused, and disrupted patterns of thought. Signs of this include:
People who have psychotic episodes are often unaware that their delusions or hallucinations aren't real, which may lead them to feel frightened or distressed.
Postnatal psychosis, also called puerperal psychosis, is a severe form of postnatal depression , a type of depression some women experience after having a baby.
It's estimated postnatal psychosis affects around 1 in every 1,000 women who give birth. It most commonly occurs during the firstfew weeksafter having a baby.
Postnatal psychosis is more likelyto affect women who already have a mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia .
As well as the symptoms of psychosis, symptoms of postnatal psychosis can also include changes in mood:
Contact your GP immediately if you think someone you know may have developed postnatal psychosis. If this isn't possible, call NHS 111 or your local out-of-hours service .
If you think there's an imminent danger ofharm, call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
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.