Patient information

What is psychosis?

Psychosis is a severe mental disorder that can cause people to lose contact with reality and have abnormal perceptions, including delusions, hallucinations and confused thoughts. There are several forms of psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, thought disorder and substance-induced psychotic disorder. Schizophrenia is a lifetime illness with symptoms requiring ongoing medication and therapy. Psychosis can also be experienced during the manic phase of bipolar disorder and can be triggered by such issues as stress and drug use.

What are the symptoms of psychosis?

Psychosis leads to changes in a person’s behaviour, such as lacking motivation, energy, goals and emotions. Symptoms include:

• delusions – bizarre beliefs that reflect an altered sense of reality, including the persecutory delusion of being spied upon or being the target of a sinister plot
  
• hallucinations – sensory disturbances, most commonly the hearing of disturbing or abusive voices or sounds that appear to come from nowhere and that no one else can hear
  
• irrational behaviour and thoughts – disorganised speech due to jumbled and confused thoughts, and corresponding unpredictable moods and behaviour.

Can psychosis be genetic?

The chance of developing a psychotic disorder is increased if there is a genetic predisposition. However, if you don’t have the disorder in your family it doesn’t mean that it won’t develop.

How is psychosis diagnosed?

Psychosis isn’t easily diagnosed as it cannot be identified by a blood test or brain scan. In discussion with your doctor, a physical examination and mental health evaluation may be carried out. A psychiatrist or other trained mental health professional can also provide an evaluation of symptoms and assist in mapping a family history in order to identify psychosis.

Is there a cure for psychosis?

Diagnosis and treatment, with a combination of medication and therapy, enables people with psychotic disorders to recover and lead fulfilled and productive lives.

To successfully reduce the frequency and severity of psychotic episodes, the range of issues which led to the development of the illness need to be identified and addressed. These episodes can recur if triggers such as stress or drug use are not addressed. If left untreated personal, social and work-related problems will increase, especially for those with schizophrenia.

How do we treat psychosis?

Wesley Hospital Ashfield and Wesley Hospital Kogarah’s highly regarded treatments for psychosis are holistic, combining therapy and medication. 

As skills-based treatments, all aspects of life that could have contributed to the development of psychosis are considered, and ways to manage the symptoms are provided. During out in-patient programs, additional sessions with a clinical psychologist are available on request.

Our day patient programs for the treatment of psychosis also use cognitive behavioural therapy. Our qualified psychologists work with you to develop life skills enabling:

• symptoms of psychosis to be monitored and
• the behavioural or thought patterns contributing to psychosis to be identified. 

We work with you to develop skills to cope more effectively with stress, and aims to increase family support and to build support networks.

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