Hello human!

We are all sometimes curious to know about the things that are happening around us, for example, we may be wondering why our teacher is so angry or stressed even though we haven’t done anything wrong, or we sometimes wonder why is that person staring at us. Etc. these things don’t disturb us or hinder too much with our everyday life. But sometimes, we feel it strongly as if someone is trying to hurt us, or the things around us are trying to tell us something. These thoughts can become harmful if it is causing a disturbance in our daily lives. These could be symptoms of psychosis.

What is psychosis?

Now you might be thinking what exactly is psychosis? Psychosis is a collective term used to describe symptoms in which a person is unable to tell the difference between what is real and what is not. If I have to put it in simple terms- the person may hear voices or see things that don’t exist in reality (hallucination) or can hold strong beliefs that are considered odd or weird by other people (delusions). It is important to know that psychosis is a symptom and not an illness.

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When we watch a horror movie, it is normal for everyone to misinterpret things that they see, for example, don’t you see a heap of clothes on the chair and imagine it as a human sitting and staring at us? Or when we are alone at home, we feel like someone is calling our name, right? This is quite normal and these fears usually go away once we forget about the movie. But when the thoughts of suspicion, sense of danger, inner voices or other beliefs become serious, it can hinder the way you think about the world around you. It can dominate your thoughts and can lead to conflicts with other people. At this point, people might start saying that you are acting weird. For example: you can sense that someone is trying to follow you and is going to harm you, but in reality, there is no one. This could be a sign of psychosis for which you might need to seek professional help.

What are some of the early signs or symptoms?

Most people experiencing psychosis are not aware of the symptoms as they believe their thoughts and experiences are real. However, some people can be aware of the symptoms they are going through. Some of the early symptoms that other people may notice in a person are :

-          Hear, see or feel things that doesn’t exist

-          Hold unusual beliefs that are different from that of others

-          Loss of motivation to maintain personal hygiene

-          Isolating oneself from family and friends more than usual

-          Unable to concentrate

-          Trouble sleeping

-          sadness

These are some of the early signs of someone who is experiencing psychosis. Some researches show that most people experience these symptoms at least once in their lifetime ,but it may not be that serious and the person can function normally otherwise. It can be caused due to various reasons.

What can be some of the reasons that can trigger psychosis?

These are some of the common triggers you can look out for:

·       Psychological causes: certain psychological conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or even extreme depression can cause psychosis

·       Medical conditions: certain conditions like brain tumour, brain injury, hyperglycaemia, dementia and other conditions

·       Trauma: tragic life events like the death of a dear one or sexual assaults can cause psychosis

·       Drugs and Alcohol: some drugs like marijuana or some prescribed medications that hinder the brain activity can cause psychosis. Too much consumption of alcohol or suddenly stopping the consumption too can be a reason for psychotic symptoms.

How can I help a person with psychosis?

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Since now you know what psychosis is, it is also important to spread awareness and help someone who is going through similar experiences. The best way you can get help or help someone else is to get immediate professional help. Psychiatrists, doctors, and social workers are some of the people who you could reach out to for help. I have added information on a few helplines in India which offer Mental health services, at the end of the blog, do check them in case you are looking for help. Always remember the sooner you get professional help and seek treatment, the better the chances for a speedy recovery.

Some things you would want to know before going to a mental health professional:

How would a mental health professional make a diagnosis of psychosis?

Your mental health professional may run a few tests which can include drug screening tests or blood tests for testing any physical causes. Apart from this, they may ask questions like – have you been experiencing hallucinations, what kinds of moods have you been having in the past few days, if you have any history of the mental condition in your family and other questions related to the symptoms?

After the diagnosis the mental health professional will offer a treatment plan according to the severity of psychosis. Some of the treatment could include – anti-psychotic medications, therapy and inpatient care.

Offering support to the person

It is important to offer your support to the person who is going through this situation. Here are some tips that you can follow to make the person feel better:

o   Listen to their experiences: sometimes their experiences may not relate to us, but it is important to actively listen when they share and ask them how we can help. We should remain calm while they are sharing.

o   Focusing on what they are feeling: we may not hear or see things that they do, but it is important for us to stay neutral, which means we must not agree or deny their experiences, rather our focus should be on how they are feeling about the experience.

o   Helping them connect: we can help them connect to other people. There are many communities which has people who have gone through similar experiences. This connection can be beneficial as one can relate to those people as well as feel understood and heard.

o   Get them professional help: the best thing that can be done is to get them professional help as soon as possible. But remember, you need to make sure that they are willing to get professional help. If not, it is better to give them some time to relax and think.

Helplines that you can contact:

Here are some helplines across India which can help you get professional help in case of any mental health emergencies. Most of them are free, but some cost low prices for their service:

·       NIMHANS- it is one of the most popular mental health centres in India. It is located in Bengaluru. They offer free mental health support and services. There are professional psychiatrists and psychologists who offer support 24/7. Visit: PSSMHS Helpline – NIMHANS

·       Sumaitri- it is a crisis intervention centre that offers counselling through call, all 7 days of the week, between 2-6 pm. Trained volunteers give counselling to people. Visit: Welcome (sumaitri.net)

·       Sneha- it is an organization based in Chennai that provides mental health support and help in suicide prevention. It runs on all days from 10 am to 10 pm. Some of the experts can be contacted through email too. Visit: Sneha Foundation Trust – A Link with Life (snehaindia.org)

·       KIRAN- it is a toll-free mental health rehabilitation helpline that works 24/7 to provide relief and support to people going through mental health crisis. Call: 1800-500-0019

These were some of the helplines you can reach out to when you have an emergency. There are many more helplines available that are ready to support people in need of help.

To summarize, psychosis can be treated if you seek help at the earliest. Make sure you take care of your health, get good sleep, eat healthy food and do not worry there is always help available around you. To get professional support you can also contact the experts at Heart It Out, who can guide you further as to what you can do :)