What is Psychosis

a mental disorder characterized by symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations, that indicate impaired contact with reality.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_psychosis

Psychosis is a loss of contact with reality, typically including delusions (false ideas about what is taking place or who one is) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things which aren’t there).

http://www.healthcentral.com/ency/408/001553.html

Definition Psychosis is a symptom or feature of mental illness typically characterized by radical changes in personality, impaired functioning, and a distorted or nonexistent sense of objective reality. Description Patients suffering from p…

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Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

Psychosis?

Q: Can anyone tell me about psychosis? How and why it manifests, and it’s treatment? Is there a term for a short burst of ‘psychosis’ (potentially reccurring again at a later date) in which the person loses total control for only a few hours, or a day?

A: Psychosis is basically losing touch with reality. You may be describing a brief psychotic episode although more likely, since it is so short lived, drug induced psychosis. Psychosis is commonly associated with schizophrenia, but can occur as a reaction to stress, drug use, depression, bipolar mania, personality disorders etc.

What evidence suggests that psychosis is environmentally caused?

Q: Im writing an essay, and I cant find this anywhere in my book. Any help would be excellent. Also if anybody knows:What evidence suggests that psychosis is heritable?Thanks you guys. I would really appreciate it. You have no idea.

A: Functional causes of psychosis include the following:brain tumorsdrug abuse amphetamines, cocaine, alcohol[17] among othersbrain damageschizophreniabipolar disorder (manic depression)severe clinical depressionsevere psychosocial stresssleep deprivationsome focal epileptic disorders especially if the temporal lobe is affectedexposure to some traumatic event (violent death, terrorist activity, etc.)abrupt or over-rapid withdrawal from certain recreational or prescribed drugs

What’s the difference between psychosis and schizophrenia?

Q: If your a psychosis sufferer and you keep having relapses does that mean you are schizophrenic?

A: Psychosis is a general term for a mental abnormality, which may involve a loss of reality within the patient. Patients may experience hallucinations, or delusional beliefs.Schizophrenia, however, is a specific illness. However, it is very complex, which has hindered the diagnosis & treatment processes for many years. There are many varieties of schizophrenia, such as catatonic (which causes disruption in movement – patients may find themselves “locked” in strange physical positions for hours on end, or make unusual facial expressions & limb movements) and disorganised.Patients with schizophrenia may show symptoms of psychosis – such as hallucinations etc. However it is their other symptoms – depending on which sub-type they may fall into – that cause them to be diagnosed otherwise.It is entirely possible to relapse, regardless of what mental abnormality you may suffer from. If, in this sense, you suffer from psychosis at some point – then suffer it again, with no other symptoms of any other illness, then it is likely that you have suffered an unfortunate relapse into psychosis. Not all patients with schizophrenia suffer relapses, so it’s not right to assume one is suffering from the illness if they relapse.Hope this helped.