Psychosis how long does it last

Get help now. Advice and information About mental illness Learn more about conditions Psychosis. Psychosis This page covers what psychosis is and how you can get treatment. If you would like more advice or information you can contact our Advice and Information Service by clicking here. Download Psychosis factsheet. Share: Contact us:. Overview Psychosis is a term to describe when you experience reality in a different way to other people. Common examples are hearing voices.

Or believing that people are trying to harm you. Psychosis can be a one-off experience or linked to other conditions. There is no single cause of psychosis.

Researchers believe that environment and genetics may affect who develops psychosis. You should be offered medication and talking therapy to help with your experiences. To access treatment for psychosis, you usually need to have an assessment by a specialist mental health service. You may need to go to hospital if you are experiencing very distressing psychotic symptoms.

Need more advice? If you need more advice or information you can contact our Advice and Information Service. Contact us Contact us. About What is psychosis? Common examples of psychosis include the following. For example: hearing voices, seeing things which other people do not see, feeling someone touching you who is not there, or smelling things which other people cannot.

You might hear voices sometimes or all of the time. Delusions These are beliefs that are not based on reality. For example, you may believe: that you are being followed by secret agents or members of the public, that people are out to get you or trying to kill you. This can be strangers or people you know, that something has been planted in your brain to monitor your thoughts, you have special powers, are on a special mission or in some cases that you are a god, or your food or water is being poisoned.

Cognitive Experiences Cognitive experiences are ones that relate to mental action. Some cognitive experiences associated with psychosis are: concentration problems, memory problems, Unable understand new information, and difficulty making decisions. Linked conditions What mental health conditions are linked with psychosis? Psychosis can be: a one-off experience, part of a long-term mental health condition.

You may only experience psychotic symptoms as part of your condition. Or you may experience other symptoms too, such as depressive symptoms.

You can have a combination of negative and positive symptoms. Such as hearing voices. Disorganised thinking. Such as switching from one topic to another with no clear link between the two.

They include: lack of motivation, slow movement, change in sleep patterns, poor grooming or hygiene, difficulty in planning and setting goals, not saying much, changes in body language, lack of eye contact, reduced range of emotions, less interest in socialising or hobbies and activities, and low sex drive. Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder can be a life-long mental health problem that mainly affects your mood. Schizoaffective disorder Schizoaffective disorder is a mental illness that can affect your thoughts, mood and behaviour.

Drug induced psychosis People who use or withdraw from alcohol and drugs can experience psychosis. Depression with psychotic symptoms You may experience psychosis if you have severe depression. If you have a diagnosis of depression you may: feel low, lack motivation, lack energy, feel guilty, lose your appetite, and sleep poorly. Postpartum psychosis If you have psychotic experiences after giving birth, this is known as postpartum psychosis. If you experience postpartum psychosis you may: experience psychosis, feel confused, be suspicious, talk too quickly, think too quickly, and show signs of depression.

Delusional disorder You may have a delusional disorder if you have a single firmly held belief that is not true. Brief psychotic episode You will experience psychosis for a short period of time. You can find more information about: Schizophrenia by clicking here. Bipolar disorder by clicking here. Schizoaffective disorder by clicking here. Depression by clicking here. Personality disorders by clicking here. Hearing voices by clicking here.

Post-traumatic stress disorder by clicking here. Causes What causes psychosis? Researchers also believe that genetics may affect who develops psychosis. Life experiences There is evidence that stressful life experiences can cause psychosis. Other life experiences can cause psychosis or make your psychosis worse. These include: stress, anger or anxiety, drugs and alcohol misuse or withdrawal, homelessness, delirium. This is a state of mental confusion which may follow a serious physical illness or an operation, grief, divorce or separation, childbirth racism, and tiredness.

Genetic causes Research suggests that mental illness can run in families. Brain Chemicals Research suggests that changes to your brain chemistry can cause psychosis. You can find more information about: Does mental illness run in families? Drugs, Alcohol and mental health by clicking here. Cannabis and mental health by clicking here. How to cope by clicking here. You may decide to get help for your experiences.

Your GP should not give you antipsychotic medication without first talking to a psychiatrist. A secondary mental health team will usually be called the: early intervention team EIT community mental health team CMHT , or crisis team. You can ask your GP for their details. You can call NHS Use an internet search engine. There is more information about this in the section below. It could also include: a combined healthy eating and physical activity programme. How can adult social services help me?

For example, you may need support so that you can: get out of the house, keep in touch with friends and family, get a job or take part in education, clean your house, prepare meals or go shopping, keep safe, manage your money, take part in leisure activities, or contribute to society.

For example, volunteer, or be in a group. What other help is available? You can look on their websites to see what support they offer in your area. Self-help There are things that you can do to help manage your mental health. Care Programme Approach by clicking here. Social care assessment - under the Care Act by clicking here. What treatment should the NHS offer me?

Medication Antipsychotic medication can help with psychosis. Talking therapies There are different types of talking therapies recommended for people who have psychosis. It is there to try and help you to: understand links between your thoughts, feeling and actions, understand your symptoms and how they affect your day to day life, and look at your perceptions, beliefs and reasoning. CBT aims to: help you to be aware of signs that your thoughts, feelings or behaviours are changing, give you a way of coping with your symptoms reduce stress, and improve your functioning.

Family intervention can be used to: learn more about your symptoms, and improve communication among family members. Family intervention could help you and your family to: learn more about your symptoms, understand what is happening to you, improve communication with each other, know how to support each other, think positively, become more independent, be able to solve problems with each other, know how to manage a crisis, and improve mental wellbeing. Art therapy aims to help you to: learn new ways of relating to other people, show how you are feeling, accept your feelings, and understand your feelings.

You can find more information about: Antipsychotics by clicking here. Choice and managing problems by clicking here. Talking therapies by clicking here. What if I am not happy with my treatment? If you are not happy with your treatment you can: talk to your doctor about your treatment options, ask for a second opinion, get an advocate to help you speak to your doctor, contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service PALS and see whether they can help, or make a complaint.

There is more information about these options below. Treatment options You should first speak to your doctor about your treatment. Second opinion A second opinion means that you would like a different doctor to give their opinion about what treatment you should have.

Advocacy An advocate is independent from the mental health service. They give information and support to patients. You can find out more about: Medication - Choice and managing problems by clicking here.

Second opinions by clicking here. Advocacy by clicking here. Complaining about the NHS or social services by clicking here. Support groups You could join a support group. Peer support through the NHS Your doctor may offer you peer support. They should be able to offer advice and support with: side effects, recognising and coping with symptoms, what to do in a crisis, meeting other people who can support you, and recovery.

Self-management techniques Managing your condition on your own is called self-help. You can try some of the suggestions below to manage or cope with upsetting experiences. Speak to a supportive, friend, family member or someone else who has psychosis. Try relaxation techniques, mindfulness and breathing exercises. Do things that you find relaxing such as having a bath Try a complementary therapy such as meditation, massage, reflexology or aromatherapy.

Stick to a sleep pattern, eat well and look after yourself. Set small goals such as going out for a small amount of time every day. Reward yourself when you achieve a goal. Do regular exercise such as walking, swimming, yoga or cycling. Taking control of the voices If you hear voices, you could: talk back to them, distract yourself, keep a diary, or use a mobile app.

You may want to keep a record of the following: How many voices you have? How often they talk to you, or each other? What are they saying? How they make you feel? What you do to cope with each voice?

A diary may also help you to talk about your voices with your therapist. You can find more information at: www. Complementary and alternative treatments by clicking here. Different views on psychosis You may feel that a mental health crisis linked to your psychosis is part of a spiritual crisis.

Information for carers, relatives and friends Information for carers, friends and relatives It can be very distressing if you are a carer, friend or relative of someone who has psychosis.

How can I get support for myself? You can do the following. Speak to your GP about medication and talking therapies for yourself. For more information about family intervention please see the section above. Ask for a carers assessment. Join a carers service. They are free and available in most areas. Join a carers support group for emotional and practical support.

Or set up your own. How can I support the person I care for? Read information about hearing voices or psychosis.

Ask the person you support to tell you what their symptoms are and if they have any self-management techniques that you could help them with. Encourage them to see a GP if you are worried about their mental health. Ask to see a copy of their care plan.

They should have a care plan if they are supported by a care coordinator. Help them to manage their finances. There is no definition for what high risk means. It could include: not being aware of hazards because of delusional thoughts or confusion, refusing to eat for fear that food is contaminated, or threatening to harm others due to delusions or severe paranoia.

Think about the following questions: Who is in danger of being harmed? What evidence do you have of this? Have they done it before? How has their behaviour changed? When did their behaviour change? Are they aggressive? If so, how? Have they tried to harm themselves or other people? With effective treatment most people will recover from their first episode of psychosis and may never have another episode.

It is important to remember that psychosis is a treatable condition and if help is sought early, an individual may never suffer another episode. Initially, some of the symptoms that are apparent in the acute phase may linger in the recovery phase but with appropriate treatment most people successfully recover and return to their normal, everyday lives. Skip to Main Content Phases of Psychosis. Phase 1: Prodome The early signs may be vague and hardly noticeable. Phase 3: Recovery With effective treatment most people will recover from their first episode of psychosis and may never have another episode.

But substance abuse can make psychotic symptoms worse or cause other problems. People with psychosis have a higher than average risk of self-harm and suicide. You can also call the Samaritans , free of charge, on for support. The mental health charity Mind also has some useful information and advice. If you think a friend or relative is self-harming, look out for signs of unexplained cuts, bruises or cigarette burns, usually on the wrists, arms, thighs and chest.

People who self-harm may keep themselves covered up at all times, even in hot weather. Read more about warning signs of suicide. Page last reviewed: 10 December Next review due: 10 December Overview - Psychosis.

Symptoms of psychosis The 2 main symptoms of psychosis are: hallucinations — where a person hears, sees and, in some cases, feels, smells or tastes things that do not exist outside their mind but can feel very real to the person affected by them; a common hallucination is hearing voices delusions — where a person has strong beliefs that are not shared by others; a common delusion is someone believing there's a conspiracy to harm them The combination of hallucinations and delusional thinking can cause severe distress and a change in behaviour.

When to get medical advice You should see a GP immediately if you're experiencing symptoms of psychosis. Find out more about diagnosing psychosis Getting help for others If you're concerned about someone you know, you could contact a GP for them. Find out more about how to get help for others Causes of psychosis It's sometimes possible to identify the cause of psychosis as a specific mental health condition, such as: schizophrenia — a condition that causes a range of psychological symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions bipolar disorder — a mental health condition that affects mood; a person with bipolar disorder can have episodes of low mood depression and highs or elated mood mania severe depression — some people with depression also have symptoms of psychosis when they're very depressed Psychosis can also be triggered by: a traumatic experience stress drug misuse alcohol misuse side effects of prescribed medicine a physical condition, such as a brain tumour How often a psychotic episode occurs and how long it lasts can depend on the underlying cause.