Psychosis is a break from reality characterized by delusions and hallucinations.
There are several conditions classified as psychotic disorders, most notablyschizophrenia, in which psychosis is a defining feature.
It can also occur with a brain injury, substance abuse, and other causes.
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It can be temporary, ongoing, or cause recurring symptoms.
People experiencing psychosis have little or no awareness of their symptoms.
These conditions include:
The diagnostic criteria for each of these disorders are individually described in the DSM-5.
With these conditions, hallucinations and/or delusions are the primary features.
Under the DSM-5 definition, either hallucinations or delusions occur in the absence of catatonia or disorganized speech.
This may involve lab and imaging tests to detect or exclude medical causes.
(For instance, a severeurinary tract infectionin an adult with dementia can trigger episodes of psychosis.
Diagnosing this can direct the appropriate treatment.)
Sometimes, a person only has one psychotic episode.
In cases of substance use, detoxification may be the primary (or sole) form of treatment.
Even if the cause is medical, antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed to help bring symptoms under control.
With schizophrenia and other psychiatric conditions, the drugs can not only treat acute episodes but prevent recurrence.
Atypical antipsychotics are often recommended for the treatment and long-term management of psychiatric disorders.
They generally lead to fewer movement disorders than typical antipsychotics.
Cobenfy is a new treatment for schizophrenia used to improve positive and negative symptoms.
Cobenfy is a new class of medicine and works differently than traditional schizophrenia medications.
Cobenfy contains xanomeline, which helps schizophrenia symptoms, and trospium, which works to reduce the side effects.
Summary
Psychosis takes place if you lose touch with reality and experience hallucinations and/or delusions.
It can be due to psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, and PTSD.
It can also occur with medical conditions like dementia, stroke, encephalopathy, and psychoactive drugs.
Antipsychotic drugs may be used to treat acute episodes and prevent recurrence in people with psychotic disorders.
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