Psychotic Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

Psychotic disorders affect up to 100 people out of 100,000 each year [1]. Psychotic disorder symptoms begin showing in young adulthood, from late teens to mid-20s. Although psychotic disorders can cause severe disruptions to an individual’s life, full recovery is possible, especially if treated quickly. 

Read on to learn more about psychotic disorder types, causes, symptoms, and treatment. 

What Is a Psychotic Disorder?

Psychotic disorders, sometimes called a “psychotic illness,” are severe mental health disorders that exhibit signs of psychosis and a disconnect from reality. They cause abnormal thinking and perceptions, such as false beliefs or delusions, and hallucinations.

Psychosis Definition

Psychosis is not a mental illness on its own, but rather a cluster of symptoms that indicate a loss of contact with reality. It often involves delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there), as well as disorganized thinking and behavior. These symptoms can appear in various psychotic disorders and sometimes in other medical or psychiatric conditions.

Psychotic Episode Definition

A psychotic episode, also known as a psychotic experience, is when a person experiences a time period during which there is a disruption in normal thinking, causing them to lose touch with reality. For example, someone hallucinating for a period of days can be categorized as them having a psychotic episode. 

Types of Psychotic Disorders

The following list highlights the most common psychotic disorders, many of which fall under the umbrella of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. These include, but are not limited to:

• Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric condition in which a person exhibits signs of psychosis via delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behavior, or catatonic behaviors. In order for a schizophrenia diagnosis to be made, you have to exhibit delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech. 
• Schizophreniform disorder. Individuals with this disorder exhibit the same symptoms as schizophrenia, but they only last up to six months.
• Schizoaffective disorder. This disorder also involves the active-phase symptoms of schizophrenia, but they co-occur with mood disorder symptoms, like depressive or bipolar disorder episodes. 
• Delusional disorder. With delusion disorder, individuals have delusional thoughts for at least one month that cannot be attributed to a different condition.These delusions can include delusional jealousy, paranoia or persecutory delusions, somatic delusions, reference delusions, erotomanic delusions, or misidentification syndrome.
• Brief psychotic disorder. During this psychiatric condition, an individual experiences a psychotic episode that lasts less than a month and then goes into remission once on antipsychotics. This can be triggered by stress or trauma.
• Substance-induced psychotic disorder. Substance-induced psychotic disorder is when psychosis symptoms happen due to the use or withdrawal of a substance like alcohol or drugs. 
• Organic psychosis. Organic psychosis is psychosis brought on by a medical illness that involves a known physical abnormality. Causes of organic psychosis are dementia, epilepsy, tumors, or cerebrovascular accidents.
• Paraphrenia. Paraphrenia is a psychotic disorder in which an individual experiences delusions, but still preserves their thoughts and personality. 
• Shared psychotic disorder. Although rare, shared psychotic disorder is when two or more people in a close relationship has a psychotic disorder and influences another individual based on delusional beliefs.

People can experience brief bouts of psychosis that do not fall within the “disorder” category, such as postpartum psychosis. 

Psychotic Disorder Causes

Like mood and personality disorder, doctors and researchers do not know exactly what causes psychotic disorders. However, there are certain risk factors and potential causes that have been narrowed down as being likely reasons psychotic disorders develop in an individual. These include: 

• Your genetics
• The development of your brain
• Exposure to stressors and trauma
• Physical or mental illness
• Sudden brain trauma and damage
• A change in the balance of neurotransmitters

Psychotic Behavior & Disorder Symptoms

Psychotic disorders are identified by both overt and subtle signs. The symptoms of psychosis vary, but mental health professionals use core markers to assess diagnosis.

Signs of Psychosis

The following psychotic disorder symptoms are what psychologists and mental health professionals gauge when diagnosing an individual. However, not all symptoms are on this list and it varies on a case-by-case basis [2]. 

• Delusions, such as believing that they see special hidden messages in the media
• Hallucinations, like seeing or hearing things that do not exist
• Incoherent speech
• Inappropriate behavior
• Suspiciousness or paranoid ideas
• Uneasiness with others
• Difficulty thinking clearly and logically
• Withdrawing socially and spending extreme amounts of time alone
• Unusual intense ideas, strange feelings, or a lack of emotions
• Decline in personal hygiene and self-care
• Sleep disruptions, such as difficulty falling asleep or sleeping less
• Sudden performance drop in school or a job
• Sudden, jarring thoughts of harming themselves or others

Along with these negative symptoms, an individual with psychosis may also develop broader mental health conditions, including:

• Emotional disruption
• Anxiety
• Lack of motivation
• Difficulty with executive function

Psychotic Disorder Treatment

Studies show that many individuals who have psychotic symptoms will experience them for more than a year [3] before finally getting treatment. It’s important to reduce this window of time; the quicker you get treatment for psychosis, the better your recovery can be.

Can Psychosis Be Cured?

Psychosis cannot be cured. However, it is treatable and people are able to recover, especially if they get treatment as soon as they notice psychosis symptoms. 

Types of Psychosis Treatment

Psychosis treatment involves antipsychotic medication and coordinated specialty care. 

Antipsychotics include the following:

• Aripiprazole
• Lurasidone
• Fluphenazine
• Haloperidol
• Quetiapine
• Risperidone
• Chlorpromazine
• Clozapine
• Trifluoperazine
• Asenapine
• Olanzapine
• Cariprazine
• Iloperidone
• Paliperidone palmitate
• Pimozide
• Prochlorperazine
• Olanzapine (zyprexa)
• Loxapine
• Periciazine
• Levomepromazine
• Thiothixene
• Brexpiprazole
• Flupentixol
• Lumateperone

Along with antipsychotics, research shows that coordinated specialty care—like cognitive and behavioral therapies—can help those with psychotic disorders experience better treatment outcomes. Coordinate specialty care is a multi-component early intervention service that includes elements of recovery-oriented approach and the following:

• Individual or group psychotherapy
• Family support and education programs
• Medication management
• Supported employment and education services
• Case management

Outlook & Prognosis

The outlook for people who have psychotic disorders depends heavily on the kind of disorder it is. Although there is currently no known way to prevent psychotic disorders, early treatment significantly improves the chances of a successful recovery. Many people with psychotic disorders can live good lives once they receive the proper treatment and medication.

Get Compassionate Treatment for Psychotic Disorders at Connections

Getting the proper treatment for psychotic disorders can make all the difference in a long-term recovery. If you or a loved one has a psychotic disorder, choose Connections for coordinated specialty care and more. 

Get back to the life you love with our mental health services. The staff at Connections is dedicated to treating the whole person, not just their symptoms. That’s why we offer a wide range of services, including:

• 24/7 supervision
• Customized care plans
• Medication management
• Safe and comfortable living environments
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Motivational Interviewing

Our evidence-based methods are designed to assist those with psychotic disorders and manage any co-occurring issues such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mood disorders
• Eating disorders
• Suicidal thoughts

At Connections, we prioritize compassion in every aspect of our care. Discover how a leading mental health facility can make a difference in your recovery and remission.

For more information about the support and resources available, contact us at 844-759-0999.

Sources

[1] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/understanding-psychosis#:~:text=Studies%20estimate%20that%20between%2015,of%20many%20disorders%20and%20illnesses.

[2] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/understanding-psychosis

[3] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/understanding-psychosis#:~:text=Treatment%20of%20psychosis%20usually%20includes,with%20the%20fewest%20side%20effects.