Psychosis: The Basics and Where To Find Help
Psychosis: The Basics and Where To Find Help
What Is Psychosis?
Psychosis affects the mind to the point where there is a disconnect from reality.
When Does it Start and Who is Most Likely to Experience It?
It usually starts in someone’s late teens to early 20s but older and younger ages can experience it too.
People with preexisting mental health conditions are more vulnerable to experiencing psychosis (extreme depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc).
What Does It Feel Like To Experience Psychosis?
People who experience psychosis have these signs and symptoms:
- Paranoia and Delusions (example: extreme worries about someone watching them when in reality no one is)
-Trouble with reasoning (is so convinced that it’s extremely difficult for people to help them understand reality)
- Cannot sleep properly
- Trouble talking/communicating with others
- Stops self care
- Intense Ideas (example: the devil is taking them)
- Extreme anxiety
- Emotional disruption
- Cannot function
What Can I Do If I Or A Loved One Has Experienced Psychosis?
It is extremely important to have a good health care team to support you. This includes a psychiatrist, a therapist and a family doctor.
There are medications that are being prescribed now that could help prevent it from happening again or to put a stop to it. If you or a loved one has experienced psychosis, please establish a health care team and consider taking medication to stop/prevent it from happening again.
Some people fear medication will make them feel numb, but there are different combinations of medications you could take that are right for your body. Everyone is different, so there is a good combination out there for you, don’t give up!
What Support is Out There?
USA: Early Serious Mental Illness Treatment Locator
Click on this link to find local resources to help support you or a loved one. You can type in your state, and have a title to search.
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/locators/esmi
Canada:
There are many places listed on this link where you can seek help in Canada. Click on this link to view
India:
This link is specific to schizophrenia, but might help with psychosis as well.
https://recovery.com/india/schizophrenia/
If you don’t live in these countries, I encourage you to do some research on where you can find support.
Remember:
💪You are strong
💪You can overcome this
💪Things WILL get better if you seek help, even if you don’t believe that to be true
(Information paraphrased from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/understanding-psychosis#:~:text=Psychosis%20refers%20to%20a%20collection,real%20and%20what%20is%20not.)
With Love,
-SelListens 💓
@sellistens
I want to say that I am extremely appreciative of your effort to share information about psychosis. And, you made some links to some different countries, which is so worthwhile and valid.
Do you know what made a huge difference to me when I was going through a psychotic episode? It is: people who believed in me, and who helped without judgement.
That’s all
They helped!
They didn’t judge!
Kindly,
Patience
100%, I agree that a support system is so important. Even if you can't trust people in your social life having a health care team, especially a therapist and psychiatrist is super helpful.
Also, thanks for the kind words, I genuinely want to make a difference and teach people what I did research on.
- SelListens
@sellistens Wow, I never thought I do before right now. The issue is the only response people have is "take medication" but I feel like it would be gaslighting my nervous system, and also I don't really trust mental health because of therapist trauma anymore
Hi olive sailboat,
I understand your concerns regarding therapy and medication. You know yourself best and I can only talk about what I've learned and my experience with mental health. I learned that there are different combinations of medications work better with some people compared than others. It's trail and error. Sometimes some medication combinations have weird side effects while others don't. Everyone's body reacts differently, but I do believe when someone finds the right medication combination, life gets easier <3
As far as therapy goes, maybe there's a way where you can vent your feelings comfortably. Using this app is already a great option 😃
All the best,
SelListens