Common questions about psychosis
Psychosis is just a chemical imbalance in the brain isn't it?
For most people it is unlikely there will be one single cause. For some people changes in brain chemicals will be important. But other things will be important too. Like the amount of stress they are under. Or the beliefs they have about things. Many people with psychosis do not have changes in brain chemicals. There are more important things that lead to it. Such as their personality, high levels of stress and beliefs about things.
Is psychosis a split personality?
No it isn't. This is a common myth. Psychosis or schizophrenia does not mean sp. People who think this have been watching too many bad films.
Are people with psychosis dangerous?
No. This is not true. You are in much more danger from drunken people. A person with psychosis is in more danger from people without psychosis, than they are from them.
Is psychosis (or schizophrenia or manic depression) an incurable illness?
No. This is not true. It is different for everyone. Many just have psychosis for a short time. They get well quickly once they get help. Some have a much worse time though. Their problems may last a long time. Their problems might be hard to get away from. But many people make complete recoveries. Even those who continue to have a bad time can learn to cope better. They can still enjoy life.
Do people who are psychosis end up in a straight jacket in hospital?
This is a myth. Almost all people live at home while they get help. Some people do come to hospital. But this will be for only a short time. Things have changed a lot in mental health. The old hospitals of the past have pretty much gone. Most wards now are a healthy and safe place for people to get a break.
Finding out you have psychosis is scary. Worrying about what this means can make your problems worse. On the other hand, once you know what is wrong you can begin to get the right help. If you have more questions to ask, then get in touch with people who can help. Try writing down your questions and discuss them with your doctor or psychologist.
I think I may have psychosis, should I get help?
You might be worried that you or someone you know has psychosis. You may not be sure if you should get help. The important thing to ask is are these feelings upsetting you?. Think of it as a bit like having dreams and having nightmares. It's normal to dream. It's normal to have nightmares too. Dreams and nightmares are really the same sort of thing. But nightmares are upsetting. If you had them all the time you might want to get help to stop them. If you have upsetting psychosis all the time, you might want to get help to stop it too.
You can get help from your GP. He might refer you to a community mental health team. These teams have people who can help you deal with all sorts of problems. These include social worker's, occupational therapist's and nurses.
There are also people in these teams who can give you talking treatments. There are also doctors who can give you medication.
It really is best to talk to your GP first. But if you will not speak to him or her, then there are still other people who can help. These might include people who have had these problems in the past themselves.
There are things you can do just now to cope.
