Psychosis - General Flashcards
What happens in psychosis?
The ability to recognise reality and the ability to communicate with and relate to others are significantly impaired which interferes with the capacity to cope with reality
What are the 3 classic characteristics of psychosis?
Hallucinations, delusions and formal thought disorders
Psychosis involves the inability to distinguish between what? This is characterised by what?
Subjective experience and reality, characterised by a loss of insight
What are the 4 major groups of causes of psychosis?
Organic conditions, substance misuse, affective disorders and dementia praecox
What are some organic conditions which can cause psychosis?
Delirium, dementia, brain injury, stroke
What are some aspects of substance misuse that can cause psychosis?
Withdrawal, DT, acute intoxication
Which affective disorder is most likely to cause psychosis?
Bipolar disorder
What is dementia praecox?
Schizophrenia and other paranoid illnesses
What is schizoaffective disorder?
A condition which lies somewhere between affective mood disorders and schizophrenia
How may a formal thought disorder be evidenced?
As disorganised speech
What is a hallucination?
A perception which occurs in the absence of an external stimulus
What is an auditory misperception? What can this lead to?
This is when you hear something which is actually occurring but interpret it as something else. This is not a halucination but can lead to secondary delusions.
Can a person make hallucinations go away?
No - true hallucinations are not subject to conscious manipulation (i.e. you cannot alter the mind to make them go away)
When are visual hallucinations most likely to be seen?
In delirium and sometimes substance misuse
What does a haptic hallucination affect?
Deep sensation- feeling like the organs have moved or something has been placed inside them
Give some examples of simple auditory hallucinations?
Murmuring, formless sound, bangs
Give some examples of complex auditory hallucinations?
Voices, music