Psychotic disorders Flashcards
Psychosis
- Psychosis is a condition of the mind broadly defined as a loss of contact with reality.
- The cardinal features of psychotic disorders is the presence of psychotic symptoms: hallucinations and or delusions as well as thought disorders.
- Due to impairment in thoughts, perception, and judgement, an individual has difficulty in differentiating real-world experiences from those that are not based on fact.
- They are therefore regarded as more ‘serious’ and require immediate attention
Causes of Psychosis
- Schizophrenia
- Schizophreniform disorder
- Schizoaffective disorder
- Delusional disorders
- Brief psychotic disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- MDD with psychotic features
- Delusional disorders
- Substance-induced psychosis
Psychotic disorders
1. Primary psychotic disorders → Schizophrenia disorder →Schizoaffective disorder →Delusional disorders → Brief psychotic disorder
- Substance-induced psychosis
- Psychoses associated with medical or neurological conditions
What are delusions…..?
- Delusions are unshakeable false beliefs held by an individual despite being presented with rational and logical arguments and evidence to support the contrary
- These beliefs are not shared by the people of the same cultural and religious background and cannot be accounted for by the individual’s level of intelligence
Types of Delusions
- Persecutory delusions
- Grandiose delusions
- Erotomania delusions
- Somatic delusions
- Delusions of reference
- Delusions of control
- Delusions of guilt
Persecutory delusions
The most common type of delusion.
The individual believes that he/she is going to be harmed by a living or non-living thing, another person, group, organization or some force of power despite there being no evidence to support such beliefs
Example: “My classmates are all ganging up on me because I have different opinions, They want to hurt me”
Note: Delusions of persecution are seem in Schizophrenia
Grandiose delusions
The individual believes that he or she is very famous, rich, talented (e.g. performing artist, scientist, inventor), is related to prominent people.
Note: Grandiose delusions are seen in Mania and Schizophrenia
Delusions of guilt
The individual believes the he/she is a bad person and has done something terribly wrong for which he deserves to be punished for. These delusions usually start off by the individual being overly critical of him/herself and by feelings of self-reproach. The patient feels unworthy of himself.
Note: Usually seen in depressed patients and can lead to suicide or homicide.
Delusions of reference
The individual misrepresents harmless, non-suspicious events or mere coincidences as being strongly applicable to him.
Example: An individual believes that the news being read out on TV is directly referencing him, music being played for him; and car number plates have a coded message for him.
Somatic delusions
Patient is preoccupied with his body and health and makes false perception of his body.
Example: His nose is large; his teeth are misshapen, etc. even though they are fine
Religious delusions
The individual believes that he is God, a saint, an angel or has spiritual powers or that he is born for a divine purpose
Erotomania or Delusions of love
Patient believes that the other person is in love with him/her. These delusions may lead to stalking behavior disturbing another person
Hallucinations…..?
Deceptions in perceptions that occur in the absence of an external stimulus. This perception cannot be experienced by other people.
They have the quality of normal perception and the individual perceives them vividly and clearly. They cannot be controlled voluntarily.
Types of Hallucinations
- Auditory
- Visual,
- Tactile,
- Olfactory
- Gustatory
Auditory hallucinations
The voices heard can be complementary, critical, or neutral and can be displayed in the patient’s actions and behaviors.