If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like when someone’s mind seems to drift away from what’s real, that’s often what psychotic symptoms feel like.
They’re tough on the person going through them and on those around them.
Here at Liberty Behavioral Healthcare, Lanham, Maryland, we help our clients understand and manage these experiences.
Most describe a return to stability with the appropriate intervention.
Let us discuss what these symptoms really are, the factors responsible for them, and ways of managing them.
What Psychotic Symptoms Can Look Like
During psychosis, the person’s view of the world is different from everyone else around them.
It can be a part of schizophrenia or occur in deep depression, high mania, or after heavy stress or drugs.
Most often, people deal with:
- Voices in their head that nobody else hears. Sometimes those voices say harsh things or tell them what to do.
- Strong beliefs that feel totally true but aren’t. Being convinced strangers are spying or that they control events with their mind.
- Thoughts that bounce all over the place. This makes it tough to finish a sentence or follow a chat.
- Behavior that just feels out of place. Super restless one minute and barely moving the next.
- Shuts down, does not care about much, keeps away from people, feels empty inside.
Two people don’t experience it the same way. It might hit hard and fast or build up quietly over weeks. Either way, noticing soon helps a ton.
Some Causes of Psychotic Signs and Symptoms
It almost never boils down to one single thing. Life tends to stack a few factors together.
The usual suspects are:
- Family history. If a parent or sibling has had something similar, it ups the odds.
- Brain chemicals are getting thrown off. Dopamine running too high plays a big role in a lot of cases.
- Rough stuff from the past or big stress now. Trauma, grief, constant worry, anything that wears a person down.
- Drugs or alcohol. Speed, acid, too much weed, even suddenly quitting alcohol can affect a person.
- Other health issues. Head injuries, bad infections, thyroid issues, or diseases that affect the brain.
- Not sleeping for days. That alone can push some people right into it.
We piece together whatever fits the person’s story. It guides what we try and what to watch out for later.
Treatment
The key is mixing the right pieces and not waiting too long.
Medication
Antipsychotics usually come first. They dial down the brain noise and often make voices or fixed ideas fade within days or weeks.
Everybody reacts differently, so we start low, watch how it goes, and change things if needed.
Talking and Everyday Support
Pills fix the chemistry, but talking gives people their power back.
- Regular sessions to sort out what’s scary and learn tricks to stay grounded.
- Getting family on board so the home feels safer and less confusing.
- Practicing basic stuff like chatting with people or keeping a routine.
- Sleep, movement, not taking drugs, and eating decently. Those small things pile up and make a huge difference.
Getting Help Soon Changes Everything
Let it drag on and recovery gets steeper. Jump in early and most people get their lives back, work, friends, hobbies, all of it.
Reach out. Our team at Liberty Behavioral Healthcare in Lanham, MD, actually listens and builds something that fits you.
Call us at 410-622-3031 or head over to our website to set up an appointment. It gets better.
FAQs
Is psychosis exactly the same as schizophrenia?
Nope. Psychosis is just the symptoms. Schizophrenia is one condition that usually keeps them around longer.
Do signs and symptoms always come back?
Not even close. Tons of people have one rough stretch and that’s the end of it.
Do you stay on these meds forever?
A lot of people do, for a while. Some ease off later. Depends on the person.
How long will treatment take?
Anywhere from a couple of months to checking in over years.
