About this factsheet
This is one in a series of factsheets for parents, carers,
profe
ssionals and
young people entitled
Mental Health and Growing Up. The
aims of these factsheets are to provide practical, up-to-date
information about mental health problems (emotional, behavioural
and psychiatric disorders) that can affect children and young
people. This factsheet describes psychosis, and how and why it
might affect you. It also offers some practical advice about how to
get help.
What is psychosis?
Young people often worry that they may be
‘going mad' when they are feeling stressed, confused or very upset.
In fact, worries like this are rarely a sign of mental illness.
‘Psychosis’ is when your thoughts are so disturbed that you lose
touch with reality. This type of problem can be severe and
distressing.
How common is it?
Psychosis affects people of all ages, but is
rare before you reach the older teenage years.
What causes psychosis?
When you have a psychotic episode, it can be a
signal of another underlying illness. You can have a psychotic
episode after a stressful event like losing a close friend or
relative. It can also be the result of a physical illness (like a
severe infection), the use of illegal drugs (like cannabis) or a
severe mental illness (like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder).
Sometimes it is difficult to know what caused the illness.
How do I know if I have psychosis?
When you have psychosis, you will usually
experience very unusual and sometimes unpleasant thoughts and
experiences. They may appear suddenly making you feel really
frightened. They can also creep in so gradually that only
people like your close family and friends notice you are behaving
strangely.
You may experience one or more of the symptoms
below:
- Unusual beliefs called
'delusions'. These are very strong beliefs which are
obviously untrue to others, but not to you. For example, when you
are ill you may think that there is a plot to harm you or that you
are being spied on by the TV or being taken over by aliens.
Sometimes you may feel you have special powers.
- Thought disorder.
This is when you cannot think straight. Your ideas may seem
jumbled, but it is more than being muddled or confused. Other
people will find it very difficult to follow what you say.
- Unusual experiences called
'hallucinations'. These are when you can see, hear,
smell or feel something that isn't really there. The most common
hallucination that people have is hearing voices. Hallucinations
are very real to the person having them. This can be very
frightening and can make you believe that you are being watched or
picked on.
Having these strange thoughts and experiences
can affect you at school, home or when with friends. You may find
it difficult to concentrate and enjoy your usual activities. They
can even affect your sleep and appetite.
How do I get help?
It is important that you seek help early. The
earlier you are treated for psychosis, the quicker you can get back
to your normal life.
Firstly, you could talk to your family, school
nurse or GP. They may get you specialist help from a Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Service (CAMHS) team or an
Early Intervention Team or Service (EIS) - a specialist team for
young people with psychosis.
With psychosis, you often don’t realise that
you are unwell, which means the people around you might notice
it first. If you become very unwell, you could need some time
in hospital until your condition stabilises.
What is the treatment for psychosis?
Medications called
‘antipsychotics’ are an important part of treatment.
They may need to be taken for a long time in order to stay well. As
with medication of any kind, there can be side-effects; the doctor
you see will be able to advise you on these and what can be done to
help.
If the psychosis is related to drug use or an
underlying physical illness, you may need specific help and
treatment to manage this.
Other forms of treatment are also important.
You and your family will need help to understand more about your
illness, how to manage it, and how to help prevent it coming back.
You may need support to rebuild your confidence to continue with
school, college or work.
Talking treatments can be helpful as well, but
need to be in addition to medication.
What will happen in the future?
Most young people with early help and
treatment recover from their psychotic episode. If the illness is
due to an underlying physical illness or the use of drugs, you
might avoid having another episode by taking
the right treatment and avoiding using drugs.
It is often difficult to know what the
long-term effects of a psychotic episode will be, and a definite
diagnosis may not be possible straight away.
Is there anything else I should do?
It is important to continue with any treatment
advised by your doctor and keep a balanced, healthy lifestyle.
Talking to others when you feel stressed can help in identifying
problems early and getting the right treatment.
If you want to know more you could try the
following:
YoungMinds:
information to young people about mental health and emotional
well-being.
Talk to
Frank: for drug-induced psychosis
Rethink offers help
to people with severe mental illness (not only schizophrenia) and
their carers. 30 Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4DD. National
advice line 020 8974 6814; e-mail advice@ rethink.org
Changing Minds: A Multimedia CD-ROM about Mental
Health is intended for 13–17 year olds; it talks about
addiction, stress, eating disorders, depression, and schizophrenia
and self-harm. Further details from the Royal College of
Psychiatrists: tel. 020 7235 2351, ext.6146.
References
Rutter’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
Fifth Edition (2008). Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.
The Young Mind: an essential guide for parents, teachers and young
adults.
With grateful thanks to Dr
Mona Freeman.
Series Editor: The Child and
Family Public Education Editorial Board chaired by Professor
Ann Le Couteur.
© June 2010. Due for review: June 2012.
Royal College of Psychiatrists. This leaflet may be downloaded,
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