Examining How A Psychotic Disorder Affects Your Mood And Behavior

Recognizing a problem and speaking to your doctor or mental health professional is usually only part of the journey when you have a psychotic disorder. Understanding the differences in your perception of yourself and the world around you can help you manage the symptoms and stressors of your mental health condition. Psychotic disorders often involve hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thoughts and speech, catatonia, and negative symptoms, although the experience can differ from person to person. Treatment for psychotic disorders usually involves a combination of therapy and medication. While those currently experiencing acute psychosis may need to seek treatment in person, others with psychotic disorders may benefit from convenient treatment options like online therapy.

What are psychotic disorders?

Psychotic disorders are usually defined as serious mental health conditions that can cause drastic changes in thinking and perception, often leading to a disconnection from reality. 

Psychosis (involving psychological symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thoughts and behaviors) tends to be a fundamental component of psychotic disorders. The following is a list of different types of diagnosable psychotic disorders. 

• Schizophrenia is a mental health condition characterized by a disconnection from reality, hallucinations, and delusions. Between 50% to 90% of people with schizophrenia may have difficulty recognizing their mental health condition, making treatment more challenging. 
• Schizoaffective disorder typically involves combined symptoms of schizophrenia and a mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder. This condition usually involves depression, mania, and psychosis, often in cycles. 
• Delusional disorder is a mental health condition that can cause a person to have trouble differentiating between what is and isn’t real. Subtypes usually depend on the type of delusion, such as jealous, persecutory, or grandiose. 
• Brief psychotic disorder normally involves the sudden onset of psychotic behavior or psychotic symptoms that persist for less than one month, followed by complete remission. However, future relapses are possible. 
• Schizophreniform disorder is a mental illness that can affect thoughts and actions, interpersonal relationships, and perception of reality, similar to schizophrenia. However, schizophreniform disorder usually lasts between one and six months, rather than being chronic. 
• Schizotypal personality disorder (STPD) is a mental health condition typically characterized by established patterns of intense discomfort with social interactions and unusual thoughts, speech, and behavior. 
• Shared psychotic disorder tends to be a rare mental health disorder characterized by a delusion shared between two or more people involved in a close relationship. 
• Postpartum psychosis may constitute a mental health emergency affecting a person’s sense of reality shortly after giving birth. Severe cases can cause a person to harm themselves or their newborn during a psychotic break. If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide, please know that help is available. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline anytime, 24/7, at 988.
• Medication or substance-induced psychotic disorder typically occurs due to consumption of alcohol or other substances that have been linked with psychosis. Studies show that people with severe psychotic disorders usually have an increased risk of alcohol and substance use and tend to be more likely to develop a related use disorder. 

Causes of psychosis

While more research likely still needs to be done, current studies have found that the following factors could offer explanations for the development of psychosis.

• A medical condition or injury: Psychosis isn't always due to a psychotic disorder, especially in young children and older adults. Physical conditions like a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other head trauma could cause psychosis. Neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia may lead to psychosis as well. Medical conditions like encephalitis, Addison’s disease, lupus, Lyme disease, and vitamin B1 and B12 deficiencies, among other illnesses, could also contribute to the development of psychosis.
• Bipolar disorder: Bipolar depression or bipolar disorder can be defined as a mood disorder that may cause psychosis during manic phases.
• Severe depression: Individuals with major depressive disorder may have psychotic episodes due to the cumulative effects of severe depression. 
• Extreme, prolonged mental stress: Mental stress often builds up over time, and when a person reaches their threshold, they may experience a psychotic break.

Understanding how psychotic disorders affect mood and behavior

While each psychotic disorder typically has different criteria for the type and occurrence of symptoms, and every person's experience can be unique, researchers have identified some commonalities in how psychotic disorders usually affect mood and behavior. 

Hallucinations

Having a sensory experience involving someone or something others can't perceive is generally referred to as a hallucination. You may hear, see, feel, smell, or taste things others cannot. It can be critical to note that hallucinations often appear and feel real to the person experiencing them. 

Auditory hallucinations tend to be the most common type of hallucination associated with psychotic disorders. Many individuals have reported hearing incoherent sounds or distinct voices. Hallucinations can also be visual or involve the other senses. 

Delusions

People with psychotic disorders often develop unshakable false beliefs in something that isn't true, such as the government monitoring their brain waves through the television. Delusions can take many forms, such as:

• Delusions of grandeur: Believing you have superpowers or are destined for a mystical quest
• Thought broadcasting: The belief that others can read your thoughts and are using that information to harm or target you
• Erotomanic delusions: Convictions that someone is in love with you, regardless of whether you have a connection

Disorganized or confused thinking

Certain psychotic disorders can make it difficult for a person to think clearly because their thoughts are disorganized and may jump from one thing to the next without finishing the idea. This can make conversations with them confusing and hard to follow. 

Catatonia

Catatonia can be defined as a condition affecting an individual’s awareness of and response to their surroundings and stimuli. Those with this symptom might be unaware of what’s happening around them or respond inappropriately, irrationally, or unpredictably to certain stimuli. 

Negative symptoms

Psychotic symptoms often have a negative effect on the person experiencing them, usually resulting in a loss or decline in their regular functional ability, such as slowed speech and movement, decreased energy, and loss of interest or anhedonia. 

Recognizing the early signs of psychosis

The early signs of a psychotic disorder, also known as prodromal symptoms, could indicate an upcoming psychotic episode. Prodromal symptoms may include:

• Exhibiting a lack of emotional reaction in situations where it would otherwise be appropriate 
• A drastic drop in performance at school or work
• Feeling suspicious or uneasy around other people 
• Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly
• A substantial decline in personal hygiene and self-care
• Social withdrawal or loss of interest in social contact

What types of treatment are available for psychotic disorders?

Psychotic disorders often require professional care and treatment to enable individuals to lead healthy lives. The following are commonly recommended treatment options for those living with a psychotic disorder. 

• Inpatient treatment for severe psychosis: If an individual poses a danger to themself or others or has extreme symptoms, inpatient treatment may be necessary.
• Antipsychotic medications: Pharmaceutical intervention can help balance the brain’s neurochemistry, preventing or reducing the severity of symptoms. Never start or stop any form of medication unless instructed to do so by a licensed medical professional.
• Ongoing psychotherapy with a licensed mental health specialist: Various therapeutic approaches conducted by a therapist or other professional can be helpful. For instance, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) usually explores the connection between your thoughts and feelings, examining past experiences for links to current behavior. 
• Family therapy: Family members often have questions and complex feelings related to a loved one's psychotic disorder, and family therapy can provide a safe place for productive conversations, conflict resolution, and healthy communication. 
• Couples therapy: Romantic partners can work through relationship concerns and find ways to understand and support each other when one or both of them live with psychotic disorders. 
• Online therapy: Working with a licensed therapist online may provide numerous benefits to help you manage the symptoms and stressors of your psychotic disorder through ongoing psychotherapy treatment from the comfort and convenience of your own home.
• Building emotional intelligence, awareness, and literacy: It can be important to learn to recognize and identify your emotions and psychosis triggers, understand how they affect you, and identify what helps you cope. Knowing how to express your thoughts, feelings, and experiences to others can also be vital. 
• Identifying and reshaping harmful, maladaptive thought and behavior patterns: CBT can help individuals recognize their unhealthy or unhelpful thought patterns or behaviors. They can also receive the support and guidance of a mental health professional as they work to examine the underlying cause of their thoughts and establish meaningful changes to thinking and behavior.  
• Developing positive, practical coping skills: Working with a professional can help people develop effective, practical coping skills to manage various situations and psychotic symptoms.
• Identifying triggers and symptoms: It can be helpful for individuals to identify what triggers their psychosis. When they’re experiencing the symptoms of a disconnection from reality, this can help them recognize what’s happening and lead them to seek support or use the appropriate coping skills.
• Create a crisis plan: Working with a qualified mental health professional usually involves creating a crisis plan with important information about how your psychotic disorder affects you and what people can do to help you if you experience a psychotic episode and can’t care for yourself. 

Benefits of online therapy

Psychotic symptoms can be disruptive, but with careful management, you can still live a full, productive life. If you’ve been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder or experienced a psychotic episode, consider working with a licensed therapist through a virtual platform like BetterHelp. Therapy can teach you various ways to recognize hallucinations or delusional thoughts, find healthy, practical ways to cope with your symptoms, and develop the emotional tools to identify triggers and apply the appropriate coping mechanism. With online therapy, there’s generally no need to leave your home to get support, and you can choose between phone calls, video chats, or in-app messaging to chat with your therapist. 

Effectiveness of online therapy 

Online therapy can be useful for managing and treating a variety of mental health disorders and other concerns. One study assessed the effectiveness of an online mindfulness‐based intervention (MBI) for people with a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis who were experiencing distressing voices. They examined outcomes such as levels of depression, anxiety, and hearing voices. Researchers found that those who completed the program typically had a significant reduction in “anxiety, beliefs about voices and voice‐related negative affect.” Researchers concluded that “online delivery of mindfulness for psychosis groups may be a useful addition to mental health services for people with distressing voices.”

Please note that individuals experiencing acute psychosis may need to seek treatment in person.

Takeaway 

Learning to live with a psychotic disorder can be a challenging experience, potentially affecting a person’s ability to function from day to day. However, treatment is often readily available and highly recommended. Although everyone may experience psychotic disorders differently, a mental health professional can develop a personalized treatment plan to support a higher quality of life. Resources like therapy can help those with psychotic disorders learn how to minimize the impact their symptoms have on their lives. Therapy can also be useful for friends, family members, and partners who want to support their loved ones living with psychotic disorders. Online therapy can make it easier and more convenient for those with busy schedules to still receive the advice and guidance they deserve.