What is Psychotic Disorder?
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Psychosis refers to a collection of symptoms that affect the mind, where there has been some loss of contact with reality. Individuals with psychotic disorders may experience symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and impaired insight. Here are some common symptoms associated with psychotic disorders:
Hallucinations: These are sensory experiences that occur without any external stimulus. Hallucinations can involve any of the senses, but auditory hallucinations (hearing voices) are the most common. Visual hallucinations (seeing things that aren't there), olfactory hallucinations (smelling things that aren't present), tactile hallucinations (feeling things that aren't there), and gustatory hallucinations (tasting things that aren't present) can also occur.
Delusions: Delusions are false beliefs that are held despite evidence to the contrary. These beliefs are often bizarre or implausible and are not shared by others in the person's culture or social group. Common delusions include paranoid delusions (believing that one is being persecuted or conspired against), grandiose delusions (believing that one has special powers or abilities), and somatic delusions (believing that one has a physical illness or deformity).
Disorganized thinking: Individuals with psychotic disorders may have difficulty organizing their thoughts and expressing themselves coherently. Their speech may be disjointed, illogical, or difficult to follow.
Impaired insight: Many people with psychotic disorders lack insight into their condition and may not recognize that their beliefs or experiences are abnormal. This can make it challenging to engage them in treatment.
Negative symptoms: In addition to positive symptoms like hallucinations and delusions, psychotic disorders can also involve negative symptoms, which are deficits or impairments in normal emotional or behavioral functioning. These can include reduced emotional expression (flat affect), social withdrawal, and decreased motivation or ability to carry out daily activities.
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