Be Inspired..!!

Most people think of psychosis as a break with reality. In a way it is. Psychosis is characterized as disruptions to a person’s thoughts and perceptions that make it difficult for them to recognize what is real and what isn’t. These disruptions are often experienced as seeing, hearing and believing things that aren’t real or having strange, persistent thoughts, behaviors and emotions. While everyone’s experience is different, most people say psychosis is frightening and confusing.

Don’t wait to take the first step and prepare yourself with information by noting these symptoms :

• Disorganised thoughts and speech.
• Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling things that other people are not.
• Lack of interest in caring for self (e.g. showing, eating, hygiene).
• Over personalising events, songs, TV, and social media (e.g. special meaning directed at that person).
• Changes in mood – anxiety, depression, irritability.
• Changes in thinking – suspiciousness, lack of motivation, difficulty differentiating between what is real and not real.
• Changes in behaviour – social withdrawal, sleep disturbances, changes in the participation in usual activities and responsibilities.
• Changes in academic functioning – slower response time, decreased attendance, increased lateness, decreased participation, incomplete work and lower work quality.
• Changes in body movement – slow movements or lack of movements, sitting and starting blankly for long periods of time, restlessness or agitation.

Look Beyond The Surface – If any of these are interfering or blocking what you want to, contact your family physician or your local Early Psychosis intervention program.

Positive Symptoms – Something ADDED.
– Hallucinations
– Delusions (false beliefs)
– Disorganised thoughts and speech

Negative Symptoms – Something MISSING.
– Apathy
– Reduced socialising
– Restricted facial expression
– Change in rate of speech

Cognitive Symptoms – Something CHANGED
– Difficulties with attention, concentration, memory, planning and organisation.

References :https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/media/9345/the-anatomy-of-first-episode-psychosis.jpg?width=166&height=284