Psychotic Break: Definition, Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
“Psychotic break” is one of those terms belonging to the world of psychiatry and clinical psychology that have entered popular culture but, at the same time, have done so with a somewhat distorted definition: few people without formal training in the field of mental health is clear about this concept.
Therefore, throughout this article we will see what a psychotic break isits characteristics and the type of pathologies in which it appears.
The psychotic disorders They are serious mental illnesses in which the person loses contact with reality. One of the characteristic symptoms of this type of psychopathology is the appearance of psychotic breaksa concept that we will explore throughout this article.
A psychotic break is a temporary break from reality.and during this period of time the person who suffers from it does not distinguish if what happens to them is real or fictitious. Images or thoughts appear in his mind as if everything were authentic. They may think that everyone is against them and want to put an end to them or, on the other hand, they may hear voices inside them that tell them that they should commit suicide.
The psychotic break must be treated with drugs and psychological help must be sought as soon as possible.
Who can suffer it?
But… what causes a psychotic break? It seems that there is a certain genetic predisposition to suffer from itwhich together with environmental factors can trigger the presence of psychotic outbreaks. In diseases such as schizophrenia or paranoid disorder, it is possible that, if the patient does not take medication, several psychotic outbreaks may appear throughout their life.
This break with reality can occur for different reasons, and not only with these two psychotic disorders. Some patients with bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder may also experience a psychotic break. In some cases, even people who have never suffered a psychotic break can suffer a single break after a very stressful emotional situation or due to the use of drugs such as marijuana or hallucinogens.
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Symptoms
In cases of patients with psychotic disorders, medication is necessary to avoid these episodes. But, in general, it is difficult to anticipate and prevent it. Typically, family members themselves seek help when the psychotic outbreak itself is present, and patients are usually admitted temporarily until the symptoms have subsided.
However, There are certain signs that can indicate this type of behavior:
Difference between delusions and hallucinations
Delusions and hallucinations, both present in the psychotic outbreak, are not the same nor are they expressed in the same way.. The former usually manifest themselves in delusional or paranoid disorder, while the latter are typical of schizophrenia.
But what exactly differentiates them? Delusions are false beliefs. That is, erroneous beliefs about reality about an existing fact or object. They are, in other words, a distortion of an external stimulus that is present. For example, when someone suffers from delusions they may walk through a shopping center and believe that people they pass are spying on them and then give the information to the police.
On the other hand, hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing or feeling something that does not really exist. Patients with this condition actually hear or see things, but those objects or voices are not really there, they are inventions of the mind. For example, an individual with hallucinations may believe that they are being spoken to through electrical outlets in her home.
What is the difference with dissociative episodes?
Cases of dissociation are phenomena that can be reminiscent of psychotic breaks.. These are mental disorders in which the person experiences reality in a way dissociated from reality, in a way similar to that which occurs in psychosis. However, normally in these cases hallucinations are not considered to arise, but rather an emotionally discordant reaction to the information perceived or remembered, and which often clashes with the person’s identity.
For example, in derealization, the person feels as if everything around them were a lie, a decoration without much value beyond appearances. And there are also dissociative phenomena in which the faces of loved ones do not produce an emotional reaction of affection in the person.
Treatment
When a person suffers a psychotic break they need immediate treatment. Since this is a serious disorder, the patient is usually admitted so that he can receive the correct pharmacological and psychological treatment. The administration of antipsychotic drugs (for example, haloperidol or olanzapine) is necessary to stabilize the patient, but psychological support is also essential, as it not only helps the patients, but family members can also benefit from the help. psychological to be able to face this situation. Psychotherapy is useful to provide information, tools and support in these cases.
In some cases (for example, substance-induced psychotic disorder), the patient does not suffer psychotic breaks again in his life. In other cases, such as schizophrenia, psychotic breaks may recur with some frequency. It is very important to clarify that psychotic outbreak and schizophrenia are not the same. Although both terms can sometimes be confused and used interchangeably, schizophrenia is a type of long-term psychotic disorder, while a psychotic break is an acute manifestation that has a short duration. Psychotic break is considered a positive symptom of schizophrenia.
