Psychosis cont.
– Disruption of study and employment – Increased use of drugs and alcohol (221) – Loss of self-esteem and confidence – Greater chance of experiencing problems with the law (220) Associated crises Severe psychotic state , suicide thoughts or behaviour , self- harm , traumatic events , aggressive behaviour Although aggressive behaviour is rare, sometimes a young person in a severe psychotic state may threaten violence. This is more likely if alcohol or drug use is involved. Signs Psychosis is not a constant or static state, and different people experience psychosis in different ways and to different extents. The umbrella of psychosis is made up of the following parts: Delusions. Delusions are alternate beliefs that differ from the beliefs that are typically held in our society. These can include beliefs of persecution, guilt, having a special mission, being exalted from birth, or of being under outside control (222). Hallucinations. These are false perceptions. Hallucinations most commonly involve hearing voices. They can also involve seeing, feeling, tasting, or smelling things. These are perceived as very real by the person experiencing them. Hallucinations can be very frightening, especially when voices make negative comments about the young person or communicate unpleasant ideas. However, it is important to realise that not all hallucinated voices are negative. Some people report voices being kind or calm (223).
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