Psychosis
Psychosis is when people lose some contact with reality.
The 2 main symptoms of Psychosis are:
Hallucinations – where a person hears, sees and, in some cases, feels, smells or tastes things that do not exist outside their mind but can feel very real to the person affected by them; a common hallucination is hearing voices.
Delusions – where a person has string beliefs that are not shared by others; a common delusion is someone believing there is a conspiracy to harm them.
The combination of hallucinations and delusional thinking can cause severe distress and a change in behaviour.
Experiencing the symptoms of Psychosis is often referred to as having a psychotic episode.
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Page last reviewed: 29 February, 2024