Psychotic Outbreak: definition, causes, symptoms and treatment

"Psychotic break" is one of those terms belonging to the world of psychiatry and clinical psychology that have passed into popular culture but that, At the same time, they have done so with a somewhat distorted definition: few people without formal training in the field of mental health are clear about this concept.

Therefore, throughout this article we will see what a psychotic break is, its characteristics and the type of pathologies in which it appears.

• Related article: "What is schizophrenia? Symptoms and Treatments "

What is a psychotic break?

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 psychopathologies is the appearance of psychotic breakouts, a 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 it does not distinguish if what happens to him is real or fictitious. Images or thoughts appear in your mind as if everything is authentic. They may think that the whole world is against them and they want to end him or, on the other hand, they may hear voices inside them that tell them

must commit suicide.

The psychotic outbreak 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 it, which 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 is not medicated, several psychotic outbreaks may appear throughout his 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 they may also experience a psychotic break. In some cases, even people who have never had a psychotic break may have a single break after a very stressful emotional situation or due to the consumption 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 their own psychotic break 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:

• The individual shows a behavior of social isolation, and may stop going to work or school
• Changes in dress and habits, as well as a neglect of appearance and hygiene.
• The person displays disorganized behavior, unusual, that seems meaningless, weird and extravagant.
• Present strange ideas that do not seem to have any relation to reality. Even if you don't share these kinds of thoughts with everyone, you may share them with a few close people.

Difference between delusions and hallucinations

Delusions and hallucinations, both present in the psychotic break, are not the same nor are they expressed in the same way. The former usually manifest in delusional or paranoid disorder, while the latter are typical of schizophrenia.

But what exactly sets them apart? Delusions are false beliefs. That is, wrong beliefs of 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, he may walk through a shopping center and believe that the people he crosses are spying on him and then give the information to the police.

On the other hand, hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or feeling something that doesn't 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 speaking to her through the plugs in her home.

• You may be interested: "The 8 types of Psychotic Disorders”

What is the difference with dissociative episodes?

Dissociation cases are phenomena that can be reminiscent of psychotic outbreaks. These are mental alterations in which the person experiences reality in a way that is dissociated from reality, in a similar way to that which occurs in psychosis. However, normally in these cases it is not considered that hallucinations arise, but a reaction emotionally discordant in the face of perceived or remembered information, and that often collides with identity of the person.

For example, in derealization, the person feels as if everything that surrounds them is a lie, a setting 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. Administration of antipsychotic drugs (for example, haloperidol or olanzapine) is necessary to stabilize the patient, but psychological support is also essential, since it not only serves as help for patients, but family members can also benefit from psychological help to cope with this situation. The psychotherapy it 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 from psychotic outbreaks again in his life. In other cases, such as schizophrenia, psychotic breakouts can reappear with some frequency. It is very important to clarify that a psychotic break and schizophrenia are not the same. Although the two terms can sometimes be confused and used synonymously, schizophrenia is a type of disorder long-lasting psychotic, whereas a psychotic break is an acute manifestation that has a brief duration. The psychotic break is considered a positive symptom of schizophrenia.

Bibliographic references:

• 1. American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.
• 1. Leucht, S., Arbter, D., Engel, R.R., Kissling, W., Davis, J.M. (2009). How effective are second-generation antipsychotic drugs? A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. Molecular Psychiatry. 14 (4): 429 - 447.
• 1. Sims, A. (2002). Symptoms in the mind: An introduction to descriptive psychopathology (3rd ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Science Ltd.
• 1. Tsuang, M.T., Stone, W.S., Faraone, S.V. (2000). Toward Reformulating the Diagnosis of Schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry 157 (7): 1041-1050.
• 1. Williams, P. (2012). Rethinking Madness: Towards a Paradigm Shift In Our Understanding and Treatment of Psychosis. Sky’s Edge Publishing.