What are psychotic disorders?
Psychotic disorders are severe mental illnesses that cause abnormal thinking and hallucinations. People with a psychotic illness appear to lose grip on reality because of their hallucinations and delusions. Delusions are false beliefs such as the government constantly spying on them. The hallucinations make a sufferer see, hear or feel things that do not exist. Psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, delusional disorder and brief psychotic disorder. Some mental illnesses classed as psychotic can overlap with mood and personality disorders.
What can I do?
In most situations, people with a psychotic disorder can be a danger to themselves or others and should be referred to a professional. You should take time to understand what the person is going through and be as supportive as possible to help them through this stage. There are many forms of treatment available for people suffering from a psychotic disorder.
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Articles in this section by Paul.