When a person experiences hallucinations or delusions, this is considered psychosis. Hallucinations and delusions are misperceptions of reality.
Hallucinations can be visual, auditory, olfactory, or tactile, though most people associate hallucinations with visual hallucinations. In addition to seeing things that are not present, hallucinations can involve hearing things, smelling things, and feeling things that are not truly there.
Delusions are extreme, unrealistic thoughts. Not all unrealistic thoughts are delusions. The difference between delusions and an unrealistic thought is the extreme nature of a delusion. For example, a delusion may be of thinking that the FBI are monitoring the person’s activities or that they have superpowers.
Psychosis is a defining characteristic of a psychiatric disorder called schizophrenia. Psychotic symptoms can also occur due to severe depression or bipolar disorder.
With schizophrenia, the hallucinations and delusions may be of paranoia or being persecuted. Sometimes, the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia can seem random.
Psychotic symptoms of bipolar disorder are related to the depression or mania that the person is experiencing. Hallucinations or delusions related to depression are more unusual than suicidal thoughts.
An example of a hallucination due to a depressive episode is hearing voices telling the person to commit suicide. Depression can cause delusions that the earth is a hellish place from which they must save their loved ones by killing them.
Mania causes hallucinations and delusions related to euphoria and grandiosity. The person may have a delusion that they have superpowers or have been chosen by God or another supernatural being.
Psychotic symptoms are not common symptoms of bipolar disorder or depression. People may experience psychotic symptoms only during the worst depressive or manic episodes of their lives and will not experience them again.
Anti-psychotic medication like Haldol is used to treat psychosis. Haldol and other anti-psychotic medication come in oral form. If the person is resistent to taking medication regularly, the person may need to take monthly injections.
The psychotic symptoms of bipolar disorder typically subside once the bipolar disorder or depression is stabilized. It may be hard for people to understand that the hallucinations and delusions are realistic to the person at the time they are experienced. If the person is having periods of psychosis and periods without psychosis, the person may develop anxiety and be fearful and frustrated about the psychotic symptoms.
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