Shared Psychotic Disorder, what can help?

Is Psychosis contagious?

Unfortunately it can be - for details: click a link.


What is Psychosis?

Psychosis is a mental disorder, often occuring before schizophrenia. It's symptoms are delusions, sensory hallucinations, sleeping disorders, mood swings & extremes, possibly paranoic fear.

While psychotic episode can be permanently cured, schizophrenia rarely can be. There are of course states of remission, patient can behave sanely for long periods of time - and need for hospitalization might be reduced to minimum.


What can help?

Calmness, relaxation, distance, criticism & delaying rash decision until one has calm moment to think over these.

i also think that one should speak (or write) - especially in media, including in the internet social media - as little as possible, when suffering from illness symptoms.

Speaking should occur in a contained therapic environment, however - as neglecting it might cause stress & problems to accumulate in subconsciousness over time, worsening one's state in the result.


'i have some symptoms, should i visit a doctor?'

Many of healthy people occassionally have symptoms as delusions or sensory hallucinations, or other.

What makes visiting doctor needed is failing at handling real-life's situations because of these.

Even when this occurs, one should not go to psychiatrist at first, one should consult psychologist instead. When neccessary, psychologist will send one to a psychiatrist or administer proper therapy.


What is the difference between psychology & psychiatry?

Psychology is talking, counselling, advice & psychotherapy - using words & exercises. It's finer method, gentler than psychiatry. No medicines are administered.

Psychiatry is administering medicines, often in a mental hospital - so doctors can observe how patients reacts to a certain medicines. Being at a hospital also ensures that risk of harming oneself or others is reduced to a minimum. If medicines are working inefficiently, visit in the hospital is longer, as different ones are tried. Whole process takes time, one cannot just take away pills and next day administer full dose of another pills. Effects of therapy also take time, as does observing these over a certain period.

Psychology can occur without psychotherapy, psychotherapy is best combined with psychology.

Psychiatric medicines are powerful, and often have side-effects on a patient - but well-selected medicines have neglible effects.

i think it's worth to wait until proper medicines are administered, but often it takes too long - as patient's body must get used to these. Usually after a few visits to hospital, best medicines are chosen at last.