The acute phase is marked by the onset of clear psychotic symptoms. Psychosis is a condition that affects the mind, resulting in a loss of contact with reality. This can lead to changes in mood, behaviour, and beliefs you may hold. If you are experiencing psychosis, your perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviour may be dramatically different from your usual experience or from those around you, sometimes for no apparent reason.

If you become unwell in this way it is called a psychotic episode. This can be frightening and upsetting for both you and those close to you.

Nobody’s experience of psychosis is the same and psychotic features will vary from person to person and will often change over time.

Some common symptoms of psychosis

Hallucinations

You may hear, see, smell, feel or taste things that may not actually be there. Examples include hearing voices or seeing shapes or object that others cannot. You may believe your senses are playing tricks on you.

Sensory sensitivity

You may find that you become more sensitive to light and colours or find that sounds are louder or quieter than normal.

Confused thinking

Your everyday thoughts may not join up correctly or may be confused or jumbled. Concentration and memory can also be affected.

False or delusional beliefs

You may have strange ideas or beliefs that you didn’t have before. Sometimes you may become preoccupied or convinced of these beliefs, no matter how good or logical the counterargument is. Examples of delusions include the belief that people are watching you or are going to harm you, feeling that people can read your mind, or believing you have special powers.

Ideas of reference

You may begin to read more into normal occurrences or attach special meaning to seemingly innocuous or random things.

Abnormal speech

You may find it difficult to communicate or others find you hard to understand. Your speech may not flow smoothly and may seem disjointed. Sometimes, you may invent new words.

Changes in behaviour

If you have psychosis, you may begin to act or behave differently to the way you normally would do. You may become extremely active or lethargic, or withdrawn or less inhibited. Often these changes correspond to specific symptoms; for instance, responding to hallucinations or beliefs by talking back to voices or avoiding food if you believe you are being poisoned.

All of these changes make it difficult for you to distinguish between what is real and is not real. This can be very distressing for all concerned.