In the beginning of a psychosis, the affected person will oftentimes realize later than others that they act differently than they would normally. This is due to the fact that a psychosis means an indistinguishable line between what is real and what is imagined. People who suffer from a psychosis might feel like they are being followed, or that nobody seems to want to understand them \u2013 even though what they experience is as real to them as day and night. Imagine how you would feel if you were reading this text, and someone comes along and tells you that what you are holding in your hand is not a mobile device or a laptop, but an empty piece of paper and that you are not reading anything and being crazy and imagining things. Yet here you are, knowing for a fact that you have just read all the information above and gotten to know a little bit about psychotic disorders \u2013 clear memories in your head from just a few moments ago. You would not believe the other person and probably be very suspicious of why they would want to make you believe things that you clearly know are not as they say they are. This is why people who suffer from a psychosis are sometimes quite difficult to reach and why they might resist talking about their actions and problems.<\/p>
Psychotic disorders can take different shapes and forms and are therefore classified along a wide range of illnesses \u2013 like schizophrenia, or delusional disorders. However, the symptoms that point toward any such psychotic disorder are largely the same in the beginning:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Beim Beginn einer Psychose bemerken die betroffenen Personen meist erst sp\u00e4ter als ihre Angeh\u00f6rigen, dass sie sich anders verhalten als zuvor. Das liegt daran, dass f\u00fcr die betroffene Person Wirklichkeit und Einbildung oft nicht mehr zu unterscheiden sind. Menschen, die an einer Psychose erkrankt sind, haben auch h\u00e4ufig das Gef\u00fchl, dass sie verfolgt werden oder niemand sie versteht\u00a0\u2013 sie sind schwieriger zu erreichen und wehren sich gegen Gespr\u00e4che \u00fcber ihr Verhalten.<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Psychotic disorders can take different shapes and forms and are therefore classified along a wide range of illnesses \u2013 like schizophrenia, or delusional disorders. However, the symptoms that point toward any such psychotic disorder are largely the same in the beginning:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t The affected person perceives something that is not actually there. It could be hearing a voice, or music, without someone actually speaking, or without the radio being turned on. It could also be visual \u2013 meaning the person sees things or people that are also not there. Sometimes hallucinations can also be in the forms of smells and even touch \u2013 like feeling like insects are crawling over one\u2019s skin.<\/p><\/p><\/div>\n <\/div> The affected person is deeply convinced of a fact that is factually not possible, or that can even be easily proven as wrong, or as only existing in the imagination of the person. It could be the thought that friends are constantly watching and wishing evil upon the affected person. It could also be the thought that something that is said on TV is directly intended towards the affected person and will lead to other people now chasing him or her.<\/p><\/p><\/div>\n <\/div> The affected person loses touch with what is the self and what is the environment. This can lead to the feeling of being controlled by others, or that someone has planted thoughts into the mind of the affected person. Or it could be that the person is sure that reality and the self is something unrealistic and that others are able to read their minds.<\/p><\/p><\/div>\n <\/div> The affected person is moving differently to how she or he would normally move or is speaking in unfinished sentences that do not make sense.<\/p><\/p><\/div>\n <\/div> Quick to be distracted, jumping from one topic to the next.<\/p><\/p><\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t <\/i> These symptoms are called positive symptoms<\/strong> \u2013\n<\/strong><\/em><\/span>Like in mathematics, positive as a quality means adding to something, rather than being good or feeling any special way.<\/strong>Plus<\/strong>\u201c in der Mathematik<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Positive symptoms<\/strong> are new behaviors or abnormalities that are not part of the person's previous nature, they are new additions.<\/p>\n Other symptoms can be:<\/p>\n\n <\/i> These symptoms are called negative symptoms \u2013 Like in mathematics, negative means something becomes less, rather than negative being an emotional quality of something.<\/strong><\/p>\n Negative symptoms<\/strong> mean that normal characteristics and behavioural habits start to decline and become less.<\/p>\n Not everyone who seems or feels \u201cweird\u201d or distanced for a while is automatically subject to a psychotic disorder. But when the symptoms prevail and start to sincerely disturb daily life and social interactions it is important to look closer. Especially in the case of a psychotic disorder, the symptoms can seem very destructive and limiting. People who suffer from a psychotic disorder are easily be seen as \u201ccrazy\u201d \u2013 this is why you should be sensitive when approaching someone you are worried about. Characteristically for a psychotic disorder, it might be very difficult to reach or talk to the affected person. If someone is convinced that even friends and family are conspiring against her or him, helping will probably be rejected and resisted. This is not to be taken personally but understood as part of the disorder and not to be worked against.\nDon\u2019t be afraid to observe and recognize any changes in behaviour in yourself and people who are close to you. Take them seriously if they become significant. Talking and helping is always better than looking away! Feeling confused, or anxious, or losing grasp of what is real and what is not is not easy, nor particularly pleasant \u2013 whether this is due to an illness or not. There are ways to deal with these sorts of problems.<\/p>\n If you observe one or more of the following symptoms in your own behaviour or in someone around you, it is important to take them seriously and try to take action.<\/p>\n\n <\/i> These symptoms are called positive symptoms <\/strong> \u2013\n<\/strong><\/em>this means something is added to the person\u2019s perception or the way she or he acts, which was not there before the psychotic disorder. Like in mathematics, positive as a quality means adding to something, rather than being good or feeling any special way.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Positive symptoms<\/strong> are new behaviors or abnormalities that are not part of the person's previous nature, they are new additions.<\/span><\/em><\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Other symptoms can be:<\/p> <\/i> These symptoms are called negative symptoms \u2013 Like in mathematics, negative means something becomes less, rather than negative being an emotional quality of something.<\/strong><\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Negative symptoms<\/strong> mean that normal characteristics and behavioural habits start to decline and become less.<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Nicht bei jedem Menschen, der mal f\u00fcr eine Weile \u201eseltsam\u201c wirkt oder sich zur\u00fcckzieht, muss man sich Sorgen \u00fcber eine psychotische Erkrankung machen. Allerdings sind besonders die Symptome einer psychotischen Erkrankung dadurch gepr\u00e4gt, dass sie die Lebensqualit\u00e4t, den Alltag und die sozialen Beziehungen der betroffenen Person stark einschr\u00e4nken. Menschen, die an einer Psychose leiden, werden schnell als \u201everr\u00fcckt\u201c verurteilt \u2013 deswegen solltest du sensibel auf die Person zugehen, um die du dir Sorgen machst.\u00a0Besonders bei Menschen mit einer psychotischen Erkrankung kann es schwierig sein, an sie heran zu kommen. Wenn eine dir nahestehende Person davon \u00fcberzeugt ist, dass sich Freundinnen, Freunde und Familie gegen sie verschworen haben, dann wird sie sich wahrscheinlich nicht von euch helfen lassen wollen. Das solltest du nicht pers\u00f6nlich nehmen, sondern verstehen, dass diese Wahnvorstellung Teil der Krankheit ist.\u00a0Beobachte dich selbst, deine Freundinnen, Freunde und Familienmitglieder, und nimm Verhaltensver\u00e4nderungen ernst. Reden und helfen ist immer besser als wegschauen! Sich durcheinander zu f\u00fchlen, \u00e4ngstlich zu sein oder sich in eingebildeten Realit\u00e4ten zu verlieren,\u00a0ist f\u00fcr niemanden sch\u00f6n \u2013 ob es nun mit einer Erkrankung zu tun hat oder nicht. Doch es gibt sicherlich eine M\u00f6glichkeit, das Problem anzugehen.<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> If you observe one or more of the following symptoms in your own behaviour or in someone around you, it is important to take them seriously and try to take action.<\/p> A psychosis is a mental illness. Just like with a bodily sickness, the affected person does not really have an influence on whether or not she or he suffers from a psychosis. Oftentimes, the occurrence of a psychosis can be linked to a traumatic experience, or a difficult phase in life. The misuse of drugs can also be the cause of a psychosis \u2013 sometimes the single use of a drug will cause it.<\/p>\n This could be due to increasingly high dosage of dangerous substances within drugs \u2013 also those that are said to be harmless.<\/p>\n Caution: As with any psychological disorder, people who suffer from a psychosis are never to blame for being ill \u2013 even if they, for example, misused drugs. It is never that easy. Some people are just predisposed to a psychosis by their genes and by people in their family having suffered from a psychosis. For others, the disorder comes \u201cout of the blue\u201d. A psychosis is subject to the transmitting and communicating substances in our brain \u2013 a complex interaction that we can\u2019t see or influence from the outside. \nSo, what can be said for sure is: There are different causes and influences for the occurrence of a psychosis, or that work against a psychosis; some of which we can work on, some of which we cannot. \nFor many people, a psychosis starts with a phase that is often accompanied by a depression. Oftentimes, first signs of a psychosis are already visible in the teenage years, although this is often labelled as \u201cjust being teenagers\u201d. This is why help often arrives late for the people who need it \u2013 although especially in the case of a psychosis, early treatment would be very helpful.<\/p>\n Dass wir t\u00e4glichen Herausforderungen und Schwierigkeiten unterschiedlich begegnen, h\u00e4ngt von unserer pers\u00f6nlichen Widerstandskraft ab \u2013 der sogenannten Resilienz. Sie wird zum Beispiel dadurch gest\u00e4rkt, dass wir ein Gef\u00fchl von Sicherheit und allgemeiner Zufriedenheit versp\u00fcren, unsere sozialen Kontakte pflegen und uns angemessen um uns selbst k\u00fcmmern. Weitere Informationen findest du unter Psyche and resilience<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t \n Experts often describe the onset of a psychosis as a vicious cycle. Especially people who often feel uncomfortable and do not get much support by friends and family are susceptible to psychoses. But exactly these vital things \u2013 social contacts and the well-being \u2013 are the first to break off in the beginning of a psychotic disorder. So, if a person who is susceptible to a psychotic disorder is exposed to a lot of stress, needs to tackle a difficult phase in life alone, or when social contacts start breaking away, the point can be reached where she or he just can\u2019t deal with these challenges anymore \u2013 at least not alone. \nSudden changes, like the loss of an important person or a loved one getting sick, can also become such a heavy burden to carry, that they trigger the first symptoms of a psychosis.<\/p> Experts often describe the onset of a psychosis as a vicious cycle. Especially people who often feel uncomfortable and do not get much support by friends and family are susceptible to psychoses. But exactly these vital things \u2013 social contacts and the well-being \u2013 are the first to break off in the beginning of a psychotic disorder. So, if a person who is susceptible to a psychotic disorder is exposed to a lot of stress, needs to tackle a difficult phase in life alone, or when social contacts start breaking away, the point can be reached where she or he just can\u2019t deal with these challenges anymore \u2013 at least not alone. \nSudden changes, like the loss of an important person or a loved one getting sick, can also become such a heavy burden to carry, that they trigger the first symptoms of a psychosis.<\/p> For example, there is the delusional disorder, in which the affected person experiences a new reality. She or he is absolutely certain that their subjective and imagined reality is the true reality. It could be paired with an understanding of others not seeing the same things and having a different reality \u2013 but such drastic misunderstandings can also lead to anger and aggression. Another form is schizophrenia, whereby affected people experience hallucinations and delusions over a longer period of time. Their speech and actions might seem blurred or disconnected. This may lead to them feeling uncomfortable or making others feel uncomfortable, often leading to unacceptance and distance in their usual social environment. A person with schizophrenia might experience fluctuations in the symptoms \u2013 sometimes weaker, sometimes stronger symptoms \u2013, but in the long run schizophrenia will probably cause great changes in the affected person\u2019s life: She or he is not able to keep up with the work of school or a job, the person falls behind with social contacts and family, and stops taking care of daily tasks and her or his own human needs - like eating, movement, and hygiene.<\/p> These two forms of psychotic disorders are just examples of the wide range of directions this illness can take. As with many other psychological disorders, a psychotic disorder can appear in combination or linked to another mental disorder \u2013 psychologists speak of a schizo-affective disorder.<\/p> Which type of psychotic disorder you or the person close to you deals with is impossible to simply say and poses a question to be answered with the help of a professional contact person. Such a professional can make a diagnosis and find out, in cooperation with you or the affected person, which therapy suits the individual needs and would lead to the regaining of the desired quality of daily life.<\/p>\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t \n A person with a psychotic disorder will often feel like no one understands her or him. Oftentimes, she or he will not understand that there is a problem at all, since the perceived realities and convictions are unmistakably taken for the \u201cright ones\u201d, even if contradicting evidence exists. But it is important to take affected people and their views seriously, to treat them with respect, and support them as best as friends and family can to get the help that they might need.<\/p>\n Do you need help with the first step? Whether you are affected yourself and need to entrust your feelings to someone, or if you want to help a friend or a family member: here<\/a><\/span><\/span> you will find tips on how to start a conversation about these difficult topics.<\/p>\n And then: Therapy? \nHow a therapy looks like, how much time it needs, and what it does to help you or the person you are concerned about you will find \n here<\/span><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t \n You have decided to seek help for yourself or someone close, and you ask yourself where to find support? Firstly: You should know that there are many different points of possible contact and various professionals to work with. It is important to first find out which path individually suits best.<\/p> This is why a good first step is to talk to your general practitioner. As with a therapist, because of the pledge of secrecy, everything you tell them remains confidential and will not leave the room you are in. Of course, you may also bring a friend of a family member.<\/p> It is also possible to turn directly to a psychotherapist. Here<\/a> you get tips on how to get an appointment.<\/span><\/p><\/div> You want an impression of which contact points are the right ones for you or the person close to you? Here<\/a> we explain, which professionals are best suited for which specific problem.<\/span><\/p><\/div> If you need further support on your way toward therapy, or if you want to keep anonymous while first talking to someone, here<\/a> you will find links for points of contact in your area and trustworthy people to talk to.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n \t
\n \t
\n \t
\n \t
An example of delusions is a delusion of love, in which the affected person is certain that a specific person is in love with him or her \u2013 this goes so far that, even if the other person is in a relationship and told the affected person that she or he is not interested and happily married, the affected person will simply believe this to be a lie. Another widespread example is the delusion of prosecution, whereby the affected people feel watched and followed, even in their most private spaces.<\/p>