First episode psychosis

Diagnosing the first episode of psychosis and treating it is very important. You and your family should be able to recognize psychosis. It is vital to seek help from a mental health professional without trying to hide the condition. The appropriate treatment early in this condition can be life-changing for you and make an enormous difference to your future.

Families should be alert to: 

• A break from reality with unusual, irrational beliefs
• Suspecting friends and family, or feeling persecuted or spied on
• Hearing, seeing, or smelling things that no one else does
• Sudden carelessness about personal hygiene
• Withdrawal from family and friends. Spending a lot of time alone
• Inability to concentrate or think clearly

These warning signs should alert your family, and you should get help from mental health specialists immediately. 

Psychosis treatment options

Your doctor will involve mental health experts to treat the disorder once psychosis is confirmed. Some of the treatment methods include the following:

Medicines

Some medicines act on the brain and relieve psychosis by blocking dopamine, a message-transmitting chemical in the brain. They are effective but not advised for everyone, especially people with epilepsy and heart disease. 

These medicines can reduce anxiety in hours. Delusions and hallucinations may persist for several days or weeks after starting treatment.

These are long-term medications taken after symptoms disappear. Abruptly stopping medicines can cause a return of symptoms. Your physician will decide when to stop treatment and do it gradually.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is a particular type of counseling therapy that helps people with psychosis. It can be one-to-one with the counselor and patient only. Sometimes, family members, partners, and close friends participate. CBT can reduce the need for hospitalization in people with psychosis. 

CBT therapists will help you consider ways of understanding your feelings and thoughts. They help reduce your distress and let you feel in control again. CBT can aid you in getting back to normal and restarting your education or work.

Family intervention

Your close family members are vital for your care and support. Your care team will have meetings with your family to discuss your condition. They learn how it can progress, the treatment plan, and how they can support it. They will also learn how to manage psychotic episodes. 

Hospitalization

If the psychotic episodes are severe, your doctor may decide to admit you to a hospital for treatment.

Social support

If you’ve had psychosis for a long time, you may need help with education, training, and employment. 

The treatment of psychosis depends on the cause. If you have another mental health condition, you’ll receive help for both.