Vocabulary of Psychotic Disorders
The information provided below is not comprehensive, but rather provides a general overview of the most common associated features.
The Most Common Types of Psychotic Disorders
Brief Psychotic Disorder-a period of psychosis lasting > 1 day but < 30 days.
Schizophrenia-A chronic disease that often originates in adolescents or early adulthood. There is a strong neurological and genetic base for this disorder.
Schizoaffective Disorder-A combination of Schizophrenia and a Major Mood Disorder. They can occur independent of each other.
Vocabulary of Symptoms
Positive Symptoms- The symptoms that most of the population associates with Psychosis. Positive symptoms are any change in behavior or thoughts, such as hallucinations or delusions that are not based in reality.
Negative Symptoms- are a withdraw from the world. The individual takes no interest in everyday social interactions, and often appear emotionless and flat.
Catatonia- may involve symptoms such as staying still, fast or strange movements, lack of speech, and other unusual behavior.
Hallucinations- People with schizophrenia might hear, see, smell, or feel things no one else does. The most common type of hallucinations in Schizophrenia are auditory. Types of hallucinations are:
Delusions-Often a positive symptom of psychosis. It is marked by fixed false beliefs that are maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument.
Brief Psychotic Disorder-a period of psychosis lasting > 1 day but < 30 days.
Schizophrenia-A chronic disease that often originates in adolescents or early adulthood. There is a strong neurological and genetic base for this disorder.
Schizoaffective Disorder-A combination of Schizophrenia and a Major Mood Disorder. They can occur independent of each other.
Vocabulary of Symptoms
Positive Symptoms- The symptoms that most of the population associates with Psychosis. Positive symptoms are any change in behavior or thoughts, such as hallucinations or delusions that are not based in reality.
Negative Symptoms- are a withdraw from the world. The individual takes no interest in everyday social interactions, and often appear emotionless and flat.
Catatonia- may involve symptoms such as staying still, fast or strange movements, lack of speech, and other unusual behavior.
Hallucinations- People with schizophrenia might hear, see, smell, or feel things no one else does. The most common type of hallucinations in Schizophrenia are auditory. Types of hallucinations are:
- Auditory. The person most often hears voices that originate inside their head, but are heard outside their head (think ventriloquist). They might be angry or urgent and demand that they do things. It can sound like one voice or many. They might whisper, murmur, or be angry and demanding.
- Visual. Someone might see lights, objects, people, or patterns. Often it’s loved ones or friends who are no longer alive. They may also have trouble with depth perception and distance.
- Olfactory and gustatory. This can include good and bad smells and tastes.
- Tactile. This creates a feeling of things moving on your body, like hands or insects.
Delusions-Often a positive symptom of psychosis. It is marked by fixed false beliefs that are maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument.
- Persecutory Delusions-the most common type of delusion and an extreme form of paranoia. These delusions cause a person to believe that someone or something is "out to get them." This can include another person, a machine, or an entire institution or organization.
- Erotomanic Delusions-cause a person to believe (falsely) that another person (or many people) are in love with them. The person who is the target of erotomanic delusions is usually of a "higher status," like a celebrity. These delusions can lead to stalking behaviors, which can be "in person" or virtually.
Grandiose Delusions-also a very common type of delusion, especially in individuals experiencing manic symptoms. People who have grandiose delusions believe that they are superior to other people. Examples of grandiose delusions include: Having special powers, being famous, being very wealthy and/or thinking they are God. Grandiose delusions can lead to risky or dangerous behaviors. - Jealous Delusions-cause a person to believe that their partner is unfaithful and constantly look for evidence that their belief is true. This is different from the typical jealousy that many people experience and is very extreme. There may also be an identified 3rd party in the infidelity. For example, they think their therapist is sleeping with their significant other.
- Somatic Delusions-a person with somatic delusions falsely believes that something is wrong with their body. This is not the same as a “hypochondriac” as the delusions are often bizarre and/or physically impossible. For example, bones twisting around each other, missing internal organs, or glass in their veins. They believe there is something wrong with them despite normal test results.
- Mixed or Unspecified Delusions-a person can also have delusions that are categorized as "mixed" or "unspecified." Mixed delusions means that the person has multiple types of delusions, but none are more common than another. Unspecified delusions don't clearly fit into a specific category.
If you would like to be evaluated for a psychotic disorder or seek pharmacological treatment.