The psychotic epidemic is a serious change in the judgment of reality and requires adequate treatment and understanding to improve the quality of life of the affected person.
In this article we provide information on the main characteristics of epidemics, what they are due to, and also some suggestions for addressing them.
- Psychotic outbreaks cause the affected person to have abnormal ideas and perceptions.
- As well as a loss of contact with reality and behavioral changes.
- A rupture of reality occurs temporarily.
The person who has a psychotic epidemic sees the reality changed and cannot function normally around them. The main characteristics of psychotic epidemics are:
? Delusions or changes in the content of thought due to interpretations or distortions of reality;
? Hallucinations: perception of an object, image or external stimulus that is not real;
? Disorderly thinking and/or behavior;
? Careless physical appearance;
? Social isolation
Its duration can range from a few days to several weeks and may require hospitalization, however, with appropriate medical and psychological treatment, the person will stabilize and be able to resume their daily routine.
Psychotic epidemics can occur from a variety of causes, such as: excessive use of alcohol or other drugs, certain medications, organic or biological causes, severe depression, severe emotional repercussions, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or border-limiting personality disorder, among others.
There is some confusion between a psychotic rupture and other mental disorders. A lot of people think it’s the same as schizophrenia. Schizophrenia can be said to be a type of long-term psychotic disorder, while the duration of a psychotic epidemic itself is much longer. less prolonged, happening in a timely manner.
Border-limiting personality disorder or bipolar disorder admits your symptoms of a psychotic breakout, however, can it also occur in a single episode, without being associated with another mental illness, such as in a very stressful situation for the person?.
People at risk of a psychotic epidemic or who have already had an episode need drug treatment (with antipsychotics) and psychotherapy, and family interventions are often successful because they are a way to bring the family closer to a person’s experience. to provide information, tools and support.
Many experts on the subject say good public awareness is recommended
Non-stigmatization, understanding, permanent help, playful and/or sporting activities, engaging with the person to continue taking medication and feeling loved, valued, respected and supported can help you much more than we think.
Psychiatrist Roberto Fernández, in turn, supports Community Assertive Treatment to treat people experiencing episodes of psychotic epidemics, as its application improves the course of the disease and reduces relapse processes.
Community Assertive Treatment is a program that can be implemented from the beginning of an epidemic and is based on the orientation of the person suffering from a psychotic epidemic, providing continuous attention and active monitoring of its evolution, is an integrated community work, focused on the patient’s environment and environment, with home intervention as a focal point.