Psychosisis a symptom that people with various mental health disorders can experience, including those withbipolar disorder.
This article will discuss psychosis features in bipolar disorder and how to receive a diagnosis and treatment.
Changes in behavior can often precede psychosis.
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Symptom Duration
The duration of a psychosis episode will vary from person to person.
It will depend upon whether they have received treatment and how long symptoms occurred before treatment was sought.
There are three phases of developing psychosis.
The second phase is the acute phase.
This is when the person experiences aspects of psychosis such asdelusions,hallucinations, and disorganized thinking.
The third and last phase is recovery.
During recovery, the person can still have mild or unnoticeable signs of psychosis.
Examples of Bipolar Psychosis Behaviors
People withbipolarpsychosis will display behaviors that reflect their disconnection with reality.
Or they may have hallucinations where they see or hear things that other people cannot see or hear.
This can be accidentallike falling off a building because they think they can flyor intentionallike committing suicide when depressed.
Bipolar psychosis is when someone who has bipolar disorder also experiences psychosis.
These two conditions are similar, and psychosis symptoms are involved in both.
However, the underlying condition is different.
The provider will perform a physical exam and may request medical testing to rule out other conditions.
Experiencing bipolar psychosis can be scary and confusing.
How Is Psychosis Different From Bipolar Mania Episodes?
When looking at psychosis vs mania, it can be difficult to see the difference.
Psychosis is a symptom that some people with bipolar disorder may experience.
It causes hallucinations anddelusions.
Bipolar mania is a part of bipolar disorder.
There are two distinct mood episodes in those with bipolar disorder: manic and depressive episodes.
When someone begins to have psychotic features, they may need additional medication and different therapy approaches.
Medications used to treat psychosis are calledantipsychotics.
There are many types of antipsychotics, and their side effects can vary.
Antipsychotic medications can help some symptoms resolve within anywhere from a few minutes to a few days.
However, some symptoms, such as delusions, can take a few weeks to resolve.
Complications From Unmanaged Bipolar Psychosis
Any aspects of psychosis should be treated as soon as possible.
Unmanaged psychosis can affect many areas of a person’s lifesocial, occupational, personal, and relational.
Untreated bipolar psychosis can also increase the risk of self-harm andsuicide.
The risk of suicide is very high in those with psychosis.
One in five people with psychosis will attempt suicide.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal feelings, contact 911 immediately.
Healthcare providers who care for those with bipolar psychosis are a good resource for local support groups.
Another option is to contact asocial worker.
They specialize in helping people coordinate care and find resources that can benefit the patient and the caretaker.
Summary
Psychosis is a symptom that is associated with several mental health conditions.
One of the conditions with which psychosis can occur is bipolar disorder.
When someone has psychosis, they can have hallucinations, delusions, and/or paranoia.
It is associated with higher rates of hospitalization, self-harm, and suicide.
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