Understanding Psychosis disorder – CBT Kenya

Psychosis is a condition that affects the way your brain processes information. It causes you to lose touch with reality. You might see, hear, or believe things that aren’t real. It can be triggered by a mental illness, a physical injury or illness, substance abuse, or extreme stress or trauma.

Young people are especially likely to get it, but doctors don’t know why. Even before what doctors call the first episode of psychosis (FEP), you may show slight changes in the way you act or think. This is called the prodromal period and could last days, weeks, months, or even years. Sometimes you can lose touch with reality even when you don’t have a primary psychotic illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. When this happens, it’s called secondary psychosis.

What are the signs and symptoms of psychosis?

Typically, a person will show changes in his or her behavior before psychosis develops. Behavioral warning signs for psychosis include:

• Sudden drop in grades or job performance
• New trouble thinking clearly or concentrating
• Suspiciousness, paranoid ideas, or uneasiness with others
• Withdrawing socially, spending a lot more time alone than usual
• Unusual, overly intense new ideas, strange feelings, or no feelings at all
• Decline in self-care or personal hygiene

Causes of Psychosis

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes psychosis, but some known risk factors include:

• Genetics: You can have the genes for it, but that doesn’t always mean you’ll get psychosis.
• Drugs: Triggers include some prescription medications and abuse of alcohol or drugs like marijuana, LSD, and amphetamines.
• Trauma: The death of a loved one, a sexual assault, or war can lead to psychosis. The type of trauma and the age you were when it happened also play a role.
• Injuries and illnesses: Traumatic brain injuries, brain tumors, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and HIV can all bring on psychosis.

Psychosis is manageable

Counseling, along with medicines, can also help manage psychosis.

• Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) can help you recognize when you have psychotic episodes. It also helps you figure out whether what you see and hear is real or imagined. This kind of therapy also stresses the importance of antipsychotic medications and sticking with your treatment.
• Supportive psychotherapy helps you learn to live with and manage psychosis. It also teaches healthy ways of thinking.
• Cognitive enhancement therapy (CET) uses computer exercises and group work to help you think and understand better.
• Family psychoeducation and support involves your loved ones. It helps you bond and improves the way you solve problems together.
• Coordinated specialty care (CSC) creates a team approach in treating psychosis when it’s first diagnosed. CSC combines medication and psychotherapy with social services and work and education support.

Finding help

Experiencing psychosis can be extremely frightening, but many people who experience it don’t always talk about it initially. If you feel unsure or nervous about their behavior or what they might do, get a professional involved as soon as you can.

Getting professional help does not mean you are weak or broken. It’s choosing to get better and take care of yourself. CBT-Kenya (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Kenya) counseling center offers counseling and therapy sessions for persons from all walks of life. We focus on helping clients gain insight into themselves by going through a healing process. Our purpose is to help you to achieve your therapeutic and life goals, to improve the quality of your life and to help you to build strong relationships in your life. Get in touch or book an appointment on +254 739 935 333, +254 756 454 585 or info@cbtkenya.org.