What Are The Early Warning Signs of Psychosis?

Recognizing The Symptoms of Psychosis and When to Get Help

Your loved one hasn’t been acting the same lately, and you are not sure what could have caused such a sudden and marked shift. Getting help is crucial to restoring them to the person you know and love (and reconnecting them with reality) but what can you look for in the early days of a possible psychotic episode?

In other words: What are the early warning signs of psychosis?

Here is a concise answer: Beyond any obvious breaks with reality, where they see and hear things that aren’t real, they might be more prone to paranoia or hold deeply held beliefs that cannot be persuaded against. Social isolation, inability to think clearly, lack of self-care, and inadequate sleep are also indicators of a problem.

And if you recognize any of these signs, being proactive is wise: find your loved one help when communication becomes difficult and clear thinking is harder for them.

Icarus Recovery Center offers a place to land when your loved one has a psychotic episode. We offer the specialized care that this medical condition requires. Here’s what you should know about offering family support and identifying psychosis early.

What is Psychosis and Who is at Higher Risk of a Psychotic Episode?

Psychosis refers to a person’s break with reality. For many people, this means seeing and hearing things that aren’t real. For others, it could mean strong delusions and paranoia. Once someone experiences or believes things that aren’t true, regardless of evidence to the contrary, it’s time to seek help.

People who are at higher risk of a psychotic episode include those with other mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder. They are typically in their teens or twenties, though it can happen to anyone at any age. Neurological disorders like dementia may also play a role.

Some estimates of psychotic disorders place the number at 15 to 100 out of 100,000 people who will develop psychosis each year. Educating yourself on signs of mental illness can help you catch it early.

What are the Early Signs of an Episode of Psychosis?

Once someone has a history of psychosis symptoms, it might be easy to spot when they are in the early stages of the throes of their mental illness. You know to watch for breaks with reality, paranoia, and the onslaught of hallucinations, delusions, and more.

But what about the early warning signs of psychosis? Spotting them as quickly as possible can allow for early intervention, which can substantially alter the course of the illness.

Here are some of the symptoms you should watch for if you think someone is having a break with reality.

Is Your Loved One More Suspicious or Paranoid?

One of the early psychosis symptoms is behavioral and often marks a first episode of psychosis. If your loved ones are pulling away from you with accusations that you might be out to get them, it’s a warning sign that you should heed. Suspicion and paranoia make it hard to convince someone to seek help.

Other symptoms of this behavioral change include misinterpretation of events, even when they are the only one who feels that way. They may have difficulty recognizing that their feelings are out of line with those of their friends and family.

This is also an excuse that they might use for social isolation. You should always express concern when someone withdraws from their loved ones. This could be a sign of many disorders, including psychosis, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, depression, and more.

Is Someone Developing Psychosis Able to Think Clearly?

Oftentimes, one of the first signs of psychosis is a scattered mind. Someone who was once quite logical suddenly has a hard time thinking as clearly as they used to. This could look like an inability to solve the common problems of everyday life.

However, it can also be an inability to engage in higher reasoning and other types of cognitive impairment.

This is often a sign that they are about to or have already lost touch with reality. They struggle to know what is really happening to them and what isn’t. During a first episode, this can be hard to identify, but paying close attention to daily decision-making can clue you in to early warning signs.

Emotional Psychosis Symptoms and Mental Health Concerns

A psychotic episode is typically preceded by an aberration from normal and healthy emotional patterns. Someone exhibiting some of the other early warning signs will often also display emotional tells. This is more difficult to pinpoint, as individuals often have different responses to a break with reality.

For some, their psychosis symptoms might look like apathy and numbness. They might not have any real emotional reactions to anything that happens to them or around them. The void could easily look like another mental health condition, which is why you need a qualified mental health professional.

Other people experiencing psychotic symptoms will have more intense emotions. They might have a lot of strange thoughts or ideas, intense emotions about all of them, and a general amplification of their typical emotions. As you can see, emotional symptoms run the spectrum.

Notice a Possible Lack of Self-Care in Early Psychosis

One of the telltale signs that someone isn’t doing well emotionally or mentally is a decrease in their self-care. They might stop showering or caring for themselves as they usually do. This is one of the first and easiest psychotic symptoms to distinguish. It’s easy to tell when someone hasn’t been caring for their physical health by showering, brushing their teeth, and the like.

Are Sleep Disruptions Occurring?

Oftentimes, people with psychosis will start to have disruptions to their usual sleep patterns. It might start with an inability to fall asleep at night, tossing and turning in bed until the early hours of the morning. Once they do fall asleep, they might have a hard time staying asleep and get fewer hours of rest.

This is particularly important to note if they also have bipolar disorder, where episodes can be triggered by a lack of sleep. Psychosis symptoms can creep in when their mood episodes become extreme.

Look for signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation and insomnia. This may manifest as bags under the eyes, drowsiness, and increased irritability during the hours they are awake.

Can You Understand Their Communication?

A psychotic disorder isn’t just about hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there. The misfiring of the brain also decreases their ability to understand and communicate their thoughts to others. If your loved ones struggle to express their feelings and ideas to you, it could be an early warning sign.

Sometimes, this is expressed as confused speech where words are used at random and make no sense to the listener. The person may be adamant about what they mean despite your inability to understand.

Once you lose the ability to coherently communicate with them, you might want to seek help. They will likely be unable to express to you if they are losing touch with reality or seeing and hearing things that aren’t there.

Are They Having Hallucinations, Delusions, or Hearing Voices?

If you can still communicate clearly with your loved one and they aren’t too suspicious of you to tell you what they are experiencing, you can gauge whether they have lost touch with reality. This includes the hallmark signs of psychosis, like seeing hallucinations, experiencing delusions (like that you may be out to get them), or hearing voices.

A psychotic episode is a serious issue that requires the help of a qualified mental health professional who has experience in a clinical setting. Get help for them as soon as you can because it might require prescription medications to break the episode and hospitalizations to keep them safe.

How is Psychosis Treated by Mental Health Professionals?

You have likely already experienced the difficulty in assessing your loved one for the signs of psychosis. They may experience a deep distrust of their loved ones, so why should a mental health professional be able to get to the bottom of it?

Professional help is critical when you spot the early symptoms. The right professional help can spot all of the small signs and get your loved one into early intervention. But it’s not as simple as prescribing a pill and hoping for the best.

How Does Coordinated Specialty Care Help Heal Your Loved One?

The best thing you can do for someone you love is to find a treatment center that offers coordinated specialty care. This is a multi-pronged approach with evidence-based treatments that are specifically aimed at assisting those with first-episode psychosis.

Services often last for the long term, with some people receiving help for up to two years under this umbrella of care. They are intensive and personalized, ensuring that everyone who comes to a CSC team receives comprehensive care tailored to their needs, meeting them where they are.

They might work with a psychiatrist to manage medications that are highly effective treatments for psychosis. Individual counseling to recognize the warning signs of psychosis, manage triggers, and deal with the fallout of false beliefs and damaged relationships is a significant component of care.

Even group therapy can be beneficial for individuals just starting their journey, as it allows them to meet new people who share similar struggles.

Why Choose Treatment at Icarus Recovery Center for First Episode Psychosis?

If your loved one experiences a break with reality, it’s essential to seek early treatment with a team of professionals. Icarus Recovery Center offers help for adults (of younger and older ages alike) with evidence-based practices provided by a team of experienced professionals.

Our mental health program is ideal for helping a loved one gain clarity and learn about their condition.

We can also help with co-occurring substance use disorder, which can complicate and exacerbate a psychotic disorder of any kind. Every client receives an individualized treatment plan that caters to their unique needs at every stage of treatment. We’ll help set realistic goals and achieve them with therapy and medication management.

Reserve a Spot at Icarus Recovery Center in New Mexico Today

When you’re ready to seek help for a loved one or if you are experiencing early psychosis, get help from Icarus Recovery Center.

Our enrollment team is patient and available, warm and welcoming. We always promise to address your concerns and answer your questions, no matter what you need help with.

Call today to verify insurance benefits and reserve your spot in our comprehensive treatment program. All calls are confidential, so please reach out in confidence to find effective support options now.

References

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