Explains what psychosis is, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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For many people, there is no quick and simple treatment for psychosis, but with the right support it is possible to manage the symptoms of psychosis and recover.
This does not mean that the experience of psychosis will go away entirely. You may find that you still experience symptoms during and after treatment. What treatment can do though is help you learn ways of coping so that your experiences are less distressing and don't interfere with your life as much.
"My antipsychotic medication saved my life. It took many tries to get the right medication for me."
Early intervention (EI) teams work with you during your first experience of psychosis. They usually include people who can help you in different ways. For example:
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that early intervention services should be open to people of all ages. But some places only offer services to people under a certain age – usually under 35. Rethink mental illness has more information about early intervention teams.
If you experience psychosis a lot or it lasts a long time, you may be referred to community care services to help you cope. The phrase 'community care' is used to describe the various services available to help you manage your physical and mental health problems in the community. This might include:
Community care can also include crisis services and early intervention teams.
If you become very distressed during an episode of psychosis you may need to be cared for in hospital. See our pages on hospital admission for more information on this.
"A stay in intensive care saved my life, followed by three months on a psychiatric ward."
This information was published in January 2020. We will revise it in 2023.
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