Psychosis (Nursing)

Excerpt

Psychosis is an amalgamation of psychological symptoms resulting in a loss of contact with reality. The current thinking is that although around 1.5 to 3.5% of people will meet diagnostic criteria for a psychotic disorder, a significantly larger, a variable number will experience at least one psychotic symptom in their lifetime. Psychosis is a common feature to many psychiatric, neuropsychiatric, neurologic, neurodevelopmental, and medical conditions. It is the hallmark feature of schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, a co-occurring aspect to many mood and substance use disorders, as well as a challenging symptom to many neurologic and medical conditions. Psychosis can result in high levels of distress for patients and loved ones, which is why it has become a primary target of treatment for medical professionals.

The incidence of a first-time episode of psychosis is approximately 50 in 100000 people, while the incidence of schizophrenia is about 15 in 100000 people. The peak age of onset for males is teens to mid-20s, while for females onset tends to be teens to late-20’s. Earlier onset is associated with poorer outcomes, although early intervention correlates with better outcomes. Psychosis is extremely uncommon in children.