Symptoms of Bipolar Psychosis

Symptoms of Bipolar Psychosis Bipolar Disorder Symptoms Print Symptoms of Bipolar Psychosis By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial policy Marcia Purse Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on January 01, 2015 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 18, 2020 Bipolar Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children Your Rights Glen Perotte Collection/Photographers Choice/Getty Images More than half of people living with bipolar disorder will experience at least one symptom of psychosis over the course of their lives.?? Psychosis is defined as the loss of contact with reality, during which time a person cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined. Symptoms include delusions (believing something that is not real) and/or hallucinations (seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, or tasting something that is not real).?? Psychosis usually accompanies episodes of extreme mania in persons with bipolar I disorder (the more severe form of the disease). While less common, it can also happen to people with bipolar II disorder. Psychosis is also a feature seen with other types of mental illness, including schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Certain physical illnesses such as Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, brain tumors, and stroke can also trigger a psychotic episode, and it can even be an extreme feature of postpartum depression. Symptoms Within the context of bipolar disorder, there is no clear understanding of what causes psychosis.?? While people will often refer to it as a psychotic break, the reality is that a psychotic episode usually develops slowly over time. Early Warning Signs of Psychosis Some early warning signs of psychosis include:Consistently worrying about grades or job performanceStruggling to concentrate or think clearlyHaving unwarranted suspiciousness of othersFailure to keep up with personal hygieneWithdrawing from friends and familyExperiencing strong, inappropriate feelings or no feelings at all Getting help for psychosis sooner rather than later can make the recovery process faster and easier, so early indicators should not be ignored. That said, people close to the individual experience psychosis are usually the ones to detect these symptoms. People experiencing psychosis will typically appear incoherent and completely unaware of how extreme their behavior has become. In terms of symptoms, they are typically classified as being either mood-congruent or mood-incongruent: Mood-Congruent Symptoms The hallucinations and/or delusions match the persons mood. The hallucinations may be contextualized by a persons delusions. The underlying belief that youre being spied on can manifest with imagined sounds or voices from the next room. Mood-Incongruent Symptoms A persons mood does not match the hallucination and/or delusion. People will often believe that there are voices telling them what to do or that they are being influenced by some unseen force. Episodes are considered serious and will more often than not require hospitalization. Mood Congruence and Incongruence in Bipolar Disorder Understanding Delusions Delusions?? are false beliefs that a person believes are true. Previously referred to as paranoid disorder, delusions are characterized by episodes that are either bizarre (something beyond the realm of possibility) or non-bizarre (things that are within the realm of possibility). Examples of bizarre illusions include being abducted by aliens or having a CIA tracking device in your head. Non-bizarre delusions, by contrast, often manifest with claims of being poisoned, followed, or loved from afar. Unlike hallucinations, delusions can often seem perfectly normal in casual situations. Psychotic delusions are typically clustered around one or several of the following themes: Jealousy, usually related to a loved ones infidelityGrandiosity, characterized by an inflated sense of self-worthErotomaniaâ€"the belief that someone important loves youPersecution, in which you believe others plan to do you harmSomatic delusions, by which you believe you are ill or have a physical defect Delusions Occurring in Bipolar Disorder Understanding Hallucinations Hallucinations?? are characterized by physical sensations that are not real. With regards to bipolar disorder, this may be caused by an extreme manic episode combined with extreme sleep deprivation (the latter of which can also cause hallucinations in people who dont have bipolar). Hallucinations dont just involve perceptions, but actual sensations involving one or more of the five senses. They can be classified as: Visual hallucinationsAuditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices that arent thereOlfactory hallucinations, involving smellsTactile hallucinations, such as feeling bugs crawling all over youTaste hallucinations How Do You Know If Youre Having Hallucinations? Is Psychosis Dangerous? The word psychosis can be scary for some people, suggesting the affected person is likely to inflict self-harm or cause harm to others. While this is possible, particularly in cases of severe mood-incongruent psychosis, episodes are usually more troubling than dangerous. If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of self-harm or harming others, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, or dial 911. A Word From Verywell With a holistic approach to treatment of bipolar psychosisâ€"including psychotherapy, medication, and social supportâ€"most people can fully recover and return to their normal life without further incident. While bipolar disorder cannot be cured in the traditional sense, with proper diagnosis and treatment, symptoms of the disease can be successfully controlled over the long term. Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment