Psychosis

What is psychosis?

• AInability to control emotions
• BSevere depression only
• CA state where someone loses touch with reality, experiencing delusions or hallucinations✓
• DMultiple personality disorder

Answer: Psychosis is a mental health condition involving loss of contact with reality, typically involving delusions (false beliefs) or hallucinations (false perceptions).

What is a delusion?

• AA fixed, false belief held despite contrary evidence✓
• BDaydreaming or imagination
• CMisunderstanding information that has been explained badly or in a hurry
• DA false perception without an external stimulus, such as hearing a voice that is not there

Answer: A delusion is a firmly held false belief that persists despite clear evidence to the contrary, not based on cultural or religious norms.

What is a hallucination?

• ALoss of memory for recent events, so that the person cannot recall what has just happened
• BA false belief about something that is held firmly despite clear evidence against it
• CA false perception (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste) without external stimulus✓
• DSeeing images that are not actually there, which is the only form a hallucination can take

Answer: A hallucination is a false perception of any of the senses without an external stimulus. Most common are auditory hallucinations (hearing voices).

What is 'auditory hallucination'?

• ATasting unusual flavors
• BSeeing things that are not there, such as figures at the edge of your vision
• CImagining conversations that you would like to have with somebody else
• DHearing voices that others don't hear✓

Answer: Auditory hallucinations involve hearing sounds, typically voices, that others cannot hear. These are the most common type of hallucination.

What is schizophrenia?

• ASplit personality or multiple personalities
• BDaydreaming too much
• CTemporary confusion
• DA serious mental health condition involving psychotic symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive difficulties✓

Answer: Schizophrenia is a complex mental health condition characterised by positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions), negative symptoms (reduced motivation, speech), and cognitive impacts.

What are 'negative symptoms' in schizophrenia?

• AAn inability to remember recent conversations or to follow a set of instructions
• BHaving false beliefs that are held firmly despite clear evidence against them
• CReduced emotional expression, motivation, and social engagement✓
• DHearing voices

Answer: Negative symptoms include reduced emotional expression, motivation, speech, and social withdrawal - involving loss of normal functioning.

Can psychosis develop from drug use?

• AYes, some substances (especially stimulants and cannabis) can trigger drug-induced psychosis✓
• BOnly from prescription medications such as steroids, and never from any other kind of substance
• CDrug use has no lasting effect on mental health beyond the few hours that a person is intoxicated
• DOnly from illegal drugs; substances that are legal or prescribed can never trigger psychotic symptoms

Answer: Certain substances, particularly stimulants (cocaine, methamphetamine), cannabis, and sometimes prescription medications can trigger psychotic episodes.

What is 'Early Intervention in Psychosis' (EIP)?

• AOnly for young adults
• BWaiting for the symptoms to resolve naturally, and only offering assessment or treatment if they are still there after a year
• CSpecialist services providing assessment, treatment, and support within 2 weeks of first psychotic symptoms✓
• DEmergency admission to hospital

Answer: EIP services in the UK aim to identify and treat first-episode psychosis quickly, improving long-term outcomes. Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is minimised.

What is the 'prodrome' in psychosis?

• AHospitalisation due to psychosis
• BComplete recovery from psychosis
• CEarly warning signs before full psychotic symptoms (changes in perception, ideas of reference, odd beliefs)✓
• DThe first episode of full psychosis

Answer: The prodromal phase involves subtle changes that may precede the first episode of psychosis, including changes in thinking, perception, and social functioning.

How should you respond to someone experiencing hallucinations or delusions?

• APretend to believe them
• BRemain calm, acknowledge how real it feels to them without agreeing it is true, avoid arguing, and help them access professional support✓
• CLaugh at them
• DArgue firmly that their beliefs are wrong, and keep going until they accept that what they see is not real

Answer: Do not argue with a delusion or hallucination and do not pretend to share it — both damage trust. Acknowledge the feeling rather than the belief: "that sounds frightening" works where "you're imagining it" and "yes, I can hear them too" both fail. Stay calm, keep the person safe, and help them reach professional support; call 999 if there is immediate risk to them or anyone else.

What is paranoia in psychosis?

• AAnxiety in social situations, such as worrying about what other people think of you
• BDelusional beliefs that others are conspiring, harming, or persecuting you✓
• CReasonable caution in genuinely dangerous situations, based on what is actually happening
• DHealthy scepticism about claims made by other people, based on weighing up the evidence

Answer: Paranoid delusions involve false, persistent beliefs that others are plotting against, spying on, or intending harm to the person.

Can psychosis be treated?

• ANo; psychosis is permanent and its symptoms cannot be reduced by any form of treatment
• BIt never improves once it has begun, so treatment is aimed only at keeping the person safe
• COnly medication works; therapy and social support make no difference to recovery
• DYes, with antipsychotic medication, therapy, and support, recovery is possible✓

Answer: Psychosis is treatable. Antipsychotic medications are often used, alongside psychological support, family involvement, and social support.

What role do antipsychotic medications play?

• AThey reduce or eliminate psychotic symptoms for many people✓
• BThey are always dangerous
• CThey cure psychosis permanently
• DThey are ineffective

Answer: Antipsychotic medications can significantly reduce positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions) and help people manage their condition.

What is 'lack of insight' in psychosis?

• AHaving a low IQ score, measured on a standard test of general intelligence
• BPoor memory
• CNot recognising that one is experiencing psychotic symptoms or illness✓
• DDifficulty understanding complex information such as written instructions or forms

Answer: Lack of insight means the person doesn't recognise their symptoms as part of a mental health condition, which can make treatment engagement challenging.

Can psychosis be related to physical health conditions?

• AYes, conditions like thyroid disorders, infections, or neurological conditions can cause psychotic symptoms✓
• BPsychotic symptoms are always caused by a mental health condition and never by a physical illness of any kind
• COnly diabetes causes psychosis
• DPhysical health never affects mental health, because the two work entirely independently of one another in the body

Answer: Some physical health conditions (thyroid disorders, infections, neurological conditions) can cause psychotic symptoms, requiring medical investigation.

What is delusional disorder?

• ADepression combined with anxiety, in which the person feels low and worried for most of the day, most days
• BTemporary confusion
• CA condition involving non-bizarre delusions lasting at least 1 month without other psychotic symptoms✓
• DHaving multiple personalities

Answer: Delusional disorder involves fixed false beliefs about situations that could theoretically occur, lasting at least a month, without prominent hallucinations.

What is 'flight of ideas' sometimes seen in psychosis?

• AWanting to travel
• BNormal thinking patterns
• CPlanning carefully
• DRapidly jumping from one thought to another without logical connections✓

Answer: Flight of ideas involves rapid speech and thought jumping from topic to topic without logical connections, sometimes seen in mania or psychosis.

Can someone with psychosis fully recover?

• ARecovery is impossible
• BOnly partially
• CPsychosis is permanently disabling, and it always prevents a return to work or study
• DYes, many people recover fully with treatment, especially with early intervention✓

Answer: Many people recover fully from psychosis, especially when treated early. Full recovery is possible with appropriate treatment and support.

What is the difference between psychosis and psychopathy?

• AThe two words are interchangeable, because they describe exactly the same set of symptoms in a person
• BPsychosis is far more serious than psychopathy, and it always requires admission to hospital
• CPsychosis is a personality type present from birth, while psychopathy develops after a traumatic event
• DPsychosis involves loss of reality; psychopathy involves lack of empathy and conscience✓

Answer: Psychosis is a mental health condition involving hallucinations/delusions. Psychopathy is a personality disorder involving lack of empathy.

How can stigma affect someone with psychosis?

• AStigma doesn't affect them
• BStigma only affects mild cases, because severe illness is always taken seriously
• CStigma can prevent help-seeking, worsen outcomes, and increase isolation✓
• DStigma helps people get better by encouraging them to keep their problems private

Answer: Stigma surrounding psychosis can prevent people from seeking help, increase social isolation, and worsen mental health outcomes.