?:definition
|
-
Psychosis refers to a mental disorder characterized by gross impairment in reality testing evidenced by: delusions, hallucinations, markedly incoherent speech, disorganized and agitated behavior, usually without apparent awareness on the patient\'s part. Psychosis is also used in a more general sense to refer to mental disorders in which mental functioning is sufficiently impaired as to interfere grossly with patient\'s capacity to meet the ordinary demands of life. Psychosis can be caused by many psychiatric disorders such as: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, brief psychotic reaction, mania with psychosis, depression with psychosis, dementia, and delirium. Psychosis is also associated with: certain illicit drugs (cocaine, amphetamine, etc.) and medications (dopamine agonists, l-dopa, psychostimulants, etc.). In schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and brief psychotic disorder, the term psychotic refers to delusions, any prominent hallucinations, disorganized speech or disorganized or catatonic behavior.
|