If you have become aware that a family member is behaving strangely, it may be that he or she is experiencing a drug-induced psychosis. It could be that he fears someone is attempting to injure him when no apparent danger exists. Psychosis like this and its accompanying disorders is complex to understand.
The word psychosis means “a mental health problem where a person has lost some contact with reality, resulting in severe disturbances in behavior, emotion, and thinking.” Psychosis can appear in a range of troubling symptoms like:
- Visual or audio hallucinations
- Delusions
- Disorganized thinking
- Paranoia
Schizophrenia is most likely the disorder that people commonly associate with psychosis, but it is certainly not the only one. Other common psychotic disorders can include:
- Schizoaffective disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Substance abuse
Any of these can cause psychotic symptoms. Should you find yourself dealing with a family member who suffers from psychotic symptoms, you should be careful not to escalate the deteriorating situation. Instead, it is critical to help them to obtain the professional help that they desperately need.
Never Panic or Overreact
A family member who is undergoing psychosis might do or say some alarming, strange things. The critical thing to do is to learn and understand more about what your family member is feeling. You should stay calm all the while. A family member undergoing psychosis might easily be impacted by the emotions on display from their surrounding loved ones.
It is easy to think that existing in a psychotic state will keep the person from understanding how you are acting or feeling, but this is not necessarily the case. The individual might be more in touch with negative emotions than usual. This is why you must monitor your own behavior as well. Never take any offense to things he says or attempt to confront him over it. You should always be sure that you are calm before you interact with him.
You Should Never Cause Treatment, Medication, or Diagnosis to Become the Focus
This is quite possibly not the first incidence of your family member falling into a psychosis. You might recognize the disorder that is leading up to this episode, even when he or she is taking a prescribed medication in order to manage this troubling condition. It only makes the situation worse to remind the sufferer that he or she is undergoing some symptoms of their disorder and that they may need to take another round of medication.
Sadly, the episode from which your loved one is suffering appears to be equally as real to them as your own reality is to you. If you tell him that he is undergoing an episode that is not real, this will only drive you further apart. It is alright to quietly pose a few questions about the state of his medication in order to have an understanding of the moment. You should not force medication on him while he is in the midst of this troubling state though, or he may feel that you are against him. It is critical that you stay on his team and do not become labeled as an enemy.
Be Sure to Listen Without Passing Judgment
You can listen to what your suffering family member is saying without laughing or discounting it. You need to sympathize with his experienced emotions. When your loved one is feeling afraid or acting paranoid, this is the time to comprehend that he is feeling a legitimate form of fear that is all too real to him.
Individuals suffering from psychosis will not usually share with everyone around them what they are undergoing. You can make the situation better by querying, “Can you tell me something more?” or “What can I do to help you?” Staying calm to make it obvious that you sympathize with his emotions will help him to feel willing to share his state and feelings with you.
In Conclusion
A person and family suffering from psychosis through drug reactions does not have to go through this alone. You can get help; we are here to take your call. Contact us today at 844-639-8371 to get started.