Mental Health and Wellbeing Information

Psychosis

What is Psychosis?

Psychosis is a mental health problem that causes people to perceive or interpret things differently from those around them. It is not in intself an illness but an umbrella term to describe a collection of symptoms that can affect thinking, emotion and behaviour.

Experiencing the symptoms of psychosis is often referred to as having a psychotic episode.

Symptoms of Psychosis

  • Hallucinations - a person hears, sees and, in some cases, feels, smells or tastes things that aren't there  
  • Delusions – delusions of grandeur, a belief in something that is unplausible and that is obviously untrue 
  • Confused and disturbed thoughts - rapid and constant speech, switching from one topic to another 
  • Lack of insight and self awareness - unaware of their behaviour or that hallucinations and delusions are not real 

Common symptoms when psychosis is developing:

  • Changes in emotion and motivation
  • Changes in thinking and perception
  • Changes in behaviour

Common symptoms when psychosis has developed

  • Unusual experiences - hearing voices
  • Unusual beliefs - delusions of persecution or paranoid beliefs

Possible Impacts in the Workplace

  • Increased sickness absence
  • Performance issues
  • Timekeeping issues 
  • Difficulty concentrating on tasks that require focus on doing one thing at a time
  • Difficulty trusting people and maintaining relationships
  • Avoiding certain situations or feel unable to go outside 
  • Trying to protect oneself in ways that other people do not understand, for example, covering windows at all times or removing electrical devices from the workplace
  • Not caring about appearance
  • Acting in a way that may appear aggressive or threatening to others
  • Self Harm, or behave in a way that puts themselves or other people at risk, for example, if the person feels that they have to do something dangerous because of a voice or vision

How can I help myself?

If you think you are experiencing psychosis, contact your GP or have a discussion with your line manager who may refer you to Occupational Health.

You can access our self help page for advice and tips: How to maintain positive mental health & wellbeing