When we see individuals behaving strangely, we often mislabel the behavior as psychotic. This is also true when we hear about horrific or violent crimes. But it is well known that the majority of crimes committed in the United States are not committed by people who have a psychotic disorder. Unfortunately, when a person with psychosis commits a violent crime, it’s often overly publicized by the media.
Psychosis is a term used to describe thoughts and behaviors that are not based in reality (DSM-5, American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Individuals experiencing a psychotic episode often present with delusional thinking. A person with delusional thoughts may express paranoid beliefs, such as worrying that the police are spying on them, that Satan is controlling their actions, that their food is being poisoned, or even that they have special powers. Psychosis is most associated with severe and persistent mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; however, psychosis can also develop in those who are not suffering from a mental health disorder. Stimulant drugs like cocaine, PCP, bath salts, or amphetamines have all been known to cause psychosis in some individuals (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Medical disorders, like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or head injuries, can also cause psychotic symptoms. If the psychotic presentation is caused by drug use, the psychotic episode is usually short-lived. Most will return to baseline functioning, free of psychotic thinking, within twenty-four to forty-eight hours (Teeple, R., Visual Hallucinations: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment. The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2009).
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