Psychosis

Psychosis is a mental disease that patient is unable to differentiate between the reality and the imaginary. Although bipolar disorder is fundamentally different from schizophrenia, people with bipolar disorder may also suffer from psychotic symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations, paranoia). Researchers estimate that two-thirds of those with bipolar disorder experience at least one psychotic symptom. The main cause is underlying mental illness like bipolar disorder or other types of mental illness. Drug abuse may also be a cause of psychosis in many cases.

Major psychotic symptoms are hallucinations and delusions. The symptoms usually demonstrate the extreme mood state at the time. For instance, delusions of grandiosity like believing one is a prime minister of has supernatural powers etc.. These symptoms may be present during mania. Psychotic symptoms may occur during acutely manic or depressive episodes, however they are more common in manic states. In fact, psychotic symptoms may develop in what was previously a non-psychotic manic or mixed episode. Moreover, once a person has a manic episode with psychotic symptoms, he or she is more likely to experience psychotic symptoms during future episodes of mania.

The fact that psychotic symptoms often occur in bipolar disorder is a major reason why people are often misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. Compared with people who have bipolar disorder without psychotic symptoms, those with psychotic symptoms:

• are less likely to have complete interepisode recovery
• have worse psychological and social functioning and a poorer prognosis
• are more likely to be noncompliant with treatment