Before I met the Early Intervention Team things were pretty bad. I was withdrawn from society and under stress because of debt.
Anybody can experience psychotic symptoms if their brain is put under too much stress. In fact some scientists would argue that having the occasional brief but not distressing psychotic symptom, is entirely to be expected during a lifetime.
We are beginning to understand that there are many risk factors for developing a psychotic illness, these vary from individual to individual and occur in different combinations.
They can include:
Family history of mental health problems (genetics)
We still do not know why this is, as there does not seem to be one clear set of genes driving the illness. Evidence also suggests that genetics alone cannot be the factor; as studies on twins, who have the same genetic makeup, show that it is possible for one to show signs of psychosis whilst the other remains unaffected. This suggests that environmental factors, such as stresses and major life events, physical health, diet and exercise or drug or alcohol misuse, also play a part.
Life stressors
Drug and alcohol misuse
For details of a study which found strong links between cannabis use and an increased risk of psychotic symptoms visit the BBC News site. Our Team has also seen increasing numbers of young people who have had serious mental health costs from use of Mephadrone type drugs such as MCAT and so called “legal highs”. Fortunately, where it is substance misuse that is the risk factor in a person developing psychosis symptoms, then reducing usage, or better still stopping altogether, can substantially improve their chances of preventing future relapses.
We call these chemical messengers ‘neurotransmitters’. This is where the biological problem is if you experience a psychotic illness.
The neurotransmitter Dopamine and malfunction in the brain pathways where it is found is known to be particularly important in driving psychotic symptoms.
Other neurotransmitters and brain pathways also contribute to the development of psychosis, such as Serotonin, Noradrenlaine, GABA and Glutamate. Medications to treat psychotic symptoms are designed to affect these neurotransmitters.
Other Causes
Sometimes physical health conditions such as head injuries, infections or tumours can cause psychotic symptoms or even prescribed medication such as steroids. The treatment of these causes of psychosis is very different to the psychotic illness that Early Intervention Teams treat and if there are any hints that you might be suffering such conditions the team will arrange for them to be investigated prior to or during your assessment with the team, and if a problem is detected we will ensure that you see the correct medical specialist.
Other pages you might find helpful include:
What is Early Intervention? to learn more about the importance of early intervention.
Intervention for details of ways we treat and support people with psychosis.