Bipolar disorder with psychotic features
In other posts I have already explained what a bipolar disorder is and what different subtypes there are. Sometimes we will see a bipolar disorder with psychotic features. The term psychosis is not always well explained and I will do my best to give a good explanation what it is and how it effect daily life for someone with bipolar disorder.
There are different types of bipolar disorder and some of them will have features of mania or hypomania. In extreme cases of mania and very rare in heavy depressive episodes, someone will get psychotic features. Psychotic features of mania and heavy depressive episodes are delusions and hallucinations. A person who is psychotic will loose all concept of reality and will not see the world as you and I see it. Delusions are false beliefs.Ffor instance, a person could believe that god himself has send him to be the new messiah. These delusions are often seen in mania and are truly absurd. Sometimes people believe they have super powers or that aliens have invaded earth. These extreme delusions are also seen in Schizophrenia and schizo-affective disorder. Milder delusions are often seen in people with dementia. Delusions in a major manic depressive disorder are not the same as the ones in mania. They are often more negative as their mood is also very negative. Delusions are related to your negative or positive mood. For this reason, some patients with bipolar disorder are diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Next to delusions, hallucinations are also frequently seen in a psychotic episode. The main difference between a delusion and a hallucination is that a delusion is something you belief and a hallucination is something you see or hear. There are auditory hallucinations which are often seen in Schizophrenia, patients hear voices in their head telling them to do things. In extreme cases like a psychotic event, patients can see little bugs crawling on their own body or see dead people walking as if they never died. A very good example of such is seen in the movie: A beautiful mind.
When a patient is psychotic he can be in any state and even be a danger to you or himself. The patient is often placed in a room where he can not hurt himself. In psychotic events, only anti-psychotic medicine will help the patient to get out of his psychosis. Often Haloperidol or Risperidone is used to tranquilize the patient and reduce the psychotic effect. Off course only a doctor will subscribe these medicines as the effect should always be monitored.
Bipolar disorder with psychotic features is not seen very often and also wrongly diagnosed with schizophrenia. The chance on a new psychotic event will rise with every new episode of psychosis. Anti-psychotics will reduce the episodes but often not prevent entirely. Another disadvantage is that when people start to feel good they believe they don’t need the medication anymore and without medication the chances on a new psychosis will only rise more.
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