Psychotic Disorders (cont.)
How common are psychotic disorders?
About 1% of the population worldwide suffers from psychotic
disorders. These disorders most often first appear when a person is in his or
her late teens, 20s or 30s. They tend to affect men and women about
equally.
How are psychotic disorders diagnosed?
If symptoms are present, the doctor will perform a complete
medical history and physical examination to determine the cause of the
symptoms. Although there are no laboratory tests to specifically diagnose
psychotic disorders—except those that accompany a physical illness, such as
a brain tumor—the doctor may use various tests, such as blood tests and
X-rays, to rule out physical illness as the cause of the symptoms.
If the doctor finds no physical reason for the symptoms, he or
she may refer the person to a psychiatrist or psychologist, mental health
professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses.
Psychiatrists use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate
a person for a psychotic disorder.
How are psychotic disorders treated?
Most psychotic disorders are treated with a combination of
medications and psychotherapy (a type of counseling).
- Medication: The main medications used to treat psychotic disorders
are called antipsychotics. These medicines do not cure the illnesses, but are
very effective in managing the most troubling symptoms of psychotic disorders,
such as delusions, hallucinations and thinking problems. Antipsychotics include
older medications such as Haldol, Thorazine, and Mellaril and newer medications
(often called atypicals) such as Clozaril, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify,
and Geodon. The newer medications—sometimes referred to as atypical
antipsychotics—are considered first-line treatments because they have fewer
and more tolerable side effects.
- Psychotherapy: Various types of psychotherapy, including individual, group and family therapy,
may be used to help support the person with a psychotic disorder.
Most patients with psychotic disorders are treated as
outpatients. However, people with particularly severe symptoms, those in danger
of hurting themselves or others, or those unable to care for themselves because
of their illness may require hospitalization to stabilize their condition.
Next: How long does it take to get better? »
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