THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PSYCHOSIS AND TRAUMA
This blog article examines how trauma and psychosis are related. It talks about how trauma can cause psychotic symptoms such dissociation, paranoia, and flashbacks. The article also discusses the various traumas that might cause psychosis, such as abuse as a kid, sexual assault, and exposure to combat. The article concludes by suggesting trauma-informed therapeutic modalities for those suffering from psychosis.
How Trauma and Psychosis are Related
Psychosis is a mental illness that can make a person disengage from reality. Delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking are some of its symptoms. Even while the precise causes of psychosis are still being investigated, research has revealed that trauma may play a role.
A very upsetting or unpleasant incident that exceeds a person’s capacity for adjustment is referred to as a trauma. It can take many different forms, including neglect, natural calamities, sexual or physical abuse, and exposure to combat. A person’s mental health can be affected by trauma for a long time, and it can raise their risk of mental health issues like PTSD, despair, and anxiety.
According to studies, trauma survivors are more likely to have psychotic symptoms. Trauma can cause psychosis to start or worsen its already present symptoms. For instance, someone who was abused as a youngster might start to have paranoid illusions that someone is watching them or attempting to harm them. Similar to this, someone who has been exposed to battle could suffer hallucinations of explosions or gunshots.
There are many different ways in which trauma and psychosis are related. Trauma can have neurological effects that support the emergence of psychosis. Trauma, for instance, can modify the brain’s stress response mechanism, resulting in adjustments to the levels of stress hormones like cortisol. These modifications may interfere with the brain’s regular operation and result in psychotic symptoms.
Trauma not only affects a person’s physical state, but also their ideas and perceptions. Trauma survivors may form unfavourable attitudes about themselves or the world they live in. Delusions or other psychotic symptoms may emerge as a result of these beliefs.
Trauma-informed care should be used when treating psychosis linked to trauma. This means that therapy should include a patient’s trauma history and work to establish a secure and encouraging atmosphere for them. Therapies that have been proven to be successful in treating trauma-related symptoms include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR).
People who have gone through trauma and are showing signs of psychosis should get care from a mental health expert. People who are dealing with trauma and psychosis have access to a variety of options, such as support groups, internet forums, and mental health hotlines.
In conclusion, trauma may have a role in the emergence of psychosis. People who have gone through trauma should seek assistance from a mental health specialist who has received trauma-informed care training. People who have undergone trauma and are exhibiting symptoms of psychosis can have meaningful lives if they receive the right care and assistance.
