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Psychosis

Alternative names:

psychotic

Symptoms:

  • loss of touch with reality
  • distorted view of life
  • thought disorders
  • emotion is exhibited in an abnormal manner (changes in affect)
  • extreme excitement (mania)
  • confusion
  • depression
  • excitement
  • fear
  • mistaken beliefs (illusions)
  • false beliefs (delusions)
  • seeing, hearing, or otherwise perceiving things that are not there (hallucinations)

Signs and tests:

Psychological evaluation and testing helps to pinpoint the exact diagnosis related to the psychosis.

Laboratory or radiological testing is usually not helpful. However, sometime such tests can help to pinpoint the exact diagnosis. This may include:

  • CT scan of the brain
  • MRI of the brain
  • PET scan

Adam

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