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Reason Behind the Madness

Delusions and hallucinations are symptoms of a loss of touch with reality. The symptoms themselves are bothersome at the least and severely disturbing at the worst. When considering treatment options, it is first important to discover the reasoning for the delusions or hallucinations. There are eight typical reasons behind the problems.

1. Drugs and Other Substances

As can happen with many other psychotic disorders, delusions and hallucinations can be substance induced. Some illegal drugs and even some prescription drugs can cause the loss of touch with reality.

2. Medical Conditions

Medical issues that affect the brain, such as strokes, can trigger a loss of touch with reality. Older people are more likely to encounter psychotic symptoms due to medical problems than are younger people. If a young adult of adolescent begins symptoms, it is unlikely that a medical condition is the cause because psychosis are most likely to occur in that age group.

3. Depression and Mania

Hallucinations and delusions may accompany these psychiatric disorders. The depressed person will probably hear discouraging voices and believe delusions about his own unmatched worthlessness or lack of ability. The manic person will probably have convictions that encourage her tendencies to act impulsively.

4. Brief Psychotic Disorder

In extraordinarily stressful situations, people can temporarily develop psychotic symptoms. If the immediate stressors are the cause, the symptoms will disappear in less than one month. It is possible that the symptoms will only last for a day or two. If they last for a longer amount of time, some medication may be helpful in restoring reality.

5. Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is characterized by psychotic episodes as well as other symptoms. The person with this disorder may also have difficulty communicating with language and may not enjoy life or demonstrate emotion well. Treatment and medication are essential for the schizophrenic person in order to maintain a balance in life.

6. Delusional Disorder

This disorder is interesting compared to most psychiatric disorders because the delusions do not have a significant impact on most of the person's life. He may have some very gripping delusion, but there are no other symptoms and the majority of his life goes on as normal. Even if he is convinced that he must take a certain routine of medications at very specific times each day, he can do so and still return to work and home, maintaining productivity levels and relationships.

7. Schizoaffective Disorder

This disorder is a combination of Schizophrenia and a mood disorder. The person has psychotic symptoms, as in Schizophrenia, but also has symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder. Sometimes the symptoms occur together and at other times the psychotic symptoms occur on their own.

8. Shared Psychotic Disorder

Occasionally, a person can adopt the psychotic beliefs of an intimately related person. A dominant spouse or parent can affect the other spouse or child. Cult leaders have been known to imprint their psychotic convictions onto the cult members. The symptoms will disappear once the person is taken out from under the influence of the dominant psychotic individual.

Treatments will vary for the various causes of psychotic symptoms. Hallucinations and delusions can cause a wearing down of a person and so treatment is desirable. Oftentimes, the removal of a stimulus will be enough. Other times, lifelong medication is necessary.

Frances, Allen MD and First, Michael B. MD. Your Mental Health: A Layman's Guide to

the Psychiatrist's Bible. New York: Scribner, 1998.