Introduction
Psychotic depression occurs when a severe depressive illness has a co-existing form of psy-chosis. The psychosis could be hallucinations, delusions, or some other break with reality.
A person who is psychotic is out of touch with reality. People with psychosis may hear “voices.” Or they may have strange and illogical ideas.
Overview and Facts
Psychotic depression affects roughly one out of every four people who are admitted to the hospital for depression. The diagnosis is very important as having one episode of psychotic depression increases the chance of bipolar disorder with recurring episodes of psychotic depression, mania, and even suicide.
Symptoms
Common symptoms for patients who are psychotically depressed include:
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Constipation
- Hypochondria
- Insomnia
- Intellectual impairment
- Physical immobility
- Psychosis
Causes and risk factors
There is no single cause of psychotic depression but it has been shown to be more common in families who have experienced psychotic depression. Furthermore, psychotic symptoms can develop after an individual has already had several episodes of depression without psychosis. However, once psychotic symptoms have appeared, they tend to reappear with each depressive episode.
Tests and diagnosis
To diagnose psychotic depression, a person should consult a mental health professional who will rely on scientific criteria to check whether he/she has that disorder. The doctor will perform a full examination including a mental health assessment.
Also, lab tests can be ordered to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.
Treatment
Usually, treatment is given in a hospital setting for psychotic depression. That way, the pa¬tient has close follow-up with mental health professionals. Different medications are used to stabilize the person’s mood, including combinations of antidepressants and antipsychotic medications.
Treatment is very effective for psychotic depression. People are able to recover, usually within a year. But continual medical follow-up may be necessary.
Sources and links
Obtained from
www.webmd.com and edited by IDRAAC.