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Acute psychotic disorder is a short-term break from reality, often triggered by stress and sometimes linked to an underlying mental disorder. Treatment involves short-term use of antipsychotic drugs and psychotherapy to help patients cope.
Acute psychotic disorder is a psychotic break that comes on suddenly and lasts only a short time. The time frame can be as short as a day and up to about a month. Unlike a chronic psychotic disorder, which is typically caused by an almost constant imbalance of chemicals in the brain, an acute psychotic disorder often has a trigger that causes temporary interruption from reality.
In many cases of acute psychotic disorder, patients already have an underlying mental disorder, often anxiety or panic disorder. Researchers believe that one of the main contributing factors to a sudden psychotic break is the inability to cope with stress. Sufferers of anxiety or panic disorder are already experiencing a higher level of stress caused by minor everyday situations, and therefore are more likely to be overwhelmed by larger stressful events, such as a death in the family or the loss of a job.
The symptoms of an acute psychotic disorder are similar to those of long-term psychotic disorders. Hallucinations are one of the most common symptoms and can manifest as both visual hallucinations, such as seeing something or someone that isn’t there, or auditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices inside the head. Delusions, including paranoia, often accompany the hallucinations. Patients may also exhibit unusual behaviors or involuntary body movements such as jerking or repetitive movements. To diagnose a patient with acute psychotic disorder, at least one of these symptoms must have been present for less than a month.
There are numerous potential causes of acute psychotic disorder. Some psychiatrists believe that it may be a sign that the patient is on the verge of developing schizophrenia, a lifelong psychotic disorder. Postpartum psychosis, a rare condition that occurs in a small number of women after childbirth, can also cause a brief psychotic break. Even in those with a preexisting mental disorder, stress is almost always the major contributing factor to a psychotic break.
Treatment of acute psychotic disorder typically involves short-term use of antipsychotic drugs similar to those used to treat schizophrenia and long-term psychotic disorders. Although medications are usually sufficient to end the episode, patients are often left with overwhelming emotions about their breakup, especially if they have hurt themselves or others while suffering from the disorder. They may also worry about the possibility of the episode happening again in the future. Psychotherapy or group therapy can help patients cope with what has happened and gain skills to prevent it from happening in the future.
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