Brief Psychotic Disorder: Information, Symptoms, Treatment and More

Brief Psychotic Disorder is a mental health condition characterised by a short-term episode of psychosis, which lasts for less than a month, and sees the individual involved returning to full functioning after the psychotic episode’s duration.

While an uncommon condition, Brief Psychotic Disorder can cause short-term distress. A psychotic episode is characterised by the onset of at least one key symptom, such as hallucinations, delusions or disorganised behaviour.

The symptoms typically appear suddenly, and may require hospitalisation in order to provide effective treatment. If symptoms last for longer than a month, a different disorder like Schizophreniform Disorder or Schizophrenia will be diagnosed.

What are the symptoms of Brief Psychotic Disorder?

Brief Psychotic Disorder involves the sudden onset of a psychotic episode. The episode will not last for longer than one month.

Generally, the person involved will return to full strength afterwards. At least one symptom of Psychosis will need to be displayed. Typical symptoms of psychosis include:  

• Hallucinations: This is where a person sees or hears something that doesn’t exist outside of their mind. It is also possible to smell, feel or even taste something too while hallucinating. A common hallucination is hearing voices.
• Delusions: A delusion is where an individual has a belief that they believe steadfastly in, though isn’t true. The person involved will be adamant that their belief is true. In the majority of cases however, they will not be correct. An example of a delusion is paranoia.
• Disorganised Speech: This is where an individual will struggle with their speech. They may make up words, struggle to concentrate on one topic, repeatedly chant words, or switch between topics rapidly. Sometimes, it can be impossible to understand what the person is saying.
• Disorganised Behaviour: Sometimes, this behaviour can be impulsive and unpredictable. A person may behave in a somewhat inappropriate way – having forgotten how a suitable way is to act. For instance, a person may swear loudly in public.
• Catatonia: The individual will normally appear immobile – sometimes not speaking nor moving. The individual will often be in a state of stupor – where they appear near-unconscious. The person will often be rather mute – offering little in the way of interaction.
• Unusual motor behaviour: This may involve pacing up and down, or making the same, repetitive movements. This can also act as a compulsion – similar to those seen in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

An episode involving at least one of these symptoms will generally appear suddenly, and last between a day and one month.

If the episode or disruption lasts for over a month, an individual will instead be diagnosed with a different condition. Sometimes, an initial psychotic episode is the first sign of a more severe condition like Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder.

Following the psychotic episode and treatment, the individual should return to normal functioning, without any signs of permanent impairment.

What are the causes of Brief Psychotic Disorder?

It isn’t entirely known what causes Brief Psychotic Disorder. Similarly, it isn’t known why some people go on to develop fully-blown psychotic disorders, while others do not have any symptoms following an initial psychotic episode.

Psychosis can be a response to a period of intense stress or trauma. Therefore, environmental factors that lead an individual to a period of stress, or traumatic events may cause the event.

For instance, the death of a friend or family member, or experiencing a natural disaster may be traumatic events that could precede the onset of a psychotic episode.

Those who have psychotic episodes typically have an abnormally high level of the chemical dopamine in the brain. Genetics is also likely to be a risk factor, as psychotic disorders can run in families. This may make some people more at risk of having a psychotic episode.

As mentioned though, it is simply unknown why some people won’t have any further symptoms after an initial psychotic episode, while others go on to develop a severe disorder. Again, many factors are likely to be involved.

Diagnosis of Brief Psychotic Disorder

It is very important for an individual to see a Doctor or mental health professional if they have had a psychotic episode. Psychosis is treated most effectively when treatment begins early.

A Doctor will aim to make a diagnosis based on a face-to-face appointment. They will ask a series of questions, normally based around details of the psychotic episode, possible causes, a family history of mental illness, overall wellbeing and anything else relevant under the circumstances.

If Brief Psychotic Disorder is suspected, the individual will normally be referred to a specialist or Early Intervention Team (EIT) for a more in-depth assessment.

The individual will consequently meet with a specialist from the EIT, where an in-depth assessment into the individual’s symptoms will be conducted.

For Brief Psychotic Disorder to be diagnosed, the following criteria should be generally met:

• The individual has experienced a psychotic episode, which was characterised by the appearance of at least one key symptom (e.g. hallucination, delusion, disorganised behaviour etc)
• The person has returned to normal function following the experience
• The psychotic episode cannot be attributed to the use of illicit substances
• The experience and subsequent disruption did not last longer than one month
• The individual has not been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder in the past
• The symptoms of the disorder aren’t better suited to an alternative diagnosis e.g. Schizophrenia

If the disorder has been present for longer than one month, a different condition will be diagnosed. Once a diagnosis has been made, treatment can proceed.

How is Brief Psychotic Disorder treated?

In the majority of cases, Brief Psychotic Disorder will not need a significant amount of treatment, as it is typically short-lasting.

However, medication can help during the psychotic episode, while a form of talking therapy can address probable causes – especially if an identifiable stressor has caused the event. Treatment for Brief Psychotic Disorder will often include:

Medication

Antipsychotics may be prescribed in an effort to lessen the symptoms of this condition and control any psychotic symptoms. The medicine should continue to be taken in the short-term following the completion of the psychotic episode, before being slowly withdrawn under supervision.

Antipsychotics: Antipsychotics (also known as neuroleptics) block the effect of dopamine – a chemical in the brain that is heavily linked to psychotic symptoms like hallucinations. They can also be useful for stabilising mood, and treating anxiety. They are not suitable for everyone however, and are often associated with many side effects like weight gain, dizziness and dry mouth.

Talking Therapy

Some form of talking therapy can prove useful with Brief Psychotic Disorder. This will normally be provided in the aftermath of an individual’s psychotic episode, and can be useful to address any possible cause:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of therapy that is used to treat a range of mental health conditions. CBT involves an individual talking face-to-face with a therapist, although sometimes CBT can be conducted in a group setting. CBT attempts to improve an individual’s wellbeing and mood. The therapy focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings and actions. This can be useful for those with low self-esteem, anxiety, unhelpful personality traits or intrusive thoughts. CBT can help an individual understand their feelings more, and in the long run should lead to an improvement in quality of life.

There are a range of other types of talking therapies available. We have more information about therapy in our dedicated Therapy section.

Other

Hospitalisation may need to take place during Brief Psychotic Disorder. Psychotic episodes can cause people to be incredibly out of control or violent.

This may lead to an individual being seen as being a danger to themselves or someone else. This would be a scenario where hospitalisation would be needed.

If an individual doesn’t seek treatment, there is a higher chance that they will experience future episodes of psychosis.

Unfortunately, accessing treatment doesn’t provide an absolute guarantee that an individual won’t experience future symptoms. People with Brief Psychotic Disorder will often relapse in the future.

Summary

Seeking help for Brief Psychotic Disorder is important. Additionally, anyone with this condition is at a heightened risk of developing a future psychotic illness, or a mood disorder.

Therefore, this makes accessing treatment even more important. Our website has plenty of resources to assist you.

See Also

• Psychosis Section
• What is the Prognosis for Psychosis?
• Therapy Homepage
• Medicine Homepage