Psychosis First Aid – Recognizing, Approaching And Giving Support
Recognizing and acknowledging psychosis
Psychosis is the mental state where someone might experience hallucinations, unusual beliefs, paranoia, mixed emotions, muddled thoughts, hyper-awareness or show unusual or puzzling behavior. If someone seems distressed or impaired by their experiences, even if they’re quite subtle at first, it is best not to ignore them. The person should be encouraged to discuss the situation.
Approaching someone who might be experiencing psychosis
People in the early stages of psychosis may be reluctant to discuss their experiences because of what others might think. These experiences themselves might be frightening.
The key is to be caring, gentle and non-judgmental. Find a quiet and safe place to talk. Say why you’re worried, but avoid talk of mental illness or diagnoses (you could be wrong and it might just intensify the person’s fear). Don’t force a conversation and don’t touch the person without permission.
Ask the person what will help him feel safe and in control, and allow him to talk about his experiences at his own pace, even if they seem quite unusual. Let him know that help is available, and if he does not want to talk, he is welcome to talk at a later time.
It is important to respect the person’s beliefs, even if you do not share them. Someone who is experiencing psychosis might find it hard to distinguish what is real from what is not, so telling someone that he is wrong rarely helps. However, it is always possible to empathize with whatever emotions are stirred up by the experience and this can be very comforting.
Avoid criticizing or blaming the person. He may be talking or behaving differently because of his psychosis. Although he might be having some odd experiences and difficulty focusing, his intelligence is unlikely to be affected, so you can talk to him as to any other adult. However, sarcasm might be misunderstood, and should be avoided. Be honest, and do not make promises you cannot keep.
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