Psychosis

If you experience psychosis and live in Gloucestershire or Herefordshire, we can help.

What is psychosis?

Psychosis isn’t a condition in itself – it’s triggered by other conditions. It’s sometimes possible to identify the cause of psychosis as a specific mental health condition, such as:

schizophrenia
bipolar disorder
severe depression

Psychosis can also be triggered by traumatic experiences, stress, or physical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, a brain tumour, or as a result of drug misuse or alcohol misuse.

How often a psychotic episode occurs and how long it lasts can depend on the underlying cause. For example, schizophrenia can be a long-term condition, but most people can make a good recovery and about a quarter only have a single psychotic episode. Episodes related to bipolar disorder usually resolve, but may recur.

You can learn more about the causes and symptoms of psychosis by clicking here.

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1 in 100 people will experience a psychotic episode in their lifetime

Getting help

If you’re concerned about yourself or someone you know and think they may have psychosis.

You should see your GP immediately if you’re experiencing psychotic episodes. It is important psychosis is treated as soon as possible as early treatment usually has better long-term outcomes. Your GP will look at your symptoms and rule out short-term causes, such as drug misuse. They may ask you some questions to help determine what’s causing your psychosis.

Getting help for others

People with psychosis often have a lack of insight. They’re unaware that they’re thinking and acting strangely. Because of their lack of insight, it’s often down to the friends, relatives, or carers of a person affected by psychosis to seek help for them.

If you’re concerned about someone you know and think they may have psychosis, you could contact their social worker or community mental health nurse if they’ve previously been diagnosed with a mental health condition.

If you think the person’s symptoms are placing them at possible risk of harm, you can:

Take them to the nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department, if they agree
Call their GP or local out-of-hours GP
Call 999 and ask for an ambulance

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Find your out of hours GP

Visit NHS Choices to find out of hours information for your area

Treatment for psychosis

How we may help, and some of the treatments on offer.

Treatment for psychosis involves a combination of antipsychotic medicines, psychological therapies, and social support.

Most people with psychosis who get better with medication need to continue taking it for at least a year. Some people need to take long-term medication to prevent symptoms recurring. If a person’s psychotic episodes are severe, they may need to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

Your care team

Your treatment is likely to be co-ordinated by a team of mental health professionals working together. If this is your first psychotic episode, you may be referred to an early intervention team.

You can read more about treatment by visiting NHS Choices

Our teams and services

Where to find us, and which services can help you.

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Gloucestershire Recovery in Psychosis (GRiP)

Living with a mental health condition

Information for patients and carers on the wider aspects of living with a mental health condition.

Mental illness can affect many areas of your life. This section has information on many aspects of your daily life, from physical health to work, education and recovery. Select an area below to learn more:

Five Ways to Wellbeing

At any given time, 1 in 4 of us will be experiencing a mental health issue. Some of the most common mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety and stress, can be relieved by following some simple steps called the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

Connect with people - your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Speaking to people over the telephone or online can help, but there’s nothing like being in the company of others to boost your mood.
Get active - take a walk, go cycling, join a dance class, go swimming or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. Anything that raises your heart rate – even cleaning the house – can help.
Keep learning – give yourself a sense of achievement and a new confidence. Why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, learn a new language, or figure out how to fix your bike?
Give - even the smallest act can count - whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you make new friends.
Be mindful - be more aware of the present moment, including your feelings and thoughts, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness ‘mindfulness’ and it can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

These are proven techniques to help boost your general wellbeing and they are things we can all incorporate into our daily lives. If you want to make your mental health and wellbeing a priority, following these steps is a good place to start.

Drugs and alcohol

Support in Gloucestershire

CGL Gloucestershire is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults (including offenders), families, carers and affected others. They provide information, support, advice and treatment options from three main hubs across the county - Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud. They also work from a range of other locations including pharmacies and community venues. https://www.changegrowlive.org/content/cgl-gloucestershire

Support in Herefordshire

Addaction Herefordshire offers information, advice and support for people with drug and alcohol issues every weekday, and on alternative Saturdays. There is a young people’s service for those aged 11+. Their recovery-focused service has bases in Hereford as well as outreach via partner organisations. They aim to support people to overcome their issues and develop the skills necessary to go on to live a fulfilling life in recovery. They also support the families of people with substance misuse issues. www.addaction.org.uk/services/addaction-herefordshire

Money and mental health

Money and mental health are often linked. Poor mental health can make managing money harder and worrying about money can make your mental health worse. This website gives information about the relationship between money worries and mental health, with suggestions on how to address them.

The Money Advice Service is also a good source of information and support around money and debt.

Employment

Our Vocational Services team can help you to find work. Find out more here.

Medical records

You are entitled to see the information held in your health record. You do not have to tell us why you want to see your records. If you wish to see a copy of your health record, please ask the person providing your care or write to: Head of Health Records, Rikenel, Montpellier, Gloucester GL1 1LY. In your letter, give:

your name
address
date of birth
any other information which would help locate your file

Please note: there may be a charge for this service. If you think that information in your health records may not be accurate, please notify us in writing.

Medication

Our Choice and Medication website helps you make a decision about medication and some treatments. The Trust's pharmacy service supports staff, service users and carers in achieving safe and effective management of medicines. For more information, please visit our Choice and Medication website.

Pregnancy and mental health

If you have serious mental ill health now, or have done in the past, and are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, then it is important to get specialist advice. Getting specialist advice and guidance prior to becoming pregnant will help reduce the risks for you and your baby. There is help and support available, so don't be afraid to talk about how you are feeling with your midwife, GP or psychiatrist – they will be happy to discuss your particular problem and care with you. Women who have had previous serious mental ill health can be at higher risk of becoming unwell during pregnancy and after birth. Mental health professionals can discuss care and treatment choices and support you to make informed choices about managing your condition, including weighing up the benefits and risks of taking medication. They will help you make a plan to look after your mental health as your pregnancy progresses and once your baby is born. If your pregnancy is unplanned, then you should inform your care coordinator or lead mental health professional as soon as you know you are pregnant, so they can help and support you. It is important a women's mental health remains stable during pregnancy and after birth. There is increasing evidence that shows that untreated mental illness during this period can have a negative longer term effect on a baby's development. If you are pregnant, it is important that you don’t stop your medication suddenly, unless told to do so by your doctor. Stopping treatment suddenly may cause you to become unwell again more quickly and increase the risks for you and your baby. It can also cause side effects. It may be best for you to continue your medication during your pregnancy and if you choose to breastfeed. Mental illness can sometimes impact on a women's ability to care for herself and her baby. It is also important to inform your midwife about your mental health condition and any medication you are taking. Do not treat yourself with herbal remedies without consulting your doctor.

Taking your medication whilst pregnant

If you are on medication, or specific medication has been suggested to you, the Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy (BUMPS) website is a helpful resource. This free service gives the most up-to-date, evidence-based information for women and their families. This website is an excellent resource but please still discuss any medication changes with your doctor.

Smoking

Did you know?

Smoking is the primary reason for the 10 to 20 year shortened life expectancy for people with a mental health disorder. Smoking causes cancer, cardio vascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
People with mental health conditions consume 42 per cent of all tobacco bought in the UK
Many think smoking is a mood enhancer - in fact it causes depression, stress and anxiety
Smokers have a 79 per cent increased risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease

These are just some of the reasons why cutting down or giving up smoking altogether can have a huge impact on improving your health and wellbeing.

How to get help quitting

If you are one of our service users, ask to speak to a Smokefree Champion or Quit Advisor
If you live in Gloucestershire, visit hlsglos.org or ring 0800 122 3788
You can also call the national Smokefree helpline on 0800 022 4332 (Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm)
GPs can provide advice and prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products and most surgeries have nurses who offer a stop smoking service
The national Smokefree website includes a wide range of support options and advice

Housing information

Information for professionals

Notes on services, contacts and treatments for healthcare professionals.

Referral information for Gloucestershire GPs and Healthcare Practitioners

Coming soon.

Referral information for Herefordshire GPs and Healthcare Practitioners

Coming soon.

Further help and support

Other organisations who can help or who partner with us.

Mind

Information, advice and support for people with mental illness and their carers.

0300 123 3393
www.mind.org.uk

Royal College of Psychiatrists

0207 235 2351
www.rcpsych.ac.uk

Related conditions

Other conditions or symptoms closely related to this one.

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Anxiety

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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Sleep problems

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Children and Young People

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Panic attacks and panic disorder

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Stress

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Crisis

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Phobias

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Depression

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

News

News stories linked to psychosis and related conditions.

Visit our blog

A new research study for carers of people with psychosis

Jul 10, 2018

We are participating in a research study providing online support for carers of people with psychosis. The study, called COPe (Carers for People with Psychosis E-Support) is being run by St George's University of London. There are 10 sites participating nationally,...

What is GRiP?

Mar 11, 2017

GRiP stands for Gloucestershire Recovery in Psychosis and we work with young people aged between 14 and 35 who are experiencing or who are at risk of experiencing a first episode of psychosis. GRiP is sometimes called ‘the early intervention service’ and our...