Psychotic depression can cause hallucinations, even delusions

People with depression are often described as people who are always moping. However, this is not always the case. Some people with depression can also experience delusions, aka psychosis, which makes it very difficult for them to tell what is real and what is not. Psychosis is a unique characteristic that generally tends to appear in schizophrenia. Well, the type of depression that gives rise to symptoms of psychosis is known as psychosis depression.

Psychotic depression including major depression (major depression)

Psychotic depression is a manifestation of major depression (major depressive disorder / MDD) aka major depression or clinical depression.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) -IV , MDD is often defined as the onset of depressive symptoms that persist for at least 2 weeks.

Depression symptoms vary from person to person. However, classic signs of major depression can include:

• Feelings of sadness, misery, helplessness, or despair.
• self-isolation and self-loathing.
• Always feeling weak and powerless; have no motivation.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Losing interest and passion for doing things that used to be considered fun.
• Drastic changes in appetite and weight (can go up or down).
• Hard to sleep.

Not a few people with major depression also have suicidal thoughts or suicidal tendencies.

Some people with major depression may be hallucinating or delusional

Individuals who have the depressive psychosis subtype still experience the typical symptoms of depression as above, but are also accompanied by the appearance of psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions (delusions). About 1 in 5 people with major depression can experience symptoms of psychosis.

Delusion is a type of mental disorder that makes a person unable to distinguish between reality and imagination, so that he believes and behaves according to what he thinks (when in fact it doesn't really happen). For example, believing that the people around him will do evil to him or believe that he is worthless and therefore always treated unfairly.

Meanwhile, hallucinations are changes in the sensations we feel when the senses experience things that are not real. For example, hearing mysterious sounds or seeing things that aren't there, or feeling someone touching their body.

Psychosis aggravates depression symptoms

The presence of psychosis symptoms can make the person's depression worse.

Psychotic depression is a serious mental disorder because everyone who experiences it will be at risk of harming themselves. Symptoms of psychosis can lead people with depression to believe that they are worse off than they really are or believe that they have other health conditions, such as cancer.

This belief can lead him to seek false and unnecessary treatment, which in turn worsens his depression. Either from the side effects of certain cancer drugs that trigger mood changes or the severe stress reactions he experienced when he considered himself positive for cancer.

Symptoms of psychosis can also trigger them to injure themselves or others when they feel panicked or threatened even though it's not real.

What causes psychosis depression?

Psychotic depression is almost always preceded by a generalized depression. The exact cause of depression itself is not well known. However, the onset of depression can be greatly influenced by genetic and environmental factors, such as a history of trauma or severe stress.

Depression can also be caused by biological factors, such as an imbalance of the hormones serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain which is responsible for regulating mood.

Another possible factor for psychotic depression is a family history of certain mental disorders related to psychosis, such as schizophrenia. Psychotic depression can also appear as a single disorder or be triggered and co-occur with other mental health disorders.

How do doctors diagnose depression psychosis?

Psychotic depression is quite difficult to recognize and distinguish from depression in general. The condition of psychosis is difficult to recognize because the symptoms of hallucinations are not always recognized and reported by the sufferer.

However, for a doctor to diagnose this disorder, a person must have at least five of the depressive symptoms that have persisted for two weeks or more. Doctors also need to observe their patients more deeply to be able to detect symptoms of psychosis such as delusions and hallucinations.

Like what is the way to treat it?

Management of psychotic depression requires close supervision and treatment, both from a medical doctor and a professional psychiatrist.

The recommended treatment may involve a combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs, or electroconvulsive therapy. The goal of this treatment is to rebalance the work of the brain neurotransmitters. If that doesn't work, electroconvulsive therapy will likely be performed while the person is under general anesthesia.

In addition, management of psychotic depression must also involve preventing suicide attempts or self-harm.

What should you do if you have a psychotic depression?

If you find someone with psychotic depression is going to put yourself or others at risk, ask the emergency police number for help immediately110 or ambulance (118 or 119).

While waiting for help to arrive, avoid sharp objects that have the potential to injure. Try to calm the person down by listening and talking to them.

Avoid negative words or use high tones such as shouting, which can make them panic or get angry even more.