Psych 101: Learning about psychosis & thought disorders

Our conception of the human "mind" is a manifestation of brain function. In turn, the brain is composed of numerous autonomous, but highly coordinated functional units.

If one information-processing unit malfunctions or slows down, the effect cascades — compromising the functioning of connected regions that rely on it. Some have analogized this to an airplane factory with multiple coordinated assembly lines. Smaller problems in one line may go unnoticed, yet manufacturing defects introduced eventually lead to a critical component failing, ultimately compromising the whole aircraft.

It is poorly understood what causes the mental disintegration we term psychosis, but it appears to be evenly attributable to genetic predisposition and environmental triggers — the Stress-Vulnerability Model. That stress plays such an important role in the development of psychosis is why two of the best-described risk factors are physical trauma and psychological trauma.

When the mind begins to shatter, it does so incompletely and insidiously — without detection. What people often term a "psychotic break" is not a sudden event like a heart attack, but rather the end stage of progressively deteriorating brain function. The period leading up to florid psychosis, when schizophrenia can be diagnosed, is termed the "psychotic prodrome" and can last years. Because symptoms onset gradually, patients, families and close friends will often unconsciously overlook or rationalize them.  This compartmentalization of insanity is the norm early in the illness, allowing delusional beliefs or misperceptions to remain hidden. Simple, everyday conversations will not uncover growing psychosis until very late in the illness.

"I have seen mad people, and I have known some who were quite intelligent, lucid, even clear-sighted in every concern of life, except on one point. They could speak clearly, readily, profoundly on everything; till their thoughts were caught in the breakers of their delusions and went to pieces there, were dispersed and swamped in that furious and terrible sea of fogs and squalls which is called MADNESS." — Guy de Maupassant

The literary quote above captures some aspects of a thought disorder or psychosis, but a practical understanding of what you or a loved on eis experieincing requires a much deeper understanding.