Introduction & Theoretical Background
It is surprisingly common to see or hear things that other people don’t, or to hold beliefs that other people might find unusual. Up to 1 in 10 people say that they have heard voices, or seen things that aren’t there at least once in their lifetime (McGrath et al, 2015; Bevan et al, 2011). If you keep having experiences like this in a way which causes you distress, and prevents you from living your life as you want, you may be experiencing psychosis.
The Understanding Psychosis guide is designed to help clients experiencing symptoms of psychosis understand more about the condition. As well as a clear description of symptoms and treatments, the guide explores key maintenance factors for psychosis including:
- Interpreting triggers in unusual and threatening ways.
- Your past, your beliefs, and assumptions.
- Using strategies to try to control your thoughts.
- Safety behaviors and avoidance.