What are the risk factors for psychosis?

Psychosis is a mental illness that could be characterized by a split or loss of contact with reality, so that there is an alteration in perception and thoughts so that those who experience psychosis could have difficulties to understand what is real and what is not.

There are various risk factors for psychosis, such as the following: genetic or hereditary factors, drug use, having suffered some trauma during childhood, some obstetric and perinatal complications, suffering from stress or experiencing highly stressful life events, among others.

In this article we will see what the main risk factors for psychosis consist of . However, before that we are going to see what psychosis really consists of and how it could develop.

What is psychosis?

When we talk about psychosis we are talking about a mental illness that is fundamentally characterized by a loss of contact with reality , being a disease that affects women and men alike. Upon contact with reality, those experiencing psychosis may experience hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there) or delusions (having false beliefs about who that person is or about what is happening around them). around).

On the other hand, psychosis tends to appear normally between the ages of 20 and 30, with official epidemiological data estimating that up to 3% of the world population could suffer from psychotic symptoms. Psychosis develops depending on each particular case. This disorder can appear suddenly or, on the contrary, gradually over time, with the possibility that the symptoms of the disease went unnoticed.

It should be noted that psychosis is a mental disorder that usually causes changes in thought and mood, so that those who suffer from it could express a series of ideas that are strange to them, making it difficult for them and also for their relatives to understand. their behaviors and understand their feelings at certain times.

On the other hand, this is a disorder that is normally approached from a multidisciplinary perspective that involves various specialists (psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, etc.) where psychotherapy, pharmacological treatment, social and family support are included in the treatment. as well as the search and support for the patient so that he can maintain a good lifestyle and be able to lead a full life.

How can psychosis develop?

It is common that in the first psychotic episode the person does not understand anything of what is happening and also the symptoms can vary from one person to another, as well as over time. Likewise, psychosis can cause a lot of worry and discomfort to all those people who experience this mental illness.

The most common symptoms of psychosis are the "positive" ones and these are mainly composed of hallucinations (the perception of something that does not exist), alteration in the way of thinking (loss of association between ideas, being able to change the subject without there being a relationship between one and the other) and also delusions (state of disorientation, confusion and/or not being able to think or remember clearly, so that confused thoughts usually occur or also a notable decrease in awareness with respect to the environment.).

Other characteristic symptoms of psychosis are the "negative" ones, characterized by affecting the social functioning of people who experience psychosis, in such a way that it could be confused with some behaviors or moods such as carelessness or laziness, among others. .

Moreover, it could even be thought that this person is suffering from depression instead of psychosis, although it is true that in many cases of psychosis there may also be comorbid depression. Some of the most common symptoms are: isolation, lack of hygiene, lack of energy, poor speech, loss of interest, difficulty concentrating , etc.

On the other hand, psychosis usually develops mainly in 3 phases, each of them having a different duration depending on each particular case. The first would be the "prodromal", in which the symptoms could go unnoticed, although there could be changes in the way of thinking, feeling and perceiving of that person. The second would be the "acute", when hallucinations, delusions, disorganization of thought clearly begin. The third, the "recovery or remission phase" would be the one in which the symptoms gradually disappear.

The different risk factors for psychosis

Before explaining in greater detail the main risk factors for psychosis, it should be mentioned that psychosis does not normally develop from a single cause, since in reality it is usually caused by the appearance and interaction of various factors (genetic or biological factors, environmental , lifestyle, etc)

Among these risk factors are a series of medical problems capable of causing psychosis, such as the following: abuse of alcohol or some drugs, as well as during withdrawal from these types of substances, some brain diseases, some tumors, dementia, HIV, some drugs, cerebrovascular accidents or strokes or some types of epilepsy, among others. Below we will explain in more detail what the main risk factors for psychosis consist of.

1. Genetic or hereditary factors

When we are talking about genetic or hereditary factors, we are referring to the fact that there is a history of psychosis within the family (that one of the parents or even both have suffered from a psychotic disorder). On the other hand, it is estimated that schizophrenia could be the disorder, within the group of psychotic disorders, with the highest percentages of heritability, so it is important to bear this in mind.

According to some theories related to the heritability of mental disorders such as schizophrenia, it is estimated that it could develop due to a combination of various genes and other environmental factors during the stage in which the nervous system is developing. Although this does not mean that all people with a family history of schizophrenia will also develop this mental disorder.

On the other hand, psychotic symptoms have been associated with a hyperactivity of dopamine in the brain, as well as a greater than usual sensitivity of brain dopaminergic receptors .

2. Drug use

Various studies point to the existence of a correlation between cannabis use and the development of psychosis. A noteworthy fact is that between 20-60% of people who suffer from a psychotic disorder may also have experienced a substance use disorder, especially related to cannabis. Therefore, if there is a genetic predisposition, it is advisable to avoid the consumption of toxic substances , consume cannabis and/or stimulants in order to prevent the possible development of psychosis.

3. Suffering stress or experiencing highly stressful life events

Suffering too much and prolonged stress, when a person does not have enough personal resources to cope with the demands of the situation, or experiencing highly stressful life events (eg, changing jobs in another city and having to start from scratch, family problems, legal problems, ending a romantic relationship, etc.) are other main risk factors for psychosis, so it is important to take them into account and seek support from someone you trust or professional help when experiencing such a situation.

4. Having suffered some trauma during childhood

It is estimated that more than half of people who have experienced psychosis previously had experienced some trauma during childhood (eg, physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse, as well as emotional or physical neglect by their parents). parents).

Some studies in this regard have shown as a result that the accumulation of circumstances or traumatic events during early ages causes a person to be more vulnerable to the possibility of developing a mental disorder , among which psychotic disorders should be highlighted.

5. Some obstetric and perinatal complications

These types of complications would be some of the main risk factors for psychosis since the perinatal period, according to experts, is a period of maximum vulnerability. Among the factors associated during this period with the possible subsequent development of a psychosis are the following: premature birth, low birth weight, viral infections in the second trimester of pregnancy, complications during childbirth, malnutrition during pregnancy, etc.

Some early indicators of psychosis should be noted so that they are taken into account to detect this disease as early as possible. On the one hand, there are psychomotor indicators (poor motor and postural coordination, stereotypies or tics, poorly developed psychomotor skills for their age, etc.).

On the other, the cognitive indicators (poor concentration in the game, difficulty in their organizational and executive abilities, decreased IQ, delay in the acquisition and/or development of language, etc.).

Finally, the behavioral ones (solitary play, hyperactivity in boys or hyperreactivity in girls, lack of socialization, serious difficulties in processing at the affective level, etc.).