What is mental illness? Most people experience some kind of mental health problem in their lifetime. Complete mental health and mental illness are the two poles of human mental activity, and the absence of mental illness does not mean that one is completely mentally healthy. Psychosis is a general term for a group of disorders in which brain function is severely impaired. It refers to abnormal mental activity that produces psychotic symptoms of a certain severity and of sufficient frequency or duration to impair the patient’s social life, ability to lead a personal life, or to cause subjective suffering. Most people with psychosis recover. What are the symptoms of having psychosis? Doctors usually check patients for the following symptoms: 1. Disorganized thinking Psychotic episodes often involve disorders of thought logic or thought association, which confuse normal everyday thinking and prevent the formation of normal connections. 2. Delusions refer to false beliefs or ideas that are inconsistent with their cultural background and generally cannot be persuaded by presenting facts or reasoning. 3. Hallucinations refer to the ability to see, hear, feel, smell or taste something that does not actually exist. Usually hallucinations are manifested by hearing voices that others cannot hear. What causes psychosis? The pathogenesis of psychosis is still not fully understood. It may be the result of a combination of genetic and other factors. It is possible that some people are born with a predisposition to develop psychosis and that certain conditions such as stress and marijuana use can induce such disorders. Some people will experience some form of psychotic symptoms that last only a few days or weeks. Others will have several psychotic episodes, and still others will have a long-standing psychosis such as schizophrenia or a mood (emotional) disorder. How many people will develop psychosis? The lifetime prevalence of psychosis is about 3%, with the majority of cases starting in young adulthood in the 20s and 30s. How is psychosis treated? Treatment can be effective in relieving or even eliminating psychotic symptoms. A combination of medications and community-based supportive therapies is usually used to help recover from the illness. Medication Certain medications can help restore the balance of chemicals in the brain, which can help reduce or eliminate certain psychiatric symptoms. Community support programs include providing information and accommodation for patients, employment, training and education, social rehabilitation, and the establishment of mutual support groups. It is also very important that the program is understood and accepted by the community.