The First Psychotic Break is commonly referred to as First Break Psychosis…

First break psychosis can be very distressing and unpleasant for families, and especially for the individual who may understand that he or she was functioning normally a short time before, only to be affected by psychosis at the moment.

Causes of psychosis can often be mistaken for other disorders, being induced solely by substances, medical conditions or other attributable sources.

For males, first break psychosis, more specifically to the schizophrenic disorders, is often seen in the “high school” ages 14-19, while first break for females can occur somewhat later in the “graduate school” years, 20-25 years of age.

Risk factors for psychotic disorders, including bipolar, substance-induced and mood disorders with psychosis include: younger, male gender, single, unemployed, from an ethnic minority background, lower socioeconomic status, and living in deprived or densely populated neighborhoods.

Family history of psychotic disorders are also considered a potential risk factor for individuals. An individual may have an un-diagnosed psychotic disorder for many years. However, many patients voluntarily or involuntarily seek help for psychosis, especially first break incidents, before the age of 35.

Early intervention is now arguably the gold standard of care for people experiencing their first episode of psychosis. The most effective treatment for early psychosis is Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC).

This care can include:

Pharmacologist and psychological interventions.
Family and social support.
Supported employment programs.
Peer support.
Physical health care checks delivered by multidisciplinary team, with the idea that early intervention may reduce the duration of untreated psychosis and can improve clinical, functional and social outcomes in the immediate and near future of the individual.

If you believe you or someone you know is experiencing untreated psychosis, we recommend that you seek professional mental health care immediately. This is advisable to help support the individual with the proper resources.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has come up with some early warning or prodromal signs that may precede a first psychotic break:

Trouble thinking clearly or concentrating.
Suspicions or uneasiness with others.
A decline in self-care or personal hygiene (dressing differently, not bathing, not sleeping/eating as before).
Spending a lot more time alone than usual (withdrawing from family or friends).
Strong, inappropriate emotions or having no feelings at all.

In addition, to the above. One or more of the following are also commonly found when the individual is actually experiencing the first psychotic break:

Hearing voices, seeing visions, tasting/smell things-all of these are non-existent except to individual experiencing them.
Firm, fixed belief that is often taken on as truth to the individual, who cannot be dissuaded from this belief, even though it may be partially or totally false.

Many schizophrenic disorders have relapsing psychotic episodes, especially when the individual is not treated properly with medication and other resources mentioned above. Each relapse is thought to further impair cognitive, physiological, emotional and social functioning. Getting early mental health support is key to best handle the situation of first break psychosis for you or your loved one.