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Understanding Psychosis

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What treatments are there for psychosis? 

For many people, there is no quick and simple treatment for psychosis, but with the right support it is possible to manage the symptoms of psychosis and recover. 

This does not mean that the experience of psychosis will go away entirely. You may find that you still experience symptoms during and after treatment. What treatment can do though is help you learn ways of coping so that your experiences are less distressing and don’t interfere with your life as much.

How do doctors decide my treatment? 

Before you start any treatment, your mental health professionals should discuss all your options with you and listen to what you want. They should look at all aspects of your life including your environment, culture and ethnicity, and any possible physical causes of your psychosis. 

Your treatment may depend on whether you are diagnosed with a specific mental health problem. It may be that psychosis is one of several symptoms you’re experiencing, which will influence what treatment you are offered. 

An advocate can help you get the treatment you need. See our pages on advocacy for more information.

What treatment is available? 

  • Talking therapies can help you understand your experiences and develop coping strategies to deal with them. You may be offered ‘cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis’ (sometimes called CBTp). This is a type of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) specifically for people experiencing psychosis. 
  • Anti-psychotic medication is offered to most people with psychosis, as a way of managing symptoms. You may also be offered other drugs (for example antidepressants or mood stabilisers) if you experience mood based symptoms, as well as additional medication to help reduce the side effects caused by the antipsychotics. 
  • Arts therapies can help you express how you are feeling in different ways. They can be helpful if you are having difficulty talking about your experience. 
  • Family intervention focuses on helping family members talk to each other about what helps, solve problems and plan for a crisis. Your GP will be able to find out if this is available in your area.

“My antipsychotic medication saved my life. It took many tries to get the right medication for me.”

What other support can I get? 

Early intervention (EI) teams

Early intervention (EI) teams work with you during your first experience of psychosis. They usually include people who can help you in different ways. For example: 

  • psychiatrists 
  • psychologists 
  • community mental health nurses 
  • social workers 
  • support workers. 

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that early intervention services should be open to people of all ages. But some places only offer services to people under a certain age – usually under 35.

Community care 

If you experience psychosis a lot or it lasts a long time, you may be referred to community care services to help you cope. The phrase ‘community care’ is used to describe the various services available to help you manage your physical and mental health problems in the community. This might include: 

  • your community mental health services (e.g. ICCMWs) 
  • nursing or social work support 
  • home help 
  • day centres 
  • supported accommodation. 

Community care can also include crisis services and early intervention teams. 

If you become very distressed during an episode of psychosis you may need to be cared for in hospital.

“A stay in intensive care saved my life, followed by three months on a psychiatric ward.”

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

What treatments are there for psychosis?

What treatments are there for psychosis? 

For many people, there is no quick and simple treatment for psychosis, but with the right support it is possible to manage the symptoms of psychosis and recover. 

This does not mean that the experience of psychosis will go away entirely. You may find that you still experience symptoms during and after treatment. What treatment can do though is help you learn ways of coping so that your experiences are less distressing and don't interfere with your life as much.

How do doctors decide my treatment? 

Before you start any treatment, your mental health professionals should discuss all your options with you and listen to what you want. They should look at all aspects of your life including your environment, culture and ethnicity, and any possible physical causes of your psychosis. 

Your treatment may depend on whether you are diagnosed with a specific mental health problem. It may be that psychosis is one of several symptoms you're experiencing, which will influence what treatment you are offered. 

An advocate can help you get the treatment you need. See our pages on advocacy for more information.

What treatment is available? 

  • Talking therapies can help you understand your experiences and develop coping strategies to deal with them. You may be offered 'cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis' (sometimes called CBTp). This is a type of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) specifically for people experiencing psychosis. 
  • Anti-psychotic medication is offered to most people with psychosis, as a way of managing symptoms. You may also be offered other drugs (for example antidepressants or mood stabilisers) if you experience mood based symptoms, as well as additional medication to help reduce the side effects caused by the antipsychotics. 
  • Arts therapies can help you express how you are feeling in different ways. They can be helpful if you are having difficulty talking about your experience. 
  • Family intervention focuses on helping family members talk to each other about what helps, solve problems and plan for a crisis. Your GP will be able to find out if this is available in your area.

"My antipsychotic medication saved my life. It took many tries to get the right medication for me."

What other support can I get? 

Early intervention (EI) teams

Early intervention (EI) teams work with you during your first experience of psychosis. They usually include people who can help you in different ways. For example: 

  • psychiatrists 
  • psychologists 
  • community mental health nurses 
  • social workers 
  • support workers. 

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that early intervention services should be open to people of all ages. But some places only offer services to people under a certain age – usually under 35.

Community care 

If you experience psychosis a lot or it lasts a long time, you may be referred to community care services to help you cope. The phrase 'community care' is used to describe the various services available to help you manage your physical and mental health problems in the community. This might include: 

  • your community mental health services (e.g. ICCMWs) 
  • nursing or social work support 
  • home help 
  • day centres 
  • supported accommodation. 

Community care can also include crisis services and early intervention teams. 

If you become very distressed during an episode of psychosis you may need to be cared for in hospital.

"A stay in intensive care saved my life, followed by three months on a psychiatric ward."