Psychosis

"Psychosis (also called a 'psychotic experience' or 'psychotic episode') is when you perceive or interpret reality in a very different way from people around you. You might be said to 'lose touch' with reality.

The most common types of psychotic experiences are hallucinations, delusions and disorganised thinking and speech. 

Psychosis affects people in different ways. You might experience it once, have short episodes throughout your life, or live with it most of the time." (Mind, 2023).

British Psychological Society, 2014 Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia  

As with all human experiences, no one person’s problems, or ways of coping with them, are exactly the same as anyone else’s. Some people have only one of these experiences, others have several. Some people experience them on only one occasion, others from time to time (for example during periods of stress), and others frequently. 

Many people do not come into contact with mental health services because they do not find their experiences distressing.  For example, many people hear voices talking to them when there is no one there, but the voices say relatively neutral, pleasant or even helpful things so this is not a problem. Others develop ways of coping with their experiences on their own or with help from people around them. 

Some people, however, are so distressed by their experiences that they seek professional help. Some come to the attention of professionals because other people consider their behaviour odd or worrying, or fear that it is putting the person or others at risk. Only these last two groups of people are likely to come into contact with mental health services and to be diagnosed as mentally ill.

Available at: https://explore.bps.org.uk/binary/bpsworks/e5e7c66538476f97/4989abd32e151c44ed1ac6fac03e21f4c54163fe5c848924d30ce86abeb94205/rep03_2017.pdf

Bipolar

In our film the lead character is also living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. 

“Bipolar disorder is a mental health problem that mainly affects your mood. If you have bipolar disorder, you're likely to have times where you experience:

  • Manic or hypomanic episodes, which means feeling high

  • Depressive episodes, which means feeling low

  • Potentially some psychotic symptoms during manic or depressive episodes” (Mind, 2023).

One person describes their experience of bipolar as;

“My early warning signs are that colours seem very bright, particularly reds and yellows, they take on neon characteristics and I believe they have magical properties, I also start to talk much faster and more than is usual for me. If I do nothing about these signs, within a day or two I am highly excited, very active, wanting to run, dance and climb things. At this stage everything seems wonderful and I feel like I am a genius! The next stage is more worrying (though not to me at the time) I become disinhibited and take off all my clothes in public. Also, I believe I can fly and try to get to high places so that I can launch myself into the air. What seems such a wonderful feeling quickly becomes very dangerous!”

(Debbie Mayes – service user)

British Psychological Society, 2014 Understanding Bipolar Disorder

In the same report another person describes their experience of being in hospital;

“The experience of being sectioned felt like social control rather than treatment for illness. My aim was to convince the staff that I was fine so that I could get out of hospital. It was nothing to do with getting better. ‘The staff just would not listen. I found it so frustrating to be in a situation where I was suddenly so patronised. I was being spoken to by nurses in the way I might address a two-year old. This increasingly fed my frustration. How do you make yourself heard when no-one will listen and you have been put in hospital against your will? You may or may not have any time to pack. You may or may not have a comb- toothbrush, shampoo, never mind the collection of cosmetics you may be used to which help you feel “right” to face the world. What would you do if faced with that sort of loss of dignity?”

(Joanne Hemmingfield – service user)