3. Early or Warning Signs of Psychosis

Behavioural

• Strange posturing



from http://mayaescobar.com/images/el%20es%20frida.gif

• Odd or bizarre behaviour
• Feeling refreshed after much less sleep than normal
• Excessive writing without meaning
• Cutting oneself; threats of self-mutilation
• Deterioration of personal hygiene
• Hyperactivity or inactivity, or alternating between the two
• Staring without blinking - or blinking incessantly




from http://www.gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs/353902_o.gif


• Agitation
• Severe sleep disturbances
• Drug or alcohol abuse (This may be a coping mechanism: self-medicating)

Thinking and Speech

• Things around them seem changed in some way
• Rapid speech that is difficult to interrupt
• Irrational statements



from http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/98/l_9ec7e61bd00c4131ba2fcabd98d1c6e7.gif

• Extreme preoccupation with religion or with the occult
• Peculiar use of words or odd language structures
• Unusual sensitivity to stimuli (noise, light, colours, textures)
• Memory problems
• Severe distractibility

Social

from http://tofupunk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/gif_crimson300.gif

• Sensitivity and irritability when touched by others
• Refusal to touch persons or objects; wearing gloves, etc.
• Severe deterioration of social relationships
• Dropping out of activities - or out of life in general
• Social withdrawal, isolation, and reclusive
• Unexpected aggression
• Suspiciousness

Emotional

from http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/baked_laugh.gif

• Inappropriate laughter
• Inability to cry, or excessive crying
• Feelings of depression and anxiety
• Inability to express joy
• Euphoric mood Personality
• Reckless behaviours that are out of character
• Significantly prolonged drops in motivation or speech
• Shift in basic personality.