The Relationship Between Stress and Acute Psychotic Episodes and How You Can Reduce Both

In 2023, Ohio ranked in the top half of states that experienced the most stress. Those who experience frequent high levels of stress experience a wide range of complications and health concerns in their lives. At SUN Behavioral Health Columbus, our goal is to educate our patients and their loved ones about how stress impacts their mental health and what they can do to reduce it. Today, we are going to discuss the relationship between stress and acute psychotic episodes.

What Is The Connection Between Stress and Psychotic Episodes?

Everyone will feel stressed at some point to some degree. If you are experiencing stress, you will probably feel a range of emotions and symptoms that include being unable to relax or concentrate, feelings of anxiety or irritability, a loss or gain of appetite, sleeping concerns, and various body pains.

How much stress someone experiences and how they respond to it plays a role in how stress impacts their mental health. Some people might decide to use substances to cope with the abovementioned symptoms. Others may have difficulty functioning in their work, school, or personal lives. Learning how to manage stress properly can reduce the chances of complications or worsening symptoms.

Non-managed stress might lead to someone having a psychotic episode, especially if they already have a mental health condition such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. The collection of symptoms that make up psychosis can also be triggered during periods of extreme stress.

Common Reasons Stress Leads to Acute Psychotic Episodes

There are many reasons why extreme stress might lead to an acute psychotic episode. One of the potential causes is being exposed to a recent traumatic event, such as the sudden death of a loved one, a car accident, a natural disaster, or witnessing a violent action. These events, among other possibilities, can create enough stress to trigger an episode.

But other factors might be associated with the buildup of stress leading to a psychotic episode. People who are more likely to experience stress-induced psychosis are typically female, have depression, are immigrants, or are between the ages of 20 and 40. This doesn’t mean that others can’t develop one or that there aren’t other reasons for their experience.

As mentioned earlier, sometimes, people who experience high levels of stress will attempt to cope with it by turning to substances. Certain substances, such as cocaine or methamphetamine, are more prone to cause a psychotic episode. This might result in the development of a substance use disorder (SUD) and require co-occurring disorder treatment to help them learn how to manage both the highly stressful circumstances and the SUD to prevent complications.

Spotting the Signs of a Potential Acute Psychotic Episode Caused by Stress

Someone undergoing a psychotic episode due to stress will experience a variety of symptoms. It is not a requirement for them to have all of these symptoms for it to constitute a psychotic episode. The most common symptoms someone will have include delusions, confused or disturbed thoughts, and hallucinations.

Delusions are things that people believe but are actually untrue. They could include a belief in magical abilities, a belief in having authority they don't actually have, or a belief that someone wants to hurt them.

Confused or disturbed thoughts can feel highly distressing to an individual. If they try to voice those thoughts out loud, they might speak rapidly or change the topic of the conversation seemingly abruptly.

Hallucinations are things that someone can sense, but that don't exist. These are things that the person can see, hear, smell, feel, or taste, and they seem very real to them. However, other people who are witnessing them have this hallucination are not able to experience the same sensations.

In addition to those symptoms, you might notice other potential ones if your loved one is experiencing an acute psychotic episode due to stress. These include:

• Impulsive or unusual behaviors
• Lack of interest in usual activities or routines
• Lack of hygiene
• Not showing emotions
• Catatonia, which is where your loved one might seem "frozen" or unable to move or speak
• Having thoughts of suicide

4 Steps to Take If Your Loved One Is Experiencing an Acute Psychotic Episode

When a loved one is experiencing an acute psychotic episode, you might feel helpless at the moment. It’s not irrational to be afraid that your loved one might hurt themselves, you, or other people around you. If it is common for them to experience psychotic episodes, creating a plan of action with them and their doctor ensures that you will know how to help them when one happens. This plan should include essential phone numbers, medications, doctors and therapists, people who should be notified, and a plan on what steps or techniques will be the most effective.

However, suppose this is the first time your loved one has experienced an acute psychotic episode, or one occurs before a plan has been created. In that case, there are 4 steps that you can keep in mind when interacting with them to get them the necessary help.

Step 1: Remain Calm and Be Yourself

First and foremost, remain calm and try not to startle or make sudden movements around your loved one. Depending on the symptoms they are experiencing, your loved one might not trust you or be slow to trust your suggestions, especially if their delusions are telling them that you are dangerous. To earn their trust, be how you usually would be around them. If they still do not trust you, find someone that they will trust to help.

Step 2: Ensure Everyone Is in a Safe Environment

Allow everyone, including your loved one, access to a safe space. Do not touch, restrain, or trap your loved one. This might increase feelings of aggression or agitation. Instead, allow them to walk freely in the room while allowing you and anyone else to escape if necessary. Additionally, if you have to leave the room, remove access to anything they could use to harm themselves or anyone else.

Step 3: Calmly Suggest Treatment

Remain calm and suggest that the person talk with a professional, such as a doctor or therapist, who can help them manage what they are currently going through. Your loved one might be resistant to attending treatment, especially if their symptoms tell them not to trust you or a medical staff member. Do not argue with them, but calmly and compassionately listen to their concerns and explain how treatment can help them.

Step 4: Call a Crisis Care Center If Necessary

Suppose the person becomes violent or their refusal to attend treatment is putting them or others in danger. You can call or take your loved one to a crisis care center for help. An expert team of mental health specialists will be able to help you de-escalate the situation and get them the proper help they require.

Preventing Psychosis – 3 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Life

There are many things you can do every day to reduce stress. Engaging in any form of exercise, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding unhealthy habits like drinking too much alcohol, smoking, overeating, or consuming illicit substances are all ways to reduce stress. However, some other techniques are recommended alongside the tips mentioned above.

Practice meditation: This practice allows you to focus on and sort through stressful thoughts and emotions. As a result, it provides you with peace, balance, and a sense of calm that will benefit your emotional well-being and reduce stress. There are many different types of meditation, but one of the most common methods is a body scan. This is where you acknowledge each part of your body and how it feels. By the end, you will feel more relaxed.

Have a laugh: Laughing helps many people feel better, even if it just starts as a fake laugh. When you laugh, it lowers the stress response in your body. So, talk with a friend who always makes you laugh, read through a joke book, or watch a comedy show or video.

Spend time with others: It is expected to feel a need to isolate when you are stressed. However, human connection is more helpful than dealing with your concerns alone, nor should you have to. Reaching out to a loved one, sitting and talking with an old friend over coffee, or volunteering in your community are all great ways to reduce stress through social contact.

Mental Health Treatment Is Available in Columbus, OH

Receiving mental health care is another way to reduce stress in your life. During treatment, you will learn and practice more skills and techniques that will make relieving the stressful circumstances in your life more manageable. When your stress levels are decreased, there is a lower chance that you will experience an acute psychotic episode.

At SUN Behavioral Health Columbus, we solve unmet needs for the adolescents and adults in our community. Our crisis care is open 24/7 to compassionately help anyone with a mental health crisis, such as a psychotic episode. You do not need to call us before arriving at the facility. For more information on our mental health services, contact us at 614-706-2786.