Empowering families affected by psychosis

Psychosis affects the way a person thinks, feels and behaves. Psychosis can come on suddenly or can develop gradually. The symptoms of psychosis are often categorized as either “positive” (i.e., something is added to the person, something that is not always present appears) or “negative” (i.e., something is taken away or missing). People may also experience some cognitive and other symptoms. We will discuss all of these symptoms in more detail later in the module.

The experience of psychosis varies greatly from person to person. Families are often the first to notice when a relative is struggling.