SkiptocontentMenuMENUMENUAboutPsychosisWhatisPsychosis?DefinitionofPsychosisWhogetsPsychosis?PhasesofPsychosisWarningSignsofPsychosisSymptomsofPsychosisImportanceofEarlyInterventionWhyInterveneEarly?BenefitsofEarlyInterventionConcernedItMayBePsychosis?HowDoIGetHelp?SafetyRisksEmergencysituationsIfTreatmentinHospitalisNeededHowtoHelpaFriendorLovedOneHowtoCopeasaCaregiverorFriendGettingHelpAccessingServicesPreparingfortheInitialAssessmentBCEPIProgramsInCrisisAlreadyDiagnosedDiagnosisandAssociatedIssuesDiagnosisofPsychosisMoodChangesSuicidalityStressandAnxietySubstanceUseandPsychosisCognitionWhatCausesPsychosis?EPITreatmentsAssessmentofPsychosisGoalsofTreatmentforPsychosisPharmacologicalTreatmentAntipsychoticMedicationsAntipsychoticMedicationSideEffectsOtherMedicationsThatMayBeUsedBarrierstoTakingMedicationPsychosocialTreatmentsEducationStressManagementandLivingWellCounsellingandPsychologicalTherapiesSupportedReturntoSchoolorWorkSocialandPeerNetworkingWhatFamilyMembersNeedtoKnowWhatFamilyMembersNeedtoKnowGeneralTipsforCopingAfterSomeoneIsConnectedWithServicesManagingSymptomsatHomeDealingWithStressesandCrisesSuicideRiskAggressionSubstanceUseTakingCareofYourselfRecoveryTheProcessofRecoveryPostEPIRealLifeStoriesJames'StoryJesse'sStory-18yearsoldAjax'sStoryBrent'sJourneyPendragon'sStoryGarnet'sStoryGail'sStoryAshleigh'sStoryTheJourneytoMyHealthySelfStandUpforMentalHealthThreePhasesofaPsychoticEpisodeThetypicalcourseofapsychoticepisodecanbethoughtofashavingthreephases:ProdromePhase,AcutePhase,andRecoveryPhase.ThefirstphaseiscalledtheProdromePhase.DIDYOUKNOWAlthoughapsychoticepisodeisviewedasoccurringinthreephases,notallpeoplewillexperienceclearsymptomsofallthreephases.Eachperson’sexperiencewilldiffer.Psychoticepisodesrarelyoccuroutoftheblue.Almostalways,apsychoticepisodeisprecededbygradualnon-specificchangesintheperson’sthoughts,perceptions,behaviours,andfunctioning.Thefirstphaseisreferredtoastheprodrome(orprodromal)phase.Duringthisperiodthepersonstartstoexperiencechangesin