• Brief psychotic disorder is a condition that involves the sudden onset of psychotic

symptoms, which lasts 1 day or more but less than 1 month. Remission is full and the
individual returns to the premorbid level of functioning. It is considered as an An acute
and transient psychotic syndrome. The Exact incidence and prevalence is not known. It is
generally uncommon and occurs more often among younger patients usually aged 20s
upto 30s and it was seen to be more common in women than in men, and in people who
are in the low socioeconomic class. And also seen in people who have experienced
disasters or a major life event that affected them negatively.
• So its etiology is unknown. Some patients with brief psychotic disorders have a history of
schizophrenia or mood disorders in their families. Psychodynamic formulations have
emphasized the presence of inadequate coping mechanism and possibilities of secondary
gain for patients with psychotic symptoms. These psychotic symptoms are defenses
against a prohibited fantasy, the fulfillment of unattained wish, or an escape from a
stressful psychosocial situation. Brief Psychotic Disorder is often seen in patients with
personality disorders: so those who are histrionic, narcissistic, paranoid, schizotypal, and
those who have borderline personality disorders. For its diagnosis, it is Based primarily on
the duration of symptoms which lasts at least 1 day to less than a month. However, for
psychotic symptoms that last more than a month, appropriate diagnosis to consider are
delusional disorder, schizophreniform disorder or schizophrenia.
• The symptoms of brief psychotic disorder always include at least one major symptom of
psychosis which are Hallucinations, Delusions or Disorganized thoughts, usually with an
abrupt onset. Characteristic symptoms in brief psychological disorders include: emotional
volatility, strange or bizarre behavior, screaming or muteness, and impaired memory for
recent events; with a pattern of acute paranoid reactions, reactive confusion, excitation,
then depression. Some journal also suggests that paranoia is often the predominant
symptom in the disorder.
• So for the precipitating factors, The clearest example would be major life events that
would cost any person significant emotional upset. Events such as loss of a close family
member or a severe automobile accident that left the patient debilitated, are just some
examples. Some clinicians argue that the severity of the event must be considered in
relation to the patient’s life. The course of brief psychotic disorder is again, less than a
month. It was seen that 50% of patients display schizophrenia or mood disorder
symptoms, but will not have any further psychotic disorders in the future. Occasionally,
depressive symptoms follow the resolution of the psychotic symptoms and suicide is a
concern during both the psychotic phase and the post-psychotic depressive phase. And
the table on the right just shows the good prognosticating factors or features for Brief
Psychotic Disorder.
• Treatment includes Hospitalization, Pharmacotherapy, and Psychotherapy. Medications
such as benzodiazepine and antipsychotic drug like Haloperidol and Ziprasidone are given
to these patients. While for Psychotherapy, this provides an opportunity to discuss the
stressors and the psychotic episodes of the patient. Exploration and development of
coping strategies are also discussed between the patient and psychiatrist. An
individualized treatment strategy based on increasing problem- solving skills, while also
strengthening the ego structure through psychotherapy appear to be the most efficacious.

• Other Psychotic Disorders involve a variety of clinical presentation that does not fit within
current diagnostic rubrics under the umbrella of psychosis not otherwise specified. It is
which there is inadequate information to make a specific diagnosis. Patients manifest with
delusion, hallucinations, disorganized speech, they are also grossly disorganized in
general, they also show catatonic behavior, and sometimes have auditory hallucinations
as well.
• An example is Autoscopic Psychosis. It is characterized by visual hallucination of all or part
of the person’s own body. Patient experiences Phantom which is defined by a hallucinatory
perception of one’s self which is usually colorless and transparent. The phantom tends to
appear suddenly and without warning. It is a rare phenomenon and experienced only once
or a few times. It maybe psychogenic in origin, but consider also an affectation to temporo-
parietal lobe. Anxiolytic and Antipsychotic meds are also given to these patients.
• Another one in Motility Psychosis. Motility psychoses are a group of acute psychiatric
conditions characterized by psychotic experiences and salient disorders of movement; it
may increased, decreased, or disorganized. So there are two types. First one is Akinetic
Psychosis. This is characterized by Marked quantitative reduction of reactive and
expressive movement, marked slowing of movements on command, Loss of goal-directed
activities, and Verbal output markedly reduced or absent. This is similar with catatonic
stupor where in the patient doesn’t speak, move, or respond to a stimuli, but the former
has a better prognosis. The second type is Hyperkinetic psychosis. This is characterized by
shouting, and loosening of association of words whenever the patient speak which makes
the speech incomprehensible, and a quantitative increase in reactive and expressive
movement that replace goal-directed activities.
• And last one is Postpartum Psychosis. It is characterized by a mother’s depression,
delusions, and thoughts of harming either the infant or herself. An example of this occurs
in women who have recently delivered a baby.