Psychosis will Send Anders Breivik in Asylum than in Jail

Sharon Moore November 30, 2011

After killing 77 people and injuring 151, mass killer and Norwegian political extremist Anders Behring Breivik will be detained in a mental hospital than in prison. This is because the court found out that he is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. His being psychotic will not affect the trial, prosecutor Inga Bejer Engh said on her latest interview with BBC UK. The only difference is that Breivik will not be sentenced to jail if he gets convicted in April.

What is Psychosis?

Psychosis is a mental illness that makes a person think, feel, and behave differently. When a person is psychotic, he is unable to differentiate what is real from what is not. Contrary to what many people think, psychosis is a common mental disorder. In fact, one in every 200 people experience psychosis in Britain. This stat is provided by the NHS. There are people who experience psychosis only once or twice while others may go through a psychotic several times all through their life.

Symptoms of Psychosis

People with psychosis experience two major symptoms – delusions and hallucinations. Psychotic individuals go through the times in their life when they are most unaware of their behaviour. They think that something is real or existing when it fact it’s not. This is hallucination. They may see figures, faces, sights that no one sees. They hear sounds and voices which are often terrifying and scary. They even smell unlikeable things and they often complain of experiencing unpleasant taste in their mouth.

The other major symptom of psychosis which is delusion is characterised by having unmistakable belief on something which is not true. There are two kinds of psychotic delusions. These are paranoid delusion and grandeur delusion. Paranoia happens when an individual thinks and feels that people will hurt him or her. This causes them to act roughly towards others. The other one – grandeur delusion happens when a person thinks he or she is someone who is in authority like a God, a president, or the most well-known individual.

Why do people experience psychosis?

According to NHS, psychosis is generally caused by three instances. It can be caused by a mental condition, a generic medical condition, or by constant use of drugs or alcohol. People with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, extreme stress or anxiety, and major depression are likely to experience psychosis.

Psychological Treatments for Psychosis

There are different methods to treat psychosis. Usually, medical intervention is very much necessary to keep the sufferer sane and calm. In addition, there are psychological treatments for psychosis. They include psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT. During these programs, the patient goes through a series of mental activities and counselling to finally recover from this severe medical condition.

Visit your GP if you are experiencing psychotic episodes. It is important to speak to your GP as soon as possible because people who receive treatment as early as possible to have better and long-term outcomes. Meanwhile, you may wish to consult a counsellor or psychotherapist.