Volume 11, Issue 10: Psychosis

Psychosis – A journey beyond reality

You’re enjoying the afternoon sun, when the radio bleeps, a 40-year-old man reportedly acting strangely in the park. On arrival you find out that he has a history of paranoid schizophrenia and he is becoming more and more agitated and aggressive. You try to gain some more information – what is the best course of action for this patient?

CPD benefit

Diagnosis of a psychiatric condition as the cause for abnormal behaviour is challenging without access to the patient’s past medical history and further assessment modalities. This article discusses differential diagnoses to exclude medical causes and there is guidance on initiating a multi-agency response and using the Mental State Examination as a framework for assessment. This will help you to determine the best way to assess and manage the patient taking into consideration their safety and that of responders and bystanders.

Assessment Answers

To check your answers to the quiz please see the back page of the issue.