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A person dealing with a psychotic disorder struggles with the ability to think clearly, make good and sound judgments, respond emotionally, comprehend reality, communicate effectively, and behave according to appropriate standards.

An individual dealing with severe psychotic disorders will find that it is extremely difficult to stay in touch with reality. These individuals generally cannot meet the demands of ordinary daily life and can be considered a hazard to themselves simply because they cannot function in normal surroundings. The good news is that even in the most severe psychotic disorder cases; treatments are usually available and will work.

Psychotic disorders manifest in different ways, many of them very common. Schizophrenia is one example and those with this illness will experience changes in behavior and symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. Individuals dealing with schizoaffective disorder experience symptoms of schizophrenia and a mood disorder that can include depression or bipolar disorder. When Schizophrenia lasts longer than one month but less than six months, it is referred to as Schizophreniform disorder.

Other psychotic disorders include brief psychotic disorders and delusional disorder. In brief with a psychotic disorder, the individual has sudden, short periods of psychotic behavior. Brief psychotic disorder is generally the result of a response to a very stressful event, although the duration is generally short and recovery is quick. Delusional disorder will generally last at least a month and includes delusions about real-life situations that could be true.

Shared psychotic disorder occurs when an individual develops delusions involved in the relationship with another person who is already experiencing his or her own delusions. A substance-induced psychotic disorder is generally caused by the use of substances or the withdrawal from the long-term use of a substance, such as alcohol or heroin. In such situations, the individual may experience hallucinations, delusions or confused speech.

Two other well-known psychotic disorders are disorders as a result of a medical condition or paraphrenia. A psychotic disorder can result from a brain injury or tumor, which can cause hallucinations, delusions or other symptoms. Paraphrenia is a form of Schizophrenia that forms in the older population.

The symptoms involved in psychotic disorders generally include hallucinations and delusions. Not to confuse the two, hallucinations are sensory experiences considered to be unusual or perceiving things that are not actually present.
Hallucinations can include smelling phantom odors, tasting things not on the tongue or feeling sensations on the skin when nothing is touching the person. By contrast, delusions are persistent and organized false beliefs. Even after the individual receives logical and accurate information, the delusions do not go away.

While causes of psychotic disorders can range depending upon the individual, those dealing with the condition are sometimes trapped in their own mind, with little hope for escape. And, while these conditions are treatable, they generally must be watched for long periods of time to determine whether or not they threaten a return.