Psychosis????

Please can someone explain what this is, from its most simple and basic form.
15 months ago I was first diagnosed with Major Depressive Episode with Psychosis (After this didn't lift and I changed pdocs, the dx was changed to bipolar, even though at the time the dx may have been somewhat correct)

Anyway - I've never heard "voices". I just tend to have a very overactive mind, I mull things over to the point where I suffer from sever anxiety too. My mind tends to race at times and I cannot concentrate. I tend to be overly sensitive to what people say - this is partially due to my mind over-analysing what's been said.

I just don't know why my initial dx included "With psychosis"?

Very basically, psychosis is being out of contact with what is going on around you. If you are in your mind instead of engaged with those around you and cannot respond appropriately (when asked a question the answer is a non sequitur (about a different subject from the question)) then you might be considered to be suffering from psychosis.

Thanks Perna - now that is something I can relate to a whole lot more. I usually do find myself so wrapped up in my own thoughts and mind, that I'll look at a person, hear they're talking to me, but not register a single word they said. I do sometimes think of myself as being "on another planet".

Any idea on what causes psychosis? Is it part of Bipolar too, to some extent? Or from extreme stress, causing you to "switch off"? Or exhaustion?

It appears as it psychosis is not covered under the Sanity quiz, only schizophrenia - or am I missing something?

The closest to Perna's description I can otherwise relate to is dissociative

Psychosis is a temporary condition, not a mental illness. It is something that generally happens as a result of another illness and, sometimes, certain medications, etc. It's more a symptom. It's like having trouble breathing when you have pneumonia. That's why your original dx was major depressive with psychosis. Think of it like you would a panic attack of sorts.

If you "normally" spend too much time in your head (I did) that's probably a bipolar, depression, personality, or anxiety disorder. But a really bad episode where you are totally out of touch, would be psychosis.

If you are not "just" in your head but are hallucinating or overly paranoid or feel you are being watched or controlled by others or that you are someone else besides who those around you know you as, etc. that is more schizophrenic or psychotic. Yes, people who are psychotic have psychosis :-) but it is only if that is "all" or the main symptom that they are psychotic. Someone with active psychosis would not be likely to take the Sanity Quiz, would be concerned about too many other things.

Thanks so much!

I tend to be quite introspective and analytical (Hence I know have an analytical career) but me disappearing into myself and my thoughts definitely gets worse at certain times. My dx now is Bipolar, and I tend to agree with it.
I don't get paranoid, I don't think I have multiple personalities (i just act very different at some times, but this is largely governed by my moods and which episode I am busy experiencing)

When I was first dx'd with Major depressive episode with psychosis, I could not work - I'd just stare at my PC, mull over my emotions and cry all day long.
Now, mainly due to meds, I tend to feel numb and cannot cry most of the time, but I am a whole lot more productive (Not very, but more than before). And on some days I am on top of the world and top of my game too. If I don't have the energy or enough concentration to do work, I can at least get onto PsychC or the internet and do something...

i have the same exact dx as you sugahorse, but idk about temporary, bc mine has been happening for awhile and doesnt seem to be getting better, but i completely agree with perna, its a distortion of reality, and can be confusing, and perna explained it very well :P so idk if i can say anything other than what they said

Psychosis isn't always hearing voices. I was diagnosed as Asperger's with psychotic symtoms. When I asked what the psychotic symptoms were, I was told my extreme suspiciousness of people.

I question the Asperger's now as I have done much research on it and did not have the symptoms as a child, but I am currently waiting a response from my psychiatrist on that. After research I feel that I have some kind of personality disorder, it would explain the suspiciousness a little more.

Anyways, I just wanted to chime in that psychosis is not always hearing voices.

I do this all the time. I see there lips moving but not either remembering after the last 3 words they say or not hearing them at all.