Psychosis

 My journey with psychosis started progressing in my late teens and early twenties. I understand with these types of disorders, that's usually when they start happening. The unfortunate part about my case, is that I never believed in the disorder. I still kind of don't and I have a tendency to blame the medication, when in fact they need to be adjusted. I think one can function without medication, and it is only a "disorder" if it is impacting their lives in some odd way. In my case, it did, and the financial difficulties that result from mania and psychosis, including sometimes a loss of freedom, are what cause it to be a disorder. So why do I have such a hard time accepting it?

Psychosis can occur as a result of drug use or as the result of a psychiatric disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. I am interested in the neurobiological evidence and explanation about psychosis. From what I gather, it is linked with the neurotransmitter "dopamine":

Psychosis has been traditionally linked to the overactivity of the neurotransmitter dopamine. In particular to its effect in the mesolimbic pathway. The two major sources of evidence given to support this theory are that dopamine receptor D2 blocking drugs (i.e., antipsychotics) tend to reduce the intensity of psychotic symptoms, and that drugs that accentuate dopamine release, or inhibit its reuptake (such as amphetamines and cocaine) can trigger psychosis in some people (see stimulant psychosis).^[85] 

It is interesting that psychosis requires treatment. It doesn't seem to be a passing phase, but a condition that, after having occurred, needs to be healed. Medical professionals must rule out other causes before diagnosing it as a disorder, or part of a disorder. There seems to be some mystery surrounding the condition, at least in my mind, as I am very liberal in permitting odd and strange behaviour in others (into my own life). Eccentricity is something that I grew up with in my own family, and something I have appreciated in artists and other people. I have had to undergo treatment for mine, however, with the idea being championed that I will feel better after treatment. So far, I can't say that I do, but looking back on my own experience, I think I am probably safer with the treatment. As I have blogged about ad nauseum, however, I am very dissastisfied with how lithium in particular makes me feel.

First generation antipsychotics (typical antipsychotics - going back to the 1950's), second generation antipsychotics (atypical antipsychotics) and third generation which include, I believe, the concept of the "partial agonist" which does not fully blockade the neurotransmitter dopamine. All this seems a bit hard to comprehend and one could, as an outside, comment that people are just different in their own way. But safely treating psychosis can prevent a person from undergoing hardship including jail, bankruptcy, and death. Balance is important though, to preserve some happiness, even if dopamine (the reward chemical) is blocked.