Reduced speech, or alogia, involves speaking less spontaneously or providing unusually brief answers. It concerns the amount and elaboration of communication, rather than necessarily involving incoherent speech. A person may understand a conversation but contribute…Continue Reading
Incoherent speech is communication whose meaning becomes very difficult to understand because words, phrases or sentences do not connect in an intelligible way. Severe examples are sometimes called word salad, although that expression can sound…Continue Reading
Thought blocking is a sudden interruption in the flow of thought or speech. A person may stop mid-sentence and report that the idea has disappeared, even though they intended to continue. The pause can be…Continue Reading
Beliefs help people interpret events and decide how to respond. During psychosis, an interpretation may become fixed and resistant to evidence that would usually encourage reconsideration. A person may believe they are being monitored, have…Continue Reading
Scientists investigate hallucinations as changes in the processes that construct perception. The brain combines sensory input with expectations, memories and attention. One hypothesis proposes that expectations receive too much weight when external information is uncertain.…Continue Reading
Psychosis can accompany several different conditions. Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder are important examples, but psychotic symptoms may also occur during mania or severe depression. Substances such as stimulants and high-THC cannabis can contribute, while prescribed…Continue Reading
The impact of hallucinations depends on their content, frequency, meaning and the person’s sense of control. A quiet but threatening voice may be more distressing than a loud neutral one. Fear, exhaustion and isolation can…Continue Reading
A psychotic episode may develop over hours, days or longer, and its duration depends partly on the cause. Some episodes resolve relatively quickly, while others persist or recur. Clinicians distinguish the onset of symptoms, the…Continue Reading
Persecutory delusions involve the conviction that someone intends to harm, monitor, deceive or unfairly target the person. The perceived threat may involve strangers, neighbours, organisations or people close to them. Ordinary events, such as a…Continue Reading
Psychotic symptoms in schizoaffective disorder can include hallucinations, delusions and disorganised thinking. Someone may hear voices, interpret neutral events as personally directed messages or struggle to express a coherent train of thought. These experiences can…Continue Reading