What does it mean if someone is “at risk of developing a psychotic disorder”?
When someone is considered to be “at risk”, it does not mean that person has a mental illness. It means the individual may be experiencing changes in the brain that may lead to a psychotic disorder. Psychosis refers to a range of symptoms indicating some loss of contact with reality. Experiencing psychosis can affect one’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. Characteristic symptoms are: • Hallucinations: hearing voices or seeing visions. • Delusions: false beliefs or marked suspicions of others. • Disorganized thinking: jumbled thoughts or speech, difficulty concentrating. Sometimes there can be a biological vulnerability to developing a mental illness, such as a family history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Both biological and environmental factors influence whether a vulnerable person eventually develops psychotic symptoms. If someone is considered “at risk of developing a psychotic disorder”, it implies that we need to pay special attention to symptoms and w
