Psychosis

Psychosis, any mental disorder that, whether neurological or purely psychological in origin, renders an individual incapable of distinguishing reality from fantasy. Symptoms may include delusions and hallucinations, severe mood swings, dissociation, etc. If the loss of mental capacity is progressive, the illness is termed a deteriorative psychosis. Today, the term is less often used in psychiatric diagnosis.

See also: Mental illness; Schizophrenia.