Early intervention in psychosis

The early intervention in psychosis service is here for anyone aged 14 to 65 who experiences their first episode of psychosis.

What is psychosis?

Psychosis is a term used to describe experiences that affect a person’s perceptions, thoughts, mood and behaviour. Everyone’s experiences are unique and different. There are many different cultural and individual ways of understanding and coping with psychosis.

Psychosis is common and affects people of all ages, ethnicities, gender, and background. People who experience psychosis can and do recover, As with many conditions recovery and return to a good quality of life are more likely if help is sought early.

Someone with psychosis may experience:

• hallucinations
  • hearing, seeing, tasting or feeling things that other people cannot, for example hearing a voice that others cannot hear
• changes in thinking such as thoughts may become more rapid, slowed down or jumbled up
• frightening or unusual ideas such as holding strong beliefs about the world and sometimes about other people
  • for instance feeling suspicious or worried about people, thinking neighbours are spying on you or that strangers you meet in the street have access to your thoughts (these types of beliefs are called delusions)
• changes in emotions such as feeling anxious or depressed or having difficulty experiencing the right emotion at the right time, for example laughing when those around you are crying
• being more irritable or short tempered than usual
• withdrawing from family, friends and usual activities
• lack of energy, interest and motivation
• changes in sleep or appetite
• not able to concentrate or function at school, university or work.

Someone can develop psychosis for a number of reasons including stress, difficult experiences and for some people recreational drug and alcohol use. The exact cause is not always clear at the beginning. We can help you develop an understanding of what led you to become unwell and how to reduce the chances of it happening again.

Our team

We are a multi-disciplinary team working with people in the community. We will work together to ensure you get the right treatment and support to recover.

You will be allocated a care co-ordinator. This may be a nurse, social worker or occupational therapist. They will be the main point of contact for you and your family. Their job is to provide information, guidance and support and help you access the right treatment and support from other team members, agencies and services.

We have a range of professionals in the team including:

• community mental health nurses
• psychiatrists (medical doctors who specialise in mental illness)
• psychologists (specialise in talking therapies)
• occupational therapists (focus on recovery through engaging in everyday activities such as education, leisure, employment and independent living skills)
• social workers
• support worker (can help with benefits, housing and financial issues)
• administrators.

We can also help you to access services outside our team including drug and alcohol services, financial and debt advice, vocational and employment services and community services such as the gym or healthy lifestyle programmes.

How we can help:

The early intervention team offers a range of advice, support and treatments that help people to recover from psychosis including:

• providing information to help you and your family understand psychosis and treatment options
• helping you to develop an understanding of your own experiences
• psychological interventions including cognitive behavioural therapy and family interventions
• medication information, advice and support to help you make an informed choice
• regular physical health checks, monitoring and treatments where needed
• support with educational and employment needs
• help to access support for drug and alcohol use
• advice and signposting for social issues including housing, benefits and finance, debt advice
• support, information and advice for families and carers, including carers’ assessments
• developing a crisis, stay well plan for the future.

Referrals

Leaflets

• Early intervention in psychosis leaflet (PDF, 360 KB)
• Energy drinks fact sheet

Links

• Am I Normal is a website which provides more information about psychosis and the treatment options.
• Mental Health Care provides information about psychosis. It has been designed for family members and friends of people who have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or another illness that may result in the symptoms of psychosis.

Media

Cornwall EIP, improving outcomes for people with first episode psychosis