Trauma can trigger psychosis – and talk therapy can help treat both

Psychosis is not a single diagnosis, but rather a collection of symptoms impacting how an individual perceives the world. These symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, and emotional disturbances. While psychosis is often associated with violent or traumatic crime, it is a treatable condition that can result from trauma.

Research has shown that individuals who have endured traumatic experiences, particularly during childhood, are three times more likely to develop psychosis than those who have not.

Talk therapy, specifically trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for psychosis, can effectively treat both PTSD and psychosis. This form of therapy builds upon standard techniques such as reframing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and expands upon them by addressing psychosis symptoms. The treatment process involves revisiting and discussing distressing memories in a structured way, as well as providing coping strategies for managing hallucinations and delusions. Therapy sessions typically last for 26 sessions over a period of 6-12 months.

Despite the evidence supporting trauma-focused therapy for psychosis, there remain barriers to its implementation. Clinicians may have misconceptions about the credibility and safety of this approach, while healthcare professionals may lack confidence in delivering the therapy. Additionally, workload pressures and inadequate resources pose challenges at the system level. To address these issues, resources, training, and supervision for trauma-focused therapy in the mental health field must be facilitated.