Trauma and Psychosis: A Critical Analysis of the Literature
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51338/rppsm.607Keywords:
Life Change Events, Psychological Trauma, Psychotic Disorders, Stress Disorders, Post-TraumaticAbstract
Knowledge about trauma, namely its relationship with psychosis, has been the subject of intensive study in recent times. To present the state of the art on the interaction between trauma and psychosis, a narrative review of the literature on the subject was carried out, followed by a critical analysis of the phenotypical constructs that are believed to be risk markers or intermediaries in the bidirectional relationship between trauma and psychosis. Traumatic events and disorders are frequently reported in individuals with psychosis, and the two conditions can be established according to four types of relationship: psychosis as a result of traumatic experiences; post-psychotic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); psychosis as a dimension of PTSD; and comorbid PTSD and psychosis. The interaction between trauma and psychosis is thought to be mediated through dysfunctions in the cognitive, emotional, socio-environmental and neurobiological domains. In-depth knowledge about the complex interaction between trauma and psychosis will enable mental health services to develop more targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies.
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