Treatment Prognosis Complications Call your health care provider if Alternative names Psychotic Definition Return to top A general term referring to a loss of contact with reality. Causes and risks Return to top Psychosis is a severe mental condition characterized by a loss of contact with reality. Neurosis is a similar condition but is more a function of a conflict in desires, not reality.
Psychotic illnesses have a physical or emotional cause.
For example, minimizing alcohol use avoids alcoholic psychosis. Some causes, such as schizophrenia , have no known prevention. Signs and tests Return to top Psychological evaluation and testing helps to pinpoint the exact diagnosis related to the psychosis. Laboratory or radiological testing is usually not helpful. However, sometimes such tests can help to pinpoint the exact diagnosis.