Brief Psychotic Disorder -- also known as brief reactive psychosis -- is a mental disorder that is typically diagnosed in a person's late 20s or early 30s. Brief reactive psychosis can be thought of as time-limited schizophrenia that is resolved within one month's time.

It is characterized by the presence of one or more of the following symptoms:

• Delusions
  
• Hallucinations
  
• Disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence)
  
• Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior

Duration of an episode of brief psychosis is at least one day but less than one month, with eventual full return to previous level of functioning.

The disturbance cannot be due to the direct physiological effects of a substance or drug (such as a prescription medication, or an illicit drug like cocaine), or a general medication condition.

Differential Diagnoses

Differential diagnoses -- diagnoses that may be considered instead of brief psychotic disorder -- include a Mood Disorder With Psychotic Features, Schizoaffective Disorder, or Schizophrenia.

After a month has passed, and if the person is still exhibiting symptoms consistent with brief psychotic disorder, a diagnosis of schizophrenia is often considered.

 

 

Criteria summarized from:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 21 Mar 2012
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