If you experience psychotic episodes, they can impact your ability to function in a professional setting. You may be unable to work, even if you are physically in good health. It’s important to understand these episodes, what they involve and what they mean.

First of all, medical experts consider psychosis a symptom –not a disease of its own. It’s also something of an umbrella term that encompasses a lot of different experiences. Generally speaking, the person who has episodes may hold beliefs that are false, exaggerated or not based in reality, or that person may have “sensory experiences of things that do not exist.“

These can take different forms. A lot of people have hallucinations and see things that are not there. Others believe that they are very important, even when that it is not true. It is just a delusion. In other cases, people may hear things that no one else can hear.

Part of the problem is that the person may not understand what is happening, especially at first. They could feel afraid or confused. They may think they need to protect themselves and lash out at others around them. They may hurt themselves, either on purpose or accidentally. The person’s thinking can become confusing, disordered and disorganized. In some of the worst cases, they could stop responding entirely and become catatonic.

If you suffer from these episodes, you know just how complex and frightening they can be. It is crucial that you get proper medical treatment, and you need to know about all of your potential legal rights to Social Security Disability benefits.