How To Help a Loved One Through an Episode of Psychosis: 7 Tips

Your support can make a real difference to someone experiencing psychosis. Even if you don’t have all the answers, your presence and compassion are meaningful and powerful. Watching a loved one go through an episode of psychosis can be difficult, especially if you’re not sure what’s happening or how to help. It’s normal to feel worried or afraid of saying something that might upset them. Remember that being there for them matters, and you aren’t alone.

Learning more about schizophrenia and psychosis can help you feel more prepared. A calm, compassionate approach can help you and your loved one stay safe and feel supported. Continue reading for seven tips on how to help your loved one through an episode of psychosis.

What Is an Episode of Psychosis?

Psychosis is a group of symptoms that makes it hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t. Psychosis isn’t a diagnosis by itself. Instead, it’s a symptom of several different mental health conditions, including:

• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Severe depression
• Substance use

While psychosis symptoms are different for everyone, there are three main symptoms:

• Hallucinations — When a person sees, hears, feels, smells, or tastes something that isn’t there
• Delusions — When a person has a strongly held belief that isn’t true
• Disorganized thinking — When a person’s thoughts are confusing or hard to follow, making it hard to communicate and understand others

Understanding what psychosis is can help you recognize when it’s happening. Continue reading to learn how you can help if a friend or family member is experiencing an episode of psychosis.

1. Prioritize Safety

The first priority is to keep yourself and those around you safe. People with psychosis usually aren’t aggressive toward others. They’re more likely to harm themselves. However, hallucinations and false beliefs can make people act unpredictably — and possibly with aggression.

If you feel your safety is at risk, there are steps you can take to de-escalate the situation to make it safer for you and the person experiencing psychosis:

• Stay calm.
• Avoid reacting with anger or hostility.
• Remove and secure dangerous objects, such as firearms and medications.
• Speak softly and slowly.
• Try not to show nervous habits, like fidgeting or sudden movements.
• Avoid staring at them.
• Don’t stand over them.
• Keep your distance.
• Don’t physically restrain them.
• Allow them to move or pace if they need to.
• Call 911 if you feel like you’re in danger.

If you’re a care provider for someone with schizophrenia, it can help to have a safety plan in place. Your safety plan should involve positioning yourself so you have a clear exit away from the person experiencing psychosis. You should also consider having a room with a secure lock and a phone available if you need it. Be mindful that involving outside authorities can make the situation more tense. However, you should always call for help if you need it to stay safe.

2. Use Simple, Nonjudgmental Language

Disorganized thoughts can make it difficult for a person with psychosis to understand you. Using a calm tone of voice and simple, clear language can help you communicate. Avoid joking, sarcasm, and whispering, which can trigger feelings of paranoia. Try to speak slowly and use short sentences and one-part questions using nonjudgmental language.

For example, if you’re helping someone with psychosis get ready to leave, it may be confusing to tell them, “Put on your shoes and meet me outside so we can drive to the doctor.” Instead, help them navigate one thing at a time. Ask them to put on their shoes and after they’ve done that, tell them to walk to the car with you.

It’s also important to remember to be patient with their responses. Disorganized thoughts can make a person with psychosis suddenly jump from one topic to another or make up words that don’t have any meaning. Even if what they’re saying doesn’t make sense to you, resist correcting them or arguing with them. Use your body language to show that you are listening.

3. Validate Emotions Without Reinforcing False Beliefs

During an episode of psychosis, your loved one may say things that aren’t based in reality. The hallucinations and delusions they’re experiencing feel very real to them. If you argue with them or correct their beliefs, it can make them feel more distressed and misunderstood.

Instead of challenging or reinforcing their beliefs, you can focus on validating how they’re feeling. You don’t have to agree with them to show that you support them. Here are a few examples of helpful things you could say:

• That sounds really scary. How can I support you?
• I see this is hard for you.
• It sounds like you’re going through a lot right now.
• You’re not alone. I’m with you.
• I’m glad you talked to me about this.

4. Create a Comforting Space

A calm and comforting space can help your loved one feel more at ease during an episode of psychosis. Reducing noise, clutter, and bright lights may help lower stress and make them feel safer.

If it’s possible, try to guide your loved one to a quiet room where they feel safe. Ask your loved one what they need. You could ask, “Would it help to sit somewhere quieter?”

Give your loved one space if they need it. Avoid overwhelming them with too many questions or instructions. The goal isn’t to fix what’s happening, but to help them feel safe and comforted.

You can also try guiding them through mindfulness exercises to help them feel more grounded in the present moment. One technique for mindfulness is to help your loved one focus on their breathing. Invite them to sit down, close their eyes, and take slow, deep breaths. This exercise can help them feel more present and calmer.

5. Reach Out to Your Loved One’s Care Team

You don’t have to navigate this alone. Be aware of the resources available to help you. If your loved one has a psychiatrist, therapist, or mental health care team, reach out to them for guidance. They may already have a care plan in place for an episode of psychosis.

If you don’t know how to contact their mental health care team, you can also try a mental health support line, such as the 988 Lifeline. These mental health professionals are trained to help in situations like this and can offer support by phone, chat, or text.

6. Know When To Seek Immediate Help

If you can’t de-escalate a dangerous situation or if you feel that someone might get hurt, you should be prepared to call for help. Contact a mental health service in your area, or call 911 if there’s an immediate, life-threatening risk. Be clear that you’re calling about a mental health concern — not a legal issue.

It’s important to be specific when you describe why you need help. Instead of saying, “My brother is a danger to himself or others,” you could say, “My brother has schizophrenia. He’s hearing voices and walking into traffic.”

Try to meet the first responders outside of the home or away from your loved one so you can explain what’s happening. Then, you can let your loved one know who these people are and that they’re here to help.

7. Take Care of Yourself

Supporting a loved one through an episode of psychosis can be emotionally exhausting. According to Dr. Robert Channon, a board-certified psychiatrist with more than 40 years of experience treating people with severe mental illness in Chicago, “I think that the first step for a caregiver is to recognize that this is a scary, frightening thing for them, too.”

It’s normal for you to feel overwhelmed, confused, or even helpless. When you’re so focused on caring for your loved one, you might forget to take care of yourself. It’s important to remember that your well-being matters, too. Talking with a therapist, trusted friend, or support group can help you process your feelings. Take a break to focus on self-care to recharge and support your mental and physical health.

Learn more about resources for schizophrenia caregivers.

Find Your Team

On MySchizophreniaTeam, the site for those living with schizophrenia and their loved ones, people come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with schizophrenia.

Do you have a loved one living with schizophrenia? What tips have helped you and your loved one get through an episode of psychosis? Share your experience in the comments below.