How to deal with psychosis

Thich Nhat Hanh answers questions during a retreat in Plum Village (May, 2014).
Question: Our son suffers from psychosis. Can you help us understand and help him?

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[steff]

Thay is very direct and collected in his teaching; the question asks 'can you help us understand and help him?" and that's what Thay explains. Compassion and love for people living with psychosis can help them to open up and not struggle alone. A sangha is a community, and those living with mental health issues are often ostracized from communities they are a part of; our compassion can bring a lot of healing when people felt seen and heard. We cannot fix other people, but we can help them feel more comfortable seeking help and supporting them along the way.

[frozenpixie]

From my own personal experience, meditation and mindfulness can have mixed results in the throes of psychosis. It may be true that there are many pathways to psychosis and thus many more types of psychosis than we understand now, but it's at least true that many psychotic episodes can be alleviated with antipsychotic medications before engaging or re-engaging in cognitive therapies.

I found that in my experience I had enough insight into my condition to realize the forces of cognitive distortion could overpower my mind from time to time against my will, and so I continue with antipsychotics 8 years after being diagnosed schizoaffective. The analogy I use to relate the experience of losing rational mind is like being pulled away in a rip tide. There is no amount of swimming that will bring you back to shore. Antipsychotics can be at first like a lifesaver tied to a rescue ship traveling out of the current. You may think you arrive in safe waters and discontinue their use, but depending on the cause of illness this could result in leaving you vulnerable to another psychotic episode. This is why I maintain their use to this day for myself, even in light of their less desirable side effects. We should apply our compassion and mindfulness to continue researching causes and treatments for this condition.

[lindaraereneau]

He is addressing what the parent can do. I have a son with schizophrenia and mindfulness helps enormously in dealing with a person who has psychotic episodes. It helps me do my best and also helps me stay calm.

[ConexionHumanaOficial]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you mom and dad of this boy for being humble and sharing your sons situation looking for advise of Thay's wisdom. Your question is really usefull for a lot of people, of course including me because I have a person very close whom is suffering like your son. I undesrtand Thay recommend mindfulness in you as much as possible in order to begin strong to help your son. BLESSINGS in your no easy time. I hope your son now is ok. Evangelina Cortes.

[Yes-uhxr]

Psychosis is a healing process, not a disorder. When you bottle up feelings too long, your mind will shed a light on it forcing you to look inside by making the inside visible. Drugs supress emotions and block the healing process (however never quit these anti psychotics cold turkey, its dangerous stuff). People in psychosis need love and care untill they feel safe enough to cry it all out. Then the psychosis will melt away like the snow melts from the sun. This is from my own life experience. The psychologist Jung and one of his students did see this simple truth aswell and wrote extensively about the common themes. Psychosis comes untill you learned to love and cry.

[Alex-guei]

'Accident'? This vid isn't about psychosis.... It surprises me. A friend of mine went into psychosis from doing concentrative meditation and got little support. I find it odd that spiritual leaders such as this have so little advice on it having explored the mind so deeply....?

[default.]

Taking the pills also and with the continuous practice of mindful breathing can we heal completely psychosis?

[tookie]

Useful information: mindfulness
Also compassion and positive energy.
Mindfulness would be extremely helpful

[wmbewl]

Early intervention with medication can help people who suffer from psychosis reduce the severity and frequency of future episodes of psychosis. This should be stated.

Evidence and Research
Early Psychosis Intervention Programs: Many countries have established early psychosis intervention programs that combine medication, therapy, and support services. These programs have shown success in reducing the duration of untreated psychosis and improving overall outcomes.

Studies and Meta-Analyses: Numerous studies and meta-analyses support the efficacy of early intervention in reducing the severity and frequency of psychotic episodes. Early treatment is associated with better symptom management, reduced hospitalization rates, and improved quality of life.

[Reinehr]

3:12 this is spot on from Thay. also psychiatric drugs sometimes make people more vulnerable to spiritual/psychic attacks.

[le_hardi]

To recover from psychosis ? No.
But adjusting to psychosis would be great !

[barbarawulff]

I liked how he said that mewntal illness comes from far away, because as parents we carry so much guilt.

[marikeb]

My people, one day i will come to you and i will tell you what jou want to learn about this presious gift. I hope jou already have the answer. So nobody will suffer with this gift . Love love

[galactus]

Did he give any useful information on how to deal or heal it?

[lemonde]

I have a lot of respect for this man but to be honnest he just gives such a vague answer might as well not bother asking him. Not a clue why it is caused, how etc. If the constant answer is give love well no need for any spiritual guru we all know that. I genuinely believe no soul on earth know exactly what is going on, about God, mind, soul, ego and so on, so they should stop pretending they do

[danuuteee]

Never mind. (Sorry) I found closed caption.

[linziwhittingham]

After watching this I watched the Eleanor Longden TED Talk which (to me anyway) verfies Thay's answer that mental illness could be from a time or space far away or inherited from our ancestors or in the case of Eleanor from her own past and the trauma she suffered from others and taking onboard their suffering.

[EkaraLibrae]

You will never find the "Cause" because none of you haven't a clue where to look. Even as a community, its just a waste of energy with no concrete results. The "Cause of... " exist long before Buddha fabricated its own religion. It exist before the time of Moses. And it exist before Osiris was subject to the "cause". How do I know?

[descartesdonkey]

The bell, the belll....aghhhh aghhhh the bell....what a crock