IMPACT OF PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

Abstract

Psychotic disorders represent moments of intense mental turbulence, in which the border between reality and imagination becomes disconcertingly blurred. These episodes, often characteristic of various psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder, are notable for the presence of symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions and disorganization of thought. This study aims to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information about the symptoms, causes and treatments of psychotic episodes. In order to enrich the understanding of this topic, an integrative literature review was carried out, which focuses on the analysis and discussion of the methods, results and discoveries present in publications related to a specific topic. To select the studies, online platforms such as Google Sholar, SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), and Virtual Health Library (VHL) were consulted. The inclusion criteria were: articles that addressed the proposed topic, published between 2017 and 2023, that were available free of charge, and in Portuguese. For the exclusion criteria, articles that did not address the topic, were not available for free and outside the period described were discarded. During data analysis, 7 articles were incorporated to enrich and support the study. Psychotic disorders form an intricate category of mental illnesses that exert a significant influence on the lives of those affected. In this context, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with psychotic characteristics and schizoaffective disorder stand out. A thorough understanding of the adverse impact of these episodes and the search for appropriate interventions are essential to improve the quality of life of affected individuals.