People who have hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, or disorganized or catatonic behavior for at least 1 day but less than 1 month are diagnosed with brief psychotic disorder. As with all diagnoses, the preceding statement is based on the assumption that no better account for the behavior exists, for example drug abuse or a medical problem. Brief psychotic disorder is rare and is usually seen in an individual's late 20s to 30s. The diagnosis requires that remission must occur in less than a month. However, if brief psychotic disorder is diagnosed within less than a month after the first symptoms are observed, the diagnosis is tentative and will change to schizophrenia if the symptoms endure for more than a month. Brief psychotic disorder often lasts only a few days. 

More information on brief psychotic disorder is available on this web site.

                                                                                                                                Last updated  12/19/03