Hallucinations: When Perception Breaks from Reality Hallucinations are among the most widely recognized psychotic symptoms. Like most psychotic symptoms, they are not debilitating simply because they exist—but because of how the individual interprets them. Hallucinations reflect a breakdown in the reliability of perception, where internal stimuli are experienced as coming from the outside world. While delusions are distortions in thought  and hallucinations are distortions in

Delusions are one of the most interesting features of psychosis. Frequently described simply as “false beliefs,” they often act as a guide for how individuals should think and act. Delusions are not random ideas. They arise from deeper disruptions in the structure and function of thought itself, previously covered in our Thought Disorder Article . To understand delusions, it is important to appreciate how the psychotic mind constructs, organizes, and ultimately believes  dist

To truly understand psychosis, it is important to appreciate how thought itself can become disordered. After all, all forms of psychosis are inherently disorders of thought. After all, the word schizophrenia literally translates to “splitting of the mind.” Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganization do not occur in a vacuum. Rather, they emerge from a disruption in the structure and integrity of one’s thinking. In other words, psychosis is fund

“I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them.” Pablo Picasso, The Weeping Woman (1937) Despite being one of the most debilitating mental illnesses, schizophrenia remains widely misunderstood. Popular culture often depicts it inaccurately—commonly as “split personalities” or unpredictable violence. These misconceptions distort public understanding of the disorder and contribute to confusion across a variety of settings, including health care and legal arenas. Schizo

Protecting society at large and the defendant's rights. What is legal insanity and why is it so controversial? "Almost everyone’s...

Competency to stand trial is the most commonly referred forensic evaluation. At its most basic form, it refers to the defendant's ability...

What we do and how we differ from clinical practice. What is a Forensic Psychologist? Forensic psychology refers to the application of...