What are positive symptoms of psychosis?

Positive symptoms of psychosis refer to manifestations that add new elements to a person's mental state and behavior. These symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. In this context, "positive" does not imply good or beneficial; rather, it signifies the presence of abnormal experiences that should not occur in a healthy mental state.

When someone experiences hallucinations, for example, they might hear voices that are not present, which adds an additional layer of experience to their awareness. Similarly, delusions can result in firmly held beliefs that are inaccurate or absurd, contributing to a distorted view of reality. These symptoms represent an amplification of normal sensory or cognitive functions, leading to disturbances that impact the individual significantly.

In contrast, symptoms that reflect a decrease in emotional expressiveness relate more closely to negative symptoms of psychosis, which involve a reduction in emotional responsiveness or motivation. Improving cognitive functioning is not a symptom of psychosis but rather a desired outcome of treatment, while compliance with treatment indicates positive behavior change rather than a symptom directly arising from psychotic experiences.