Positive symptoms of psychosis refer to experiences that represent an excess or distortion of normal mental functions, essentially adding abnormal perceptions, thoughts, or behaviors to a person's reality. The term "positive" does not imply they are beneficial; it contrasts with "negative" symptoms, which involve a loss of normal functioning (e.g., apathy or social withdrawal). These symptoms are hallmark features of psychotic disorders like schizophrenia, but can also occur in bipolar disorder, severe depression, substance-induced psychosis, or brief psychotic episodes triggered by stress, sleep deprivation, or medical conditions.

Key Examples of Positive Symptoms:

1. Hallucinations: Sensing things that aren't real. The most common are auditory (hearing voices commenting on actions, arguing, or commanding harmful behaviors), but they can be visual (seeing people/shadows), tactile (feeling bugs crawling on skin), olfactory (smelling odors like burning), or gustatory (tasting poisons in food).
2. Delusions: Fixed, false beliefs resistant to evidence. Common types include:
   • Persecutory: Believing others are plotting harm (e.g., "The government is spying via my phone").
   • Grandiose: Exaggerated self-importance (e.g., "I am a prophet with divine powers").
   • Referential: Seeing personal messages in unrelated events (e.g., "TV news is about me").
   • Somatic: False bodily convictions (e.g., "My organs are rotting").
3. Disorganized Thinking/Speech: Thoughts jump illogically (loose associations), become tangential, or incoherent (word salad). Speech may include neologisms (made-up words) or clang associations (rhyming without meaning).
4. Disorganized or Abnormal Behavior: Agitation, catatonia (motionless stupor or rigid posturing), childlike silliness, or grossly inappropriate actions (e.g., smearing feces, public undressing).

These symptoms often emerge suddenly in acute psychosis or wax/wane chronically. They cause significant distress, impair reality testing, and increase risks like self-harm or violence if command hallucinations urge it. Diagnosis requires ruling out substances (e.g., methamphetamine, LSD) or neurological issues (e.g., brain tumors, epilepsy).

Treatment: Antipsychotic medications (e.g., risperidone, olanzapine) target dopamine pathways to reduce symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps challenge delusions, while family support and early intervention prevent relapse. With prompt care, many regain functioning 50–70% achieve remission with treatment. If experiencing these, seek emergency psychiatric evaluation immediately.