Psycho.  Psychopath. Psychotic.  Psychosis.

Psycho comes from the Greek words “psyche” (mind). The words psycho, psychopath, psychotic and psychosis all share this common beginning: psycho, yet have *wildly* different meanings. Sadly, for anyone who struggles with schizophrenia, they are lumped into the world of psychopath, which refers to an entirely different brain condition. I contend that these psychopath and psycho references are a big reason why there is so much stigma for anyone who struggles with schizophrenia, who at times, might be psychotic.  But having flashes of psychosis, as a result of a brain illness is completely different than being a psychopath who can be antisocial and have significant personality disorders.

It’s a little like comparing a Bison and a Bison Beetle. A bison is a large herbivorous mammal, native to North America and Europe. A bison beetle is a type of beetle named for its robust and bison-like appearance. They are clearly wildly different animals. 

Psychopath: It is often used as a shorthand for “psychopath,” which refers to a person with a personality disorder characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy, and egotistical traits. This term is more commonly used in clinical or psychological contexts, though it’s often simplified in everyday speech. Someone who is a psychopath has a personality disorder, specifically antisocial personality disorder, characterized by chronic antisocial behavior, lack of empathy, and often manipulative or harmful behaviors.

In everyday language, “psycho” is sometimes used more loosely to describe someone who is acting irrationally or unpredictably. It can be derogatory and stigmatizing, so it’s important to use it carefully and avoid making judgments about someone’s mental health. We all have visions of the Psycho movie(s) and can only visualize fear and horror. And yet…

Psychotic is an adjective that refers to a state of mind in which a person experiences a loss of contact with reality. Psychosis is a mental health condition that involves symptoms such as delusion, hallucinations, disorganized thinking or disorganized or catatonic behavior. Someone who has experienced psychosis, or is psychotic, is suffering from a brain illness.

However, it is commonly used to refer to someone’s unusual or irrational behavior as “psychotic” when they are not actually experiencing a mental health crisis. For example, calling someone “psychotic” simply because they’re having a strong emotional reaction or disagreeing with you. It is a casual insult, using “psychotic” as a casual insult to describe someone who is annoying, difficult, or eccentric. For instance, saying “That movie was so psychotic!” to describe something intense or confusing.

Psychosis is a noun that refers to the condition itself. It describes the state or syndrome in which an individual experiences a loss of contact with reality. For example, “The patient was diagnosed with psychosis.”

 Anyone who is facing schizophrenia is facing a brain illness that, with the right medication and treatment, can potentially eliminate psychosis and achieve recovery. Its time we stop lumping psychosis and psychotic with psycho & psychopath.  Neither the bison nor bison beetle experience this kind of stigma.

Personally, I wrote a book to help anyone with schizophrenia or their caregivers. And, maybe, in some small way, writing articles like this helps give voice to this community and reduce the heinous stigma. Schizophrenia & Related Disorders: A Handbook for Caregivers