Positive Experiences of Psychosis: A Review

Abstract

Experiences of psychosis, including auditory and visual hallucinations, are pathologized and stigmatized within healthcare settings and societies at large (particularly Anglo-European cultures). Yet, positive experiences of psychosis have been documented in research. The purpose of this article was to conduct a review of positive first-person accounts of psychosis published in two peer-reviewed, English-medium journals: Psychosis and Schizophrenia Bulletin from 1979 to 2022. Our search yielded 14 first-person accounts of positive experiences of psychosis. Occupational therapy practitioners should avoid pathologizing and medicalizing clients’ lived experiences, staying open to potentially positive attributes of those experiences.

Keywords:

• Psychosis
• positive psychology
• recovery
• strengths-based approaches

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Ben D. Lee

Dr. Ben D. Lee is a Postdoctoral Diversity and Innovation Scholar in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of New Hampshire. Ben has a PhD in Occupational Science from UNC-Chapel Hill. His research interests focus on the lived sensory experiences of people with serious mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder), with a growing interest in assistive technology and applications of universal and accessible design.

Antoine Bailliard

Dr. Antoine Bailliard is an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at Duke University. He earned an M.S. in Occupational Therapy and a PhD in Occupational Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on exploring how sensory processing patterns affect community integration and participation in meaningful occupations. His community-engaged scholarship focuses on improving the delivery of community-based services for adults with serious mental illness.

Valerie Fox

Dr. Valerie Fox is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received her Master’s degree and PhD in Occupational Science. She also completed the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Fellowship at the Durham Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center, which focused on recovery-based mental health services for Veterans. Dr. Fox currently works as an occupational therapist in a transitional mental health program at the Durham VA focused on providing behavioral activation. Her research interests include community participation for individuals with mental health issues and the role of occupational therapy in mental health services, specifically supporting occupational engagement. She is an avid OT advocate and fully believes in the power of occupation to enhance function, quality of life, and wellness. Thus, she enjoys program development, expanding OT services in needed areas, continuing to progress the profession, advancing ideas and knowledge about mental health OT, and mentoring students in occupation-based practice.

Amanda Carroll

Dr. Amanda Carroll is the Research Director for the Rocky Mountain College OTD Program in Billings, Montana. She earned her Master’s degree in OT from UNC-Chapel Hill as well as a PhD in Occupational Science. As an OT she has practiced in both geriatrics and pediatrics for the past twelve years in a variety of settings including travel therapy, skilled nursing, and home health. Her research interests center on promoting the health and well-being of U.S. military veterans through occupation.