Psychotic episodes typically occur in three stages, or phases. The duration of each phase varies from person to person, but they always happen in the same order.
Phase 1 is called the prodrome. When someone is in this phase of gradual decline, they may withdraw from family and friends and have trouble sleeping. They may feel anxious, depressed, and unmotivated, and they may even reveal odd beliefs and suspicions. A person in stage one psychosis may refuse to bathe or otherwise care for themselves.
Phase 2 is known as the acute phase of psychosis. This is when hallucinations, strange and unexpected behaviors, disorganized speech, and other classic signs of psychosis appear. This most obvious phase of psychosis can be very distressing to the person in the middle of it as well as anyone around them.
Phase 3 of psychosis is the recovery phase. Remnants of the symptoms presented during the acute phase may linger for a while, but with early intervention and proper treatment, many persons in psychosis recover fully and never experience another episode, according to Yale School of Medicine.