The Experience of Acute Psychosis

Acute psychosis presents a disturbing reality where individuals perceive hallucinations and delusions that deeply affect their day-to-day functioning. One such case involved a young man named Joe, who underwent a traumatic experience during a cannabis trip, leading him to believe he was in hell and to perceive terrifying voices and figures. Despite attempting to mask his struggles with substances like alcohol, Joe felt the overwhelming presence of these voices, which exacerbated his feelings of isolation and despair. The phenomenon is relatively common, affecting approximately 1-3% of the population, typically manifesting as auditory hallucinations, including those that are often persecutory.