How is insanity related to psychosis?

Answer 1

"Insanity" is a legal term, which refers to a defendents capability to be responsible for their actions.

"Psychosis" is a condition where by sufferers "lose contact" with "reality" and can experience delusions, such as believing they are the re-incarnation of Christ or perhaps that the Mafia are "after them" and/or hallucinations (visual/auditory/smell/taste) These symptoms are mainly found in people who suffer from Bi-Polar Disorder (when "High") and Schizophrenia (these are the 2 major and most common forms of "psychotic illness")

Obviously people experiencing these states of mind, are sometimes not aware of their "limited" sense of reality and subsequently can also be unaware of their actions. Which is probably where issues involving the law may sometimes come into play. People with psychotic symptoms are in general 80% more likely to attempt to harm themselves than other people, and the term "psycho" is commonly mis-used was referring to people suffering from these conditions. Obviously the term "psycho" relates to "psychopath" which is a more often, violent and extreme form of "anti-social peronality disorder" (A.P.D or sometimes refered to as "sociopath") 'Typically' "psychopaths" have very little regard for the safety, needs, feelings or desires of others and also treat themselves with a similar lack of "respect". Although "insane serial-killer" stereotypes are often suffering from one or another form of A.P.D, (hence societies fear of them), they are just as capable of attempting to commit suicide as other people who suffer from mental "illness" (personality disorders are separated from other types of mental and emotional health difficulty as they are NOT considered transient states of mind, as they refer to a persons "whole or intrinsic being or personality"

Sadly any person suffering from ANY type of the 3 different clusters of personality disorders (A.P.D is in Cluster 2) can ALSO suffer from "psychosis" or at least "micro-episodes" of psychosis, which can sometimes last perhaps hours (rather than months or years as might be the case with a person who suffers from Bi-Polar or Schizophrenia)

In legal cases of any type where "insanity" and "psychosis" are mentioned or referred to, the mis-conception amongst wider society or popular culture (sometimes perpetuated rather irresponsibly by the media) is perhaps to think of a "psycho serial killer" (A.P.D - which is in itself NO GUARENTEE of experiencing hallucinations or delusional symptoms as it is a Personality Disorder) or maybe people might think of a "dangerous Schizo" (usually someone suffering from the "paranoid" form of Schizophrenia where by they might feel the "the world is against them" or that "everyone hates them" : an indication of their delusions of "persecution" (paranoid delusions). OF COURSE: it is entirely possible and common that many legal cases involving the use of the terms "insanity" or "psychosis" often refer to situations where clarifiaction is needed to settle, say: an insurance claim on someone who has crashed their car (whilst suffering from, for example: "Delusions of Grandeur" that they were 'Jehovah' and could travel the wrong way down a one way street) as anyone who might suffer from a psychotic illness like Bi-Polar or Schizophrenia might do - or EVEN from a, "less anti-social or "eccentric" personailty disorder, such as B.P.D (Borderline) or Schizotypal (S.P.D) might do or could do.