A psychotic episode involves partially losing the ability to distinguish what is real and what is not. Hallucinations, delusions, or a feeling that reality is distorted may occur.
Our brain doesn’t “record” the world like a camera. The reality we perceive depends on the balance between neural networks and neurotransmitters. When some drugs abruptly alter that balance, the way we interpret what happens can change radically.
Not everyone is at the same risk. There are biological and genetic factors that can make someone more vulnerable to developing these episodes. Understanding how these substances act is also understanding how our brain works.
