Acute Psychosis

Acute psychosis is a medical emergency in which a person loses contact with reality, often abruptly. It can affect anyone, though it most commonly appears in late adolescence and early adulthood. Episodes can arise from an underlying mental illness, substance use, severe sleep deprivation, or certain medical conditions.

Medicine used to treat Acute Psychosis

Haldol

Haloperidol

10mg

Intended to support stable mental health, this treatment is designed to mitigate hallucinations and agitation in severe psychological conditions.

From $0.85 / tablet View

What a psychotic episode looks like

The core features are hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that are not there), delusions (fixed false beliefs, such as being persecuted or having special powers), and severely disorganised speech or behaviour. The person is usually unaware that anything is wrong, which is why carers and family members are often the first to seek help.

How acute psychosis is treated

The priority is calming the episode safely and preventing harm. Antipsychotic medicines are the cornerstone of treatment. Haloperidol is a well-established option used widely across South and Southeast Asia, valued for its rapid onset in acute settings. Longer-term management, including relapse prevention, falls under mental health care and typically involves ongoing psychiatric follow-up.

If someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others, call local emergency services or go to the nearest hospital emergency department without delay.