ABSTRACT
Madness – or psychosis as it is more technically known – is still one of the most mysterious mental disorders of humankind. It refers to an altered state of mind where the individual loses contact with reality by having distortions in the perception of the outer and/or inner world (hallucinations, altered sense of self and the environment) and odd, false ideas that are held with strong conviction despite contrary evidence (delusions). These alterations of thought and perception are defining features of madness, but the psychotic state spans almost all psychological functions, such as mood, energy, motivation, volition, cognition, and psychomotor and physical functioning.
