Assessment of Psychotic Symptoms: Distinguishing Between Functionaland Medically-Induced Psychosis

While functional psychosis and medically-induced psychotic disorders outwardly appear to have similar presentations, clinician familiarity with the differences between them is essential for effective treatment, as the consequences of misidentification range from inappropriate hospital admissions to preventable fatalities. This paper will clarify the differences between functional and medically-induced psychoses and provide useful guidelines to assess patients for medical referral.