Early Psychosis Intervention Team

Gippsland Early Psychosis Centre provides assistance and support for young people psychosis for the first time.

Latrobe Regional Hospital established the service just over 12 months ago, which is geared towards people aged 16 to 25 who are experiencing psychosis for the first time, or people who have never psychosis treatment before.

The service is co-located with adult mental health services across Gippsland.

Psychosis is extremely frightening to the sufferer and everyone around them.

Psychosis is a term used to describe a mental state in which the individual experiences a distortion or loss of contact with reality.

A person suffering psychosis will experience a change in their thinking and perception, which can also cause changes in mood and behaviour.

The mental state can be characterised by the presence of delusions, hallucinations and or thought disorder.

A person’s first episode of psychosis can be particularly distressing and confusing for the individual, their family and peers.

Psychotic illnesses usually present themselves with a gradual change in psychosocial functioning.

The young person may start to withdraw from family, friends and workmates, sleep or eat poorly and become preoccupied with a particular theme for example death, politics or religion.

They may uncharacteristically neglect household, personal or parental responsibilities, personal hygiene or appearance.

They may deteriorate in performance at school or work and have difficulty concentrating, following conversations or remembering things.

They may have extreme mood changes and be irritable.

Others may detect that “something is not quite right” for this young person.

Early detection and appropriate treatment offer the best chance for a full recovery.

If psychosis is not identified and treated early, there is an increased risk of subsequent problems such as disruptions to relationships, an increased likelihood of substance abuse, increased risk of depression and suicide and loss of self esteem and identity.

Those whose psychosis is not treated early also face an increased likelihood of hospitalisation, a slower and incomplete recovery and a poorer overall prognosis.

It is estimated that one in 1000 people aged between 16 and 25 will develop a psychotic illness.

Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data 2006, there a total of 30,230 people aged 16-25 years in Gippsland.

Of these, 12,298 live in South and West Gippsland, 9441 in the Latrobe Valley and 8491 in East Gippsland.

Given these figures, the service expects about 30 Gippsland cases per year. The current caseload is 34 clients.

Gippsland Early Psychosis provides case management, which is working collaboratively with a young person and their family to provide information about psychosis, introduce other services that can assist with issues a young person may experience such as education, financial, accommodation, drug and alcohol problems.

The service also provides individual support and therapy that will help recovery and organises and provides ongoing treatment with a psychiatrist and General Practitioner.

The service also provides consultation and education to all existing mental health professionals as well as specialist advice about early psychosis and early intervention through consultation, education and collaboration with General Practitioners and other service providers.