<p>Something to keep in mind is that anything you hear on TV is that it's probably not completely accurate. </p>

<p>Psychosis is not a condition; it's a symptom of a condition. Psychosis can be involved in many psychopathologies, (psychological disorders) with symptoms of a psychosis involved in schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, bi-polar disorder, and many other types of conditions or even emotionally stressful times such as after the loss of a loved on. (for more see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis" rel="nofollow">this wiki</a>)</p>

<p>As far as the specific example of having a schizophrenic parent, the character has a reason for his worry. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia" rel="nofollow">Schizophrenia</a> has been shown to often have a genetic component, (though there are also other factors necessary) and late adolescence to mid 20s is the most likely time for males and females to first show symptoms of the disorder. Females also have another peek of diagnosis around the 50, (likely related to menopause) as you can see with this <a href="http://smithwebdesign.com/schizophrenia/graph.gif" rel="nofollow">graph of diagnoses</a>. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-05T00:24:58.863Z
2013-09-05T00:24:58.863Z
GetSwifty
<p><strong>Background:</strong> Lately I've been watching a lot of Criminal Minds and in the season that I've just finished, one of the main characters - a 20-something Dr. Spencer Reid - is worried that he might be developing some form of psychosis (as I understood it) due to his mother's long time paranoid schizophrenia. Something he said to another of the main characters made me wonder the following:</p>

<ul>
<li><strong>At what age does psychosis most commonly develop?</strong></li>
<li><strong>If someone has psychosis in the immediate family but has not developed psychosis by their mid-20s, is there an age where they are more likely to develop the illness or a point where if they haven't had it by a given age, they never will?</strong></li>
</ul>

<developmental-psychology><psychiatry><aging><schizophrenia>
What is the most common age for developing psychosis?
Ortund
# What is the most common age for developing psychosis?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-09-04)

**Background:** Lately I've been watching a lot of Criminal Minds and in the season that I've just finished, one of the main characters - a 20-something Dr. Spencer Reid - is worried that he might be developing some form of psychosis (as I understood it) due to his mother's long time paranoid schizophrenia. Something he said to another of the main characters made me wonder the following:

* **At what age does psychosis most commonly develop?**
* **If someone has psychosis in the immediate family but has not developed psychosis by their mid-20s, is there an age where they are more likely to develop the illness or a point where if they haven't had it by a given age, they never will?**

**Tags:** developmental-psychology, psychiatry, aging, schizophrenia


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-09-05. Score: 3

Something to keep in mind is that anything you hear on TV is that it's probably not completely accurate.

Psychosis is not a condition; it's a symptom of a condition. Psychosis can be involved in many psychopathologies, (psychological disorders) with symptoms of a psychosis involved in schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, bi-polar disorder, and many other types of conditions or even emotionally stressful times such as after the loss of a loved on. (for more see [this wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis))

As far as the specific example of having a schizophrenic parent, the character has a reason for his worry. [Schizophrenia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia) has been shown to often have a genetic component, (though there are also other factors necessary) and late adolescence to mid 20s is the most likely time for males and females to first show symptoms of the disorder. Females also have another peek of diagnosis around the 50, (likely related to menopause) as you can see with this [graph of diagnoses](http://smithwebdesign.com/schizophrenia/graph.gif).


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