Psychotic symptoms are either delusions or hallucinations. Delusions are unfounded ideas that can be related to suspicions or paranoid thoughts, self importance, illness, self-blame, or hopelessness. Hallucinations are abnormal perceptions in one or more of the five senses (ie, hearing, vision, feel, smell, and taste). For example, people may hear or see things that aren't really there.

The following are questions you can ask your health care provider concerning psychotic disorders:

1. What is the definition of "psychotic".
2. What does schizophrenia look like in older adults and how is it different than in younger adults?
3. What causes schizophrenia? Does it run in certain families?
4. How useful is talking therapy?
5. What are the best medications for psychotic disorders? How do you encourage patients to take their medication?
6. Explain the overlap of psychotic symptoms in other diagnosis, like dementia.
7. What is Charles Bonnet Syndrome?
8. What advise would you give to a family member who wants to keep a patient with delusions at home?
9. Can the onset of psychosis in late life indicate the presence of a dementia or other brain disease?