Bipolar Psychosis: Demons, Delusions, and Hallucinations

Join our hosts as they delve into the intricacies of psychosis, hallucinations, and delusions, highlighting the challenges faced by those who experience them and their impact on loved ones. Gabe shares his journey with bipolar psychosis, detailing the intense delusions involving demons that once dominated his life. Through candid conversation and professional insights, our hosts explore the realities of mental illness, emphasize the importance of compassionate support, and discuss practical strategies for managing symptoms. Whether you’re seeking understanding, support, or education, this episode offers invaluable perspectives on living with and overcoming bipolar psychosis. Listen Now! Cold Open Transcript: Gabe Howard: On television, the hallucinations are always perfect. The person who is hallucinating is seeing a fully-fledged person. They're able to interact with that person. They're able to touch that person. They're able to play chess with that person. Is that what a hallucination needs to look like in order for somebody to seek help for it? Dr. Nicole Washington: No, that is TV, man. That is not what this looks like. Sometimes, even on some of these based on true story movies that we make about people with psychosis, sometimes those people never have visual hallucinations, but it doesn't make for good TV. It doesn't bring the point home for the watcher or the listener. You need to have that too in order to really kind of get what's going on. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- visit the official episode page. Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, or book him for your next event, please visit his website, gabehoward.com. You can also follow him on Instagram and TikTok at @askabipolar. Our host, Dr. Nicole Washington, is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she attended Southern University and A&M College. After receiving her BS degree, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enroll in the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa. Since completing her residency training, Washington has spent most of her career caring for and being an advocate for those who are not typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities, those with severe mental health conditions, and high performing professionals. Through her private practice, podcast, speaking, and writing, she seeks to provide education to decrease the stigma associated with psychiatric conditions. Find out more at DrNicolePsych.com.