What defines a psychotic disorder?

A psychotic disorder is primarily defined by abnormalities in thinking and perception, which can significantly distort an individual's reality. Individuals experiencing psychosis may have hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not present) or delusions (strongly held beliefs that are false). These profound disturbances in cognitive functioning and perceptual experiences are what set psychotic disorders apart from other mental health conditions.

In contrast, mood swings pertain more to mood disorders, which revolve around emotional states rather than the distortions in perception or thought that characterize psychosis. Behavioral issues alone do not encompass the complexities of psychotic states since they lack a focus on cognitive and perceptual disturbances. Additionally, emotional instability is commonly associated with mood disorders, which highlight fluctuations in mood rather than the impaired reality testing seen in psychotic disorders. Therefore, the defining characteristic of a psychotic disorder is indeed the disturbance in thought and perception.