The formal definition according to Google is "a severe mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality", so I guess technically, a dream meets that definition.
I think the commenter you're responding to is also referring to the way that in a psychotic state, all actions make sense to the psychotic person. The "psycho" stops following a deductive/conscious/scientific logic chain, and starts following inductive/subconscious/superstitious logic chain, all while perceiving internally a consistent narrative of reality.
Examples in the difference in logic chains:
- In a non-psychotic state, when I'm in my bedroom and notice that I am cold, I do not start a fire, because (a) fire is dangerous inside; (b) I remember that I have blankets, an HVAC system, etc.
- In a psychotic state (either dreaming or awake), when I'm in my bedroom and notice that I am cold, I might start a fire, because (a) an angel told me to; (b) it will protect me from the spirits in the darkness; (c) I believe the heating system is broken (even if I haven't looked at it) and I'm worried I'll freeze to death...
One cannot personally perceive psychosis while psychotic--reality always makes sense in the moment. Even the most demented Alzheimer's patient will construct a narrative of what's happening to them, even if it's just a vague sense of prehistoric fear and rage at the strange object invading their space (which in reality is a nurse trying to give them a bath).
I imagine you already know this but in case anyone who's reading doesn't: people who are labelled as "bipolar" uncontrollably enter mental states of varying degrees of psychosis where they often perform actions that hurt themselves and others, and then eventually they "return to reality" and are frequently horrified to discover what it is they've done. The "return to reality" sometimes requires medication and therapy. Observe: https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/i-would-like-closure-bu....
It's not all bad for people who are diagnosed bipolar, though--sometimes instead of anger or fear, a manic/bipolar person experiences happiness/love/joy and creates a great work of art or makes everyone around them feel really good. I doubt that most bipolar-diagnosed people enjoy the down-swings, though, and I suspect most would rather be rid of their "condition".
Another, slightly-related example about how psychosis works: if you understand a concept perfectly when someone else explains it, and you can't explain it to yourself once they're gone, you've experienced your mind perceive what appeared to be "reality" but was not, in fact, real. While the explainer was talking to you, you perceived that you understood the concept, and you experienced the sensation of understanding, but since you didn't actually understand, you were in a state not completely like but similar to what is call psychosis.
I think the commenter you're responding to is also referring to the way that in a psychotic state, all actions make sense to the psychotic person. The "psycho" stops following a deductive/conscious/scientific logic chain, and starts following inductive/subconscious/superstitious logic chain, all while perceiving internally a consistent narrative of reality.
Examples in the difference in logic chains:
- In a non-psychotic state, when I'm in my bedroom and notice that I am cold, I do not start a fire, because (a) fire is dangerous inside; (b) I remember that I have blankets, an HVAC system, etc.
- In a psychotic state (either dreaming or awake), when I'm in my bedroom and notice that I am cold, I might start a fire, because (a) an angel told me to; (b) it will protect me from the spirits in the darkness; (c) I believe the heating system is broken (even if I haven't looked at it) and I'm worried I'll freeze to death...
One cannot personally perceive psychosis while psychotic--reality always makes sense in the moment. Even the most demented Alzheimer's patient will construct a narrative of what's happening to them, even if it's just a vague sense of prehistoric fear and rage at the strange object invading their space (which in reality is a nurse trying to give them a bath).
I imagine you already know this but in case anyone who's reading doesn't: people who are labelled as "bipolar" uncontrollably enter mental states of varying degrees of psychosis where they often perform actions that hurt themselves and others, and then eventually they "return to reality" and are frequently horrified to discover what it is they've done. The "return to reality" sometimes requires medication and therapy. Observe: https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/i-would-like-closure-bu....
It's not all bad for people who are diagnosed bipolar, though--sometimes instead of anger or fear, a manic/bipolar person experiences happiness/love/joy and creates a great work of art or makes everyone around them feel really good. I doubt that most bipolar-diagnosed people enjoy the down-swings, though, and I suspect most would rather be rid of their "condition".
Another, slightly-related example about how psychosis works: if you understand a concept perfectly when someone else explains it, and you can't explain it to yourself once they're gone, you've experienced your mind perceive what appeared to be "reality" but was not, in fact, real. While the explainer was talking to you, you perceived that you understood the concept, and you experienced the sensation of understanding, but since you didn't actually understand, you were in a state not completely like but similar to what is call psychosis.