Common psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and shared psychotic disorder. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that causes delusions. It is often an ongoing problem. Schizophreniform disorder describes the period before a diagnosis of schizophrenia is used, because schizophrenia can be difficult to diagnose. Schizoaffective disorder describes a combination of schizophrenia and a mood disorder.

Delusional disorder is characterized by delusions that could be real-life situations, but in this disorder, they are exaggerated and not actually happening. Examples include beliefs of being followed or loved from a distance. Brief psychotic disorder is the result of a traumatic event that causes short episodes of psychotic behavior. These usually last at least one day but not longer than a month. Shared psychotic disorder occurs in individuals who are in some type of relationship with another person already diagnosed with a delusional disorder. The symptoms are often similar to those of the person with the original diagnosis.

Treatments for psychotic disorders vary depending on the illness. Medications are often used, and some disorders respond better to medication than others do. Psychotherapy is also often used in conjunction with medication, including individual, family, or group therapy. Treatments vary from outpatient to inpatient settings, depending on the nature and severity of the disorder. Psychotic disorders can range from one day to a lifelong disorder.