Schizophreniform and brief psychotic disorder

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Target exams

Red flags

• New psychosis with fever, fluctuating attention, seizure, dysautonomia, or rapid cognitive decline — exclude delirium and encephalitis before locking a primary brief/schizophreniform label
• Active suicidal intent, command hallucinations to harm, or high violence risk — same-day senior review; do not discharge to an empty plan
• Postpartum onset with mother–infant risk — perinatal emergency pathway and infant safeguarding
• Catatonia or NMS features after antipsychotics — medical-psychiatric emergency
• Persistent high-THC cannabis or stimulant use with ongoing psychosis — dual-diagnosis plan; do not wait for mythical perfect abstinence
• Premature lifelong schizophrenia label before duration thresholds — or under-treatment because 'it is only brief'