You're at your favorite restaurant, waiting to be served.

Suddenly you notice people are watching you.

You began to hear people whisper your name.

You know they're about to do something.

Your friends don't notice that you're all about to be harmed.

You mentioned what's happening to your friends, and they're confused.

You have to make them understand quickly before something bad happens.

If you've experienced something like this, it could be psychosis.

Did you know that a little over 3% of all people will experience psychosis at some point in their lives?

That's over 11 million people in the United States alone.

In any given year, about 100,000 teens and young adults will experience psychosis.

Most people have their first experience with psychosis between the ages of 15 and 30.

People experiencing psychosis can have all or a few symptoms.

Psychosis occurs across all cultures and to people of all levels of education or income.

So what is psychosis?

Psychosis is a word that describes what happens when people are experiencing and perceiving the world around them differently than others.

Thes differences could include seeing things that are not there, such as people, animals, colors or shapes, even shadows hearing voices or sounds that other people do not hear.

Disorganized thinking that can make it difficult for other people to understand what they're trying to say sharing thoughts or believes that others who are close to them might find strange or unusual, such as believing that they have special powers or that they're being watched, followed or spied on.

Or that they're receiving messages through the television or Internet that they feel are meant just for them.

People who hear and see things that others do not may appear to be distracted or take a few moments to respond when asked a question.

Sometimes people experiencing psychosis may have a hard time concentrating, or their thoughts can get mixed up.

Every person's experience with psychosis is unique.

Unfortunately, psychosis is a word that can be misunderstood.

A common misconception is that people with psychosis are dangerous or crazy.

People experiencing psychosis are more likely to be withdrawn, confused or frightened than violent.

Another myth is that psychosis will not get better.

Symptoms of psychosis can be managed through support therapy and by taking medications, people who have experienced psychosis can go on to lead healthy, productive lives.

Recovery from psychosis is achievable through early intervention.

Studies have found that the earlier someone gets help with psychosis, the better their outcomes will be.

If you or someone you know may be experiencing psychosis, contact a mental health professional to start on the path to recovery as soon as possible.