Este artigo é resultado de uma dissertação de mestrado que procurou caracterizar as crises psicóticas por meio da fala de pacientes e de seus familiares que passaram pelas suas primeiras crises, baseada na literatura e pesquisas recentes sobre intervenção precoce nas psicoses (McGorry & Edwards, 2002), nos estudos sobre crise (DiTomasso & Kovnat, 1995; Miermont e cols., 1994; Tavares, 2004) e sobre família (Addington e cols., 2005). Os dados obtidos foram trabalhados de acordo com a análise de conteúdo (Bardin, 1988; Franco, 2003). Constatou-se que as crises psicóticas, embora questionáveis do ponto de vista diagnóstico, se manifestaram conforme a literatura corrente (CID-10, 1993; McGorry & Edwards, 2002). Ansiedade, medo, isolamento social e desconfiança foram os pródromos identificados, e alucinação e delírio, os sintomas recorrentes.

This article is the result of a master's degree thesis which tried to characterize psychotic crisis by the account of patients and family members in their first crisis. The study was based on recent literature, surveys regarding early intervention in psychosis (McGorry & Edwards, 2002), studies about crisis (DiTomasso & Kovnat, 1995; Miermont e cols., 1994; Tavares, 2004) and about family (Addington et al., 2005). The data obtained was processed through Content Analysis (Bardin, 1988; Franco, 2003). It was noted that psychotic crisis were manifested according to literature states (CID-10, 1993; McGorry & Edwards, 2002). Anxiety, social isolation, fear and suspicion were the identified prodroms, and hallucination and delirium, the related symptoms.