Homeless, helpless and hospitalised: The travails of a Chinese refugee

Objective: To report the case of a Chinese refugee who presented with a brief reactive psychosis in the presence of significant stressors. Clinical picture: A 30-year-old Chinese refugee, who fled alleged torture and persecution in China, presented with an acute, severe, paranoid psychosis. Treatment and outcome: This patient's psychosis was exacerbated by involuntary hospitalisation and treatment. The withdrawal of restrictive measures, cessation of medications and attention to his social needs led to an improvement in his condition. Conclusions: Involuntary treatment of a brief reactive psychosis in those who have been previously tortured may exacerbate the psychosis. Withdrawal of restrictions and advocacy for the patient may generate a therapeutic alliance with a positive outcome.