My severe psychosis made me think I was a Viking princess — and pregnant

A mom told how her severe psychosis made her think she was a pregnant Viking princess and strangers were hacking her phone.

Jade Rossiter, 26, had just changed anti-depressant medication when she started to get vivid dreams.

Her visions quickly developed into psychosis – where you see or hear things that are not there or believe things that are not true – and she would act out as characters she had seen on TV such as Danny Dyer and Katherine Tate.

Jade was trying for a baby at the time and had been watching TV show Vikings and her psychosis had her convinced she was a Viking princess and pregnant.

She was sectioned for four months and diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Jade recovered but last year her psychosis returned after she came off her bipolar medication.

She became convinced people were hacking her phone, listening to her calls and she would be the next Queen of England.

Jade spent another two months in hospital but has since recovered.

Jade, a full-time mum-of-one, from Farnborough, Hampshire, said: “It was scary.

“I thought I was a royal Viking princess and pregnant.

“I thought I had given birth. I was cradling my coat thinking it was my baby.

“You can have psychosis – it doesn’t define you.”

Broke women prefer more feminine facial features over manly men: study

Jade had just turned 21 when she first had psychosis in January 2019.

She had just changed her anti-depressant medication as she wanted to try for a baby.

She didn’t realise anything was wrong but her family started to notice her symptoms.

Her dad Jim Rossiter, 62, a delivery driver said: “She was completely out of character.

“She thought she was in EastEnders. She thought she was invincible.

“It was crazy trying to get the help she needed. She kept wanting to go out the house.”

Jade said: “I didn’t think there was anything wrong with me.

“I was having really vivid dreams.

“My arm would go up and bang against the wall. That would wake me up.

“I’d act out as Danny Dyer or Katherine Tate.

“I’d act how they were on screen.

“I knew everything about Brexit when I was in psychosis.”

What is precrastination? The opposite of procrastinating has downsides

Jade was sectioned that same month after several trips to A&E.

She said: “I also nearly died.

“I became catatonic – a deep deep depression.

“I couldn’t move, speak or eat.

“I was a size six to eight when I went in. I dropped to five stone when I was in there.

“It was quite traumatic.”

Jade came out of hospital in April 2019 and diagnosed with bipolar by doctors who had been monitoring her.

She was under the psychosis and early prevention team for the next three years and was able to recover and had her son, now three, in March 2021.

But a new physiatrist thought she didn’t have bipolar and Jade came off her medications in Novemeber 2022.

Jade said: “I thought ‘thank you’. I was happy to be away from the diagnosis.

“My mental health spiralled.

“I thought there was nothing wrong with me.

“That was my mindset for a long time.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR MORNING REPORT NEWSLETTER

Jim said: “She had a paranoia. Her attitude changed. She’d see criticism in any innocent comment.

“It was like walking on egg shells all the time.”

Jade struggled with psychosis again in March 2023 and had to be sectioned until May of the same year.

She said: “I thought people were hacking my phone and listening in on phone calls.

“I thought I was going to be the next Queen of England.

“I thought people were trying to follow me and my family.

“It was really scary and really traumatising.

“It was hard to come back to reality.”

A year on Jade is doing well and continues to see a physiatrist and takes medication. She hopes to bring awareness to psychosis and bipolar.

She said: “If I can bring awareness to other people by going through what I’ve been through – that’s important.

“We’re not alone.

“I’d rather talk about it to show it does happen.”

Jim added: “She’s got herself in a really good place now.”

For the latest in lifestyle, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/lifestyle/