Hi Hope:
Thanks for your post and welcome to the forum.
Good questions, but let me turn it around. If you believe your persona, your memories, your thoughts, your feelings and sensations are real, then I would suggest you are already (at least a little) psychotic because these things are all delusions.
Any time on this journey that you fear something, that you think you will lose something, die, go psycho, etc... then you must dive right through the middle. The way out is always through.
Best wishes on your journey. Write anytime.
Love ya, Jed.