IS DELIRIUM THE SAME AS DELUSIONS?
No!
Delirium is a condition with several characteristics, being the core aspect of which is Disorientation in Time and Space, according to medical literature and confirmed by my vast experience in dealing with psychiatric emergencies.
Delirium is Thoughts /I deas - highly notable (that draw attention when we hear them... "they jump out at you"), implausible (false!) and incorrigible through argument. Correctable only by the use of Antipsychotics.
It happens that the patient who is in Delusion and says, for example, that he is someone famous, important... or another delusional description... he has what we call Delusional Autopsychic Disorientation. However, if the examiner properly performs an accurate and attentive Clinical Examination of the case, he will realize that being Delirious does not necessarily imply being in Delirium.
They are very different conditions!
In Delirium, we have Disorientation in Time and Space. Please note: the patient says that he is in another place... doing something else... that the doctor is someone else... he may not know if it is night or day, even when looking out the window! In general, he will not be able to say the day... the month... or the approximate time or even... the year!
In this case - being in Delirium - if it is not a case of Delirium Tremens, which is Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome, the condition, very... most likely, will not be Psychiatric and the Medical Clinic, Neurology, Neurosurgery or possibly Endocrinology (Thyrotoxicosis, for example) will be the ones who should look for pathologies that explain the Delirium, in this case.
Even experienced clinicians may have difficulties in these cases.
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But... what happens when Delirium and Delirium overlap, that is, they occur at the same time?
Simple: clarify the Etiology of Delirium and treat it. After the patient is Oriented in Time and Space, we will detect that he also has, at certain times, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME, a Delusional Autopsychic Orientation, that is: about who he is... he may say that he is the President of his country... for example.
The patient may even have a Delusional Allopsychic Disorientation, that is: about Time and Space... he may say that he is working in his Presidential Office (but is in the hospital)... but in SEQUENTIAL REASSESSMENTS, the patient will say that, for example, his name is John... and that he is... in the hospital... in a consultation... that you are the Doctor... Psychologist... Health Professional.
Then we treat the Delusion, that is, the Psychotic Outbreak.
Gerald Possendoro - MD - Psychiatrist
at Private Practice
3wTupical symptom of delirium is lowered level of consciosness based on medical conditions .That often triggers hallucinations and leads to emotional and cognitive symptoms like anxiety and Disorientation