Abnormalities in the structure or content of thought, as reflected in a person’s speech, writing, or behaviour. Schizophrenia causes several thought disorders, including loss of logical connections between associations, the invention of new words (see neologisms), thought blocking (sudden interruption in the train of thought), the feeling that thoughts are being inserted into or withdrawn from the mind, and auditory hallucinations. Incoherent thoughts occur in all types of confusion, including dementia and delirium. Rapidly jumping from one idea to another occurs in hypomania and mania. In depression, thinking becomes slow, there is a lack of association, and a tendency to dwell in great detail on trivial subjects. In obsessive–compulsive disorder, recurrent ideas seem to come into a person’s mind involuntarily. Delusions, which occur in schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses, may be an expression of distorted thinking.
Thought disorders |
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