6. Mental Health 2

Question 1

Poverty of Content

Answer 1

This is a term that is applied to speech that has little or no communicative value because of the disturbances in the linkages of ideas. The flow of ideas is so disrupted that it carries no meaning (what color is the couch - 5 min response about the couch and colors. Speech is understandable and grammatically correct, but does not convey meaningful info) severe anxiety, schizophrenia, intellectual disabilities, autism

Question 2

Circumstantiality

Answer 2

This is a speech pattern in which the person digresses into a great many unnecessary and irrelevant details before communicating the central idea (gives great detail when answering questions)

Question 3

Tangentiality

Answer 3

Is similar to circumstantiality. The person starts to express a thought but diverts into other streams and never gets around to communicate the central ideas (never answers the question) severe anxiety, schizophrenia, dementia

Question 4

Mutism

Answer 4

the cessation of speech

Question 5

Looseness of associations or associated looseness of thought

Answer 5

• successive idea expressed may appear completely unrelated, slightly unrelated or obliquely related. To the listener, there are unexpected transitions in the topic. One senses that despite the apparent correct use of words one is unsure of what the person said.
• There is characteristically an element of emotional excitement that accompanies the rapid rate of speech production. This excitement accompanied by the accelerated rate gives flight of ideas a different quality than the disjointed speech that reflects looseness of associations.
• Looseness of associations is characterized by illogical linkages of ideas whereas flight of ideas is characterized by rapidly changing linkages.

Question 6

Delusion of Grandeur

Answer 6

also referred to as grandiose delusion, this delusions revolves around the belief of exaggerated sense of importance, power, knowledge skills or identity. The individual may claim special skills, abilities, wealth, influence, or to be someone important. It is not unusual for religion to figure in the delusion

Question 7

Delusion of Persecution

Answer 7

the central theme involves the belief that one is being attacked, harasses, cheated, conspired against, or obstructed in pursuit of goals

Question 8

Delusion of Control

Answer 8

the belief that some external force imposes or exerts a level of control upon one’s’ feelings, thoughts or actions. There are 3 closely related subtypes:

1. thought broadcasting - the belief that one’s thoughts are broadcast to the public
2. thought withdrawal - the belief that one’s thoughts are being removed
3. thought insertion - the belief that thoughts or ideas are put into one’s head

Question 9

Delusion of Reference

Answer 9

the belief that events, objects or other people in one’s environment have a particular and unusual personal relevance or significance. It may be negative or pejorative (negative connotations intended to disparage or belittle) or grandiose in nature
Believing that “somehow everyone on a passing city bus is talking about them”.

Question 10

Delusion of Self-Deprecation

Answer 10

the belief that one is sinful, unworthy or guilty of some unpardonable wrong. Often associated with psychotic depression

Question 11

Delusion of Nihilism

Answer 11

• the false belief that involves the central theme of non-existence of the world, others, self or parts of self.
• delusional belief of being dead, decomposed or annihilated, having lost one’s own internal organs or even not existing entirely as a human being.

Question 12

Somatic Delusion

Answer 12

primary content of this delusion refers to the functioning or appearance of the body. For example, the belief that one has cancer despite evidence to the contrary. If it involves the belief that parts of the body do not exist, it also meets the criteria of the definition of a nihilistic delusion

Question 13

Derealization

Answer 13

(environment)
and experience similar to depersonalization
• depersonalization is a sense of unreality of the self where derealization is a sense of unreality of the environment
• they person may state that things don’t seem real, that they feel as if they are in a dream state or a fog

Question 14

Agitation

Answer 14

refers to a generalized increased motor activity that is repetitious and non-productive (nor purposeful such as sanding a piece of wood or kneading bread dough)
• may manifest as a general restlessness, frequent body position changes, pacing, wringing of the hands, tapping of a limb and perhaps some verbalizations such as moaning

Question 15

Motor retardation

Answer 15

refers to a reduction in the level of motor activity
• may manifest as a general slowness to all activity, a mechanical character to all activity; speech may be slow and halting, and the person may not spontaneously engage in activity
• in extreme cases the person may be nearly immobile and mute

Question 16

Stereotypy

Answer 16

a continuous repetition of speech or physical activity for extended periods of time

Question 17

Mannerism

Answer 17

a peculiar activity such as tics gestures or grimaces

• different from stereotypy as it is not continuous and repetitive