Psychosis + Descriptive Psychopathology

Question 1

What is a delusion?

Answer 1

Beliefs that are held strong, irrespective of counter argument that are unexpected and out of keeping with the patients cultural background

A delusion is firm and fixed belief based on inadequate grounds not amenable to rational argument or evidence to contrary, not in sync with regional, cultural and educational background.

Question 2

What is the difference between primary and secondary delusions?

Answer 2

Primary delusions occur out of the blue and not in accompanied/preceded by other psychopathology (e.g fear, hope, stress)

Secondary delusions occur due to the patients current emotional state or mood. These occur as an understandable reaction to other psychopathology.

Question 3

What is psychosis?

Answer 3

Disturbance in sense of reality-
Hallucinations
Delusions
Thought Disorder

Question 4

What are delusions of reference?

Answer 4

Believing events are aimed or linked to the person

E.g. TV is sending them a message. Dogs bark carries a coded message.

Question 5

What is a delusion of grandeur?

Answer 5

Belief that they are very significant or powerful or important

Question 6

What are paranoid delusions/delusions of persecution?

Answer 6

Beliefs that they are being watched, harmed or are in danger due to a group of people.

E.g. The government is watching me

Question 7

What are delusions of control?

Answer 7

Belief that another group is controlling their thoughts or actions

Question 8

What are delusions of infestation?

Answer 8

Belief that the skin is infested with parasites causing itching- Ekbom’s Syndrome

Question 9

What is delusional misidentification?

Answer 9

A person believes that those close to them have been replaced by an exact double (Capgras Syndrome) or that a single person is impersonating multiple familiar people (Fregoli syndrome)

Question 10

What are delusions of jealousy?

Answer 10

Firm belief that a sexual partner is unfaithful that have been made without proof- Othello Syndrome

Question 11

What are delusions of love? (erotomaniac)

Answer 11

A belief that a celebrity or stranger is in love with them, and secretly sending messages or signs (de Clérambault’s syndrome)

Question 12

What are communicated delusions?

Answer 12

An already psychotic persons transmits their beliefs to another who now shares them

Question 13

What are mood congruent and mood incongruent delusions?

Answer 13

Mood congruent delusions match the persons current mental state.

Mood incongruent delusions do not fit well with the patients current mental state- e.g. talking pleasantly about horrific things.

Question 14

What are hallucinations?

Answer 14

Hallucinations are where someone sees, hears, smells, tastes or feels things that don’t exist outside their mind. They can occur in any sensory modality.

Question 15

What are the types of auditory hallucinations?

Answer 15

Thoughts spoken aloud- either as they are thought or just after
Second person- A voice that communicates to the patient, possibly giving instructions
Third person- Voices that give a running commentary on what the patient is doing.

Question 16

What are auditory hallucinations?

Answer 16

They are hallucinations of sound which may be elementary (hissing, whistling) or complex (voices, music)

Question 17

Are visual hallucinations common in psychosis?

Answer 17

Not really, they are much more common in eye pathology/epilepsy.

Question 18

Name two organic disorders which can cause hallucinations

Answer 18

Delirium Tremens- Alcohol withdrawal

Charles Bonnet Syndrome- Loss of vision leads to brain filling in the gaps

Question 19

What are the four characteristics we can consider when assessing someones thoughts?

Answer 19

Stream- speed, quality and quantity of thinking
Content- what the thought itself is about
Form- Formation and coherence of thinking, are separate thoughts linked to each other?
Possession- Who created the thoughts? Did they come from elsewhere

Question 20

What is flight of ideas?

Answer 20

Disorder of thought stream where people rapidly move between thoughts

Question 21

When might there be a slow thought stream?

Answer 21

This is retardation of thinking. People with depression can have a slow thought stream.

Question 22

What are disorders of thought content?

Answer 22

This would include:

Delusions (a strongly held belief that is kept regardless of counter argument that is out of keeping with the patients cultural background)

Overvalued Idea- thoughts that people become pre-occupied by

Question 23

What is thought derailment? (Disorder of thought form)

Answer 23

A change in the track of thoughts, to a different subject

Question 24

What is thought omission? (Disorder of thought form)

Answer 24

All or part of a thought is absent without a reason

Question 25

What is thought fusion? (Disorder of thought form)

Answer 25

Thoughts are fused together

Question 26

What is thought substitution? (Disorder of thought form)

Answer 26

A thought is inserted (replacing another) in that is not appropriate or logical

Question 27

What is thought circumstantiality? (Disorder of thought form)

Answer 27

Excessive detail given that may not be relevant or necessary but still keeps to the topic

Question 28

What is tangential thinking/knights move thinking?(Disorder of thought form)

Answer 28

Going off on a tangent with different thoughts but returning to the topic.

Question 29

What is vebirgeration/word salad/schizoplasia? (Disorder of thought form)

Answer 29

Speech makes no sense and there is repetition of words/sounds and phrases

Question 30

What are disorders of thought possession?

Answer 30

Thought insertion- some one putting thoughts into your head Thought broadcasting- belief that others can see/hear your thoughts Thought withdrawal- belief that someone/thing is taking thoughts away from you.