Thinking Flashcards
thought disorder
disturbance that affects process or content of thinking, the use of language and consequently, the ability to communicate effectively; associated with schizophrenia and mania.
magical thinking
belief that thinking or wishing something can cause it to occur
neologism
new words coined by the patient, common in schizophrenia
word salad
meaningless mixture of random words and phrases characteristic of schizophrenia
circumstantiality
difficulty in separating relevant from irrelevant information while describing an event thus delaying getting to the point
tangentiality
tendency for responses to digress from the original topic to avoid theme raised
perseveration
tendency to persist with a point or theme, even after it has been dealt with exhaustively
loosening of associations
lack of an obvious connection between one thought and the next
derailment
a loosening of association where patient jumps from one topic to another unrelated topic for no apparent reason
fight of ideas
thoughts follow each other rapidly with no general direction of thinking; common in manic states and schizophrenia
clanging
a pattern of speech in which words are selected because of sound rather than meaning, resulting in rhyming and punning (clang association) instead of logic
blocking
interruption in speech or train of thought by discussing something of personal significance/ emotional factors
glossolalia
incomprehensible speech in an imaginary language occurring with trances or certain schizophrenic syndromes (like speaking in tongues)
poverty of content
Speech that lacks meaning, or where speech quantity is far greater than necessary for the message conveyed.
delusion
false belief that is maintained in spite of evidence to the contrary
paranoid delusion
fixed, false belief that one is being harmed or persecuted by a particular person or group of people; the govn’t is watching me!
delusion of persecution
centering around a person’s fixed, false belief that others aim to obstruct, harm, or kill him/her
delusion of grandeur
false belief that one possesses superior qualities such as genius, fame, omnipotence, or wealth.
thought withdrawal
delusion that someone or something is removing thoughts from one’s mind
thought broadcasting
Belief that one’s thoughts are being broadcast from one’s head to the external world. Delusion that people can read one’s mind
erotomania - erotic delusions
fixed, false belief that another person, typically someone famous and powerful, is one’s secret admirer.
tangentiality vs circumstantiality
responder never reaches the point of the question (in circumstantiality, they do eventually reach it)
