In today’s society, delirium and dementia are common because they can affect many individuals. Dementia and delirium often confused due to both causing cognitive impairment and having similar symptoms and the possibility of co-existing together. In this paper, delirium and dementia will be discussed to get a better understanding so that differences will be distinguishable.
Delirium
Delirium is a condition from an etiology that results in a state of confusion and disturbances in attention, perception, and memory (mental processes) and that results rapidly and over a short period of time (book source). Delirium is considered to be a medical emergency because it needs to be treated right away (source). A common sign of delirium is emotional disturbances. For example, throughout the day Joe’s mood may fluctuate between agitation, anxiety, and depression. In the DSM – 5, delirium can develop from many etiologies: “medical condition, substance intoxication or withdrawal, or exposure to toxin” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). For example, Joseph smoked marijuana that led to disturbances in mental processes and confusion after hours of using. The American Psychiatric Association (2013) mentions that individuals with …show more content…
In the DSM-5, dementia is included under major neurocognitive disorder due to stigma and not being appropriate for younger adults (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; book source). A common sign of dementia is forgetfulness. For example, my husband’s aunt has dementia, and over the years you could slowly see her decline (deteriorating). She started forgetting things that we thought she was supposed to remember. She could not remember her kid’s names or her birthday. However, she could remember things that happen in the past, but she could not remember anything that happens the day before (short-term
Delirium
Delirium is a condition from an etiology that results in a state of confusion and disturbances in attention, perception, and memory (mental processes) and that results rapidly and over a short period of time (book source). Delirium is considered to be a medical emergency because it needs to be treated right away (source). A common sign of delirium is emotional disturbances. For example, throughout the day Joe’s mood may fluctuate between agitation, anxiety, and depression. In the DSM – 5, delirium can develop from many etiologies: “medical condition, substance intoxication or withdrawal, or exposure to toxin” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). For example, Joseph smoked marijuana that led to disturbances in mental processes and confusion after hours of using. The American Psychiatric Association (2013) mentions that individuals with …show more content…
In the DSM-5, dementia is included under major neurocognitive disorder due to stigma and not being appropriate for younger adults (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; book source). A common sign of dementia is forgetfulness. For example, my husband’s aunt has dementia, and over the years you could slowly see her decline (deteriorating). She started forgetting things that we thought she was supposed to remember. She could not remember her kid’s names or her birthday. However, she could remember things that happen in the past, but she could not remember anything that happens the day before (short-term