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Mental Confusion or simply confusion is the inability to think clearly and quickly. Confusion usually refers to loss of orientation and memory (ability to place oneself in the world by time and location, and to remember previous events), and is not necessarily synonymous with inability to focus attention. However, confusion and inability to focus attention (both of which affect judgement) are the twin symptoms of a loss or lack of normal brain function (mentation).
Confusion may result from a relatively sudden brain dysfunction (see delirium). It may also result from chronic processes such as dementia. In either case, confusion may, or may not, be associated with loss of ability to focus attention.
Many health problems may cause delirium or dementia. These syndromes may occur together, and either of them may include the symptom of confusion. Confusion, or a new loss of abiliy to focus attention, may also indicate that a chronic illness has progressed, or a that a new illness has appeared.
Possible causes
Mental confusion, like delirium, is a very general and nonspecific symptom of organ dysfunction, where the organ in question is the brain. In addition to many organic causes relating to a structural defect or a metabolic problem in the brain (analogous to hardware problems in a computer), there are also some psychiatric causes, which may also include a component of mental or emotional stress, mental disease, or other "programming" problems (analogous to software problems in a computer).
Too many to list by specific pathology, general categories of causes of mental confusion include:
Gross structural brain disorders
- Head trauma (i.e., concusion, traumatic bleeding, penetrating injury, etc.)
- Gross structural damage from brain disease (stroke, spontaneous bleeding, tumor, etc.)
Neurological disorders
General metabolic causes
Circulatory
Lack of essential metabolic fuels, nutrients, etc.
Toxication
- Intoxication various drugs, alcohol, anesthetics
- Poisons (including carbon monoxide and metabolic blockade)
- Medications including psychotropic medications
Mental illness
Psychological stressors
- Distraction
- Emotional shock (great fear, grief, anger, etc.)
Possible co-existing symptoms
Confusion is a symptom. It may range from mild to severe. The confused state may include also:
- Jumbled or disorganized thought
- Unusual, bizarre, or aggressive behavior
- Difficulty solving problems
- Difficulty performing tasks that used to be simple for the person
- Inability to identify whereabouts or recognize family members or familiar objects
- Illusions
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Disorientation
- Inability to focus attention (see delirium)
- Drowsiness
- Abnormal sleeplessness and hyperactivity
Cures
Confusion is a symptom, like shortness of breath or pain. Like other symptoms, the cure relates to the underlying cause.
Sources
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