The patient has a reduced level of consciousness and difficulty focusing, shifting or sustaining attention. History, physical examination or laboratory data suggest that the symptoms developed during or shortly after Substance Withdrawal. These symptoms have more than one cause, as judged by history, physical examination or laboratory data. Some disorders have similar or even the same symptom. The clinician, therefore, in his diagnostic attempt has to differentiate against the following disorders which he needs to rule out to establish a precise diagnosis.
Some disorders have similar or even overlapping symptoms.
The clinician, therefore, in his diagnostic attempt has to differentiate against the following disorders which need to be ruled out to establish a precise diagnosis. The major problem in differential diagnosis is in distinguishing a delirium from an acute functional psychosis. The delirious patient is usually more acute and confused, and the hallucinations are usually more disorganized and are more likely to be visual. Patients with functional psychoses usually don't have confusion, disorientation, and illusions, and they are more likely to have a formal thought disorder. Always check the personal and family history for serious psychiatric illness.