Thought Disorders

DisclaimerThis page is not here to be used as a self-diagnosis, self-identification, or promotion - it's simply here to be informational. Whether or not one self-diagnoses, self-identifies, and/or seeks a professional diagnosis is up to them.

**Thought Disorders (TDs)** are disorganized ways of thinking that lead to abnormal ways of expressing language when speaking or writing.

**Formal Thought Disorder**, also called **General Thought Disorder**, refers to an impairment in sustaining coherent thought, and can occur in written or spoken language. It is a primary symptom of schizophrenia, but it may be present in other disorders, such as depression.

## Subtypes

There are two subtypes of general thought disorder

* Positive Thought Disorder
* Negative Thought Disorder

Positive and negative don't refer to good or bad thoughts, but rather the addition or absence of something. Positive can indicate added behaviors, such as hallucinations or disorganized behavior. Negative can include limited emotional responses or lack of speech.

## Signs & Symptoms

Symptoms of a thought disorder may not be obvious to the individuals who are not experiencing them.

* Lack of connection between ideas
* Excessive/irrelevant information
* Incoherence
* Illogicality
* Long-winded explanations
* Talking very rapidly
* Distractability
* Clanging
* Loss of sleep
* Ruminating
* Cognitive distortions

## Types of Thought Disorders

### Alogia

Alogia, also known as poverty of speech, is when an individual gives brief and unelaborated responses to questions. Individuals with this form of thought disorder rarely speaks unless prompted. Alogia is often seen in individuals with dementia and schizophrenia.

### Blocking

Thought Blocking is when someone often interrupts themselves abruptly mid-sentences. They might pause for several seconds or minutes. When they start talking again, they often change the topic of conversation. Thought blocking is common in individuals with schizophrenia.

### Circumstaniality

Circumstantiality, also known as circumstantial thinking or circumstantial speech, is when one has excessive irrelevant details in their speaking or writing. They maintain their original train of thought, but provide a lot of unnecessary details before circling back to their main point.

### Clanging or Clang Association

Clanging is when one makes word choices based on the sound of the word rather than the meaning of the word. They may rely on using rhymes, alliterations, or puns and create sentences that don't make sense. Clanging thought process is a common symptom of mania.

### Derailment

Derailment is when one talks in chains of only semi-related ideas. Their ideas often fall further and further from the topic of conversation.

### Distractible Speech

Distractible Speech is when one has trouble maintaining a topic. They shift quickly between topics and get distracted by internal and external stimuli. It's commonly seen in individuals with mania.

### Echolalia

Echolalia is when one struggles to communicate. They often repeat noises and words they hear instead of expressing their thoughts.

## References

https://www.healthline.com/health/thought-disorder

https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns\_Hopkins\_Psychiatry\_Guide/787025/all/Thought\_Disorder

https://psychcentral.com/disorders/thought-disorder