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Delirium involves a rapid alternation between mental states (for example, from lethargy to agitation and back to lethargy), with attention disruption, disorganized thinking, disorientation, changes in sensation and perception, and other symptoms.
- Attention disturbance (disrupted or wandering attention)
- Inability to maintain goal directed, purposeful thinking or behavior
- Concentration problems
- Disorganized thinking, evidenced by
- Incoherent speech
- Inability to stop speech patterns or behaviors
- Disorientation to time or place
- Changes in sensation and perception (increases the disorientation)
- May come before illusions or hallucinations
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Altered level of consciousness or awareness
- Altered sleep patterns, drowsiness
- Alertness may vary, usually more alert in the morning, less alert at night (see drowsiness)
- Decrease in short-term memory and recall
- Unable to remember events since onset of delirium (anterograde amnesia)
- Unable to remember past events (retrograde amnesia)
- Changes in motor activities, movement (for example, may be lethargic or slow moving)
- Movements triggered by changes in the nervous system (psychomotor restlessness)
- Emotional or personality changes
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