Thought disorder, or thinking disorders, is a mental health issue in which a person’s cognitive function is impaired. The result is symptoms of experiencing challenges with conducting speech, reading and writing, and behavior. For example, those living with thought disorders experience a disorganized way of thinking which debilitates daily life. In many cases, thought disorders accompany other mental health issues, including personality disorders, mood disorders, ADHD, and other mental health diagnoses.

Some Symptoms of Thought Disorders

Many characteristics of thought disorders are symptoms of disordered thinking and the results of this cognitive dysfunction. Some symptoms that can accompany these disorders, as a result of this impaired thinking, may include:

• creating and use of words that aren’t used by any language
• disjointed thinking
• slurred or sped up speech
• overly religious beliefs or actions
• making poor judgments and behaviors
• jumping from topic to topic
• feelings of euphoria
• becoming derailed while storytelling
• not using facial expressions
• repeating of thoughts and ideas
• feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness
• avoiding social interactions
• decrease or increase of energy and/or sex drive
• using humor inappropriately
• difficulty with movement
• inability to stay focused
• irritability and aggression
• paranoid thoughts and beliefs
• experiencing hallucinations (auditory, visual, or both)

Outpatient Treatment for Thought Disorder

Here at Yellowbrick, we provide treatment for individuals living with thought disorders. Treatment for these types of mental health conditions may include:

Mental Health Assessments: Before a diagnosis can be made, psychological assessments help our medical and psychiatric staff to determine if there are any underlying issues that may result in experienced symptoms. Furthermore, medical history can help us to better determine which types of treatments may work best on each individual basis. Finally, initial assessments can lead to accurate diagnoses which can set the stage for an individualized treatment plan for the future.

Psychiatric Medications: Psychiatric medications have shown success in helping people with thought disorders manage symptoms of these mental health issues. Here at Yellowbrick, we help people in our care understand the medications that are available to them. And, provide medication management to ensure that individuals receive the correct medication dosage, are using these medications correctly, and oversee use to ensure their effectiveness and success during treatment.

Psychological Counseling: Psychiatric counseling sessions can help to provide individuals diagnosed with thought disorders with helpful tools necessary to manage mental health diagnosis symptoms. And, learn to identify any underlying conditions which may have assisted in the development of thought disorders as well as provide helpful coping mechanisms to manage the symptoms of these issues as well.