mental health disorders
Personality and Behavior Changes
Introduction
Healthy people differ significantly in their overall personality, mood, and behavior. Each person also varies from day to day, depending on the circumstances. However, a sudden, major change in personality and/or behavior, particularly one that is not related to an obvious event (such as taking a drug or losing a loved one), often indicates a problem. (See also Overview of Mental Illness .) Sudden changes in personality and behavior can be roughly categorized as involving one of the following types of symptoms: Confusion or delirium Delusions Disorganized speech or behavior Hallucinations Mood extremes (such as depression or mania) These categories are not disorders. They are just one way doctors organize different types of abnormal thought, speech, and behavior. These changes in personality and behavior can be caused by physical or mental health problems. People may have more than one type of change. For example, people with confusion due to a drug interaction sometimes have hallucinations, and people with mood extremes may have delusions. 