Behavioral Symptoms

Behavioral symptoms may accompany other symptoms that vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Conditions that frequently affect behavior may also involve other body systems.

Behavioral symptoms may accompany other psychiatric or cognitive symptoms including:

• Anxiety, agitation or irritability

• Confusion, forgetfulness or disconnectedness

• Difficulty understanding social cues

• Difficulty with memory, thinking, talking, comprehension, writing or reading

• Disturbances in perception or thought processes (psychoses), such as hallucinations and delusions

• Feelings of being mistreated or misunderstood

• Feelings of emptiness or worthlessness

• Mood depression or elevation

• Poor judgment

• Withdrawal and depression

Behavioral symptoms may accompany symptoms related to other body systems including:

• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Appetite changes
• Bowel movement changes
• Developmental delay in children
• Headache
• Hearing or vision problems
• Impaired balance and coordination
• Muscle twitching, spasms or seizures
• Muscle weakness
• Sensory changes
• Sleep disturbances
• Swallowing difficulties
• Weight changes

In some cases, behavioral symptoms may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including:

• Being a danger to oneself or others, including threatening, irrational or suicidal behavior

• Trauma, such as bone deformity, burns, eye injuries, and other injuries

Abnormal brain chemistry, injury, or structural abnormalities may play a role in the development of behavioral symptoms. Genetics may play a role, as some conditions that have behavioral symptoms are more common in people who have a family history of mental illness or substance abuse. Environment factors, such as an unstable home life, child abuse, lack of supervision, and inconsistent discipline, also seem to contribute to some conditions associated with behavioral symptoms.

Diseases, disorders or conditions that interfere with thought processes, such as conduct disorders, dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and a number of personality disorders, can be associated with behavioral symptoms. Conditions that affect the brain can also have behavioral symptoms.

Behavioral symptoms may be caused by psychiatric or cognitive diseases, disorders or conditions including:

• Antisocial personality disorder (disordered perceptions and interactions with others)

• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Autism spectrum disorder or Asperger’s syndrome

• Borderline personality disorder (disorder characterized by unstable relationships)

• Conduct disorder (behavior disorder in children)

• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease

• Intermittent explosive disorder (disorder characterized by extreme anger)

• Oppositional defiant disorder (pattern of defiance and hostile behavior toward authority figures)

• Post-traumatic stress disorder

• Schizophrenia

• Substance abuse

Behavioral symptoms can also be caused by other diseases, disorders or conditions including:

• Brain tumors
• Head injury
• Lead poisoning
• Neonatal infection

In some cases, behavioral symptoms may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These include:

• Acute delirium (sudden onset of mental status changes due to illness or toxicity)

• Alcohol or drug intoxication or withdrawal

• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

• Mania (elevated mood and energy levels that can occur in bipolar disorder)

• Meningitis (infection or inflammation of the sac around the brain and spinal cord)

• Stroke

• Traumatic brain injury

To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to your behavioral symptoms including:

• What is your current relationship to your family?
• When did you first notice the behavioral symptoms?
• Which behavioral symptoms have you noticed?
• Have they created problems at home, in school, or at work?
• Have they caused any financial or legal problems? 
• Who are your friends and how do you spend time together?
• Are any other symptoms present?
• What medications are you using?
• Are you drinking alcohol?
• Are you using any illicit drugs?

Because behavioral symptoms can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including:

• Brain damage, memory loss, attention difficulties, and impaired judgment
• Developmental delays
• Difficulties at work, in school, in social environments, and with relationships
• Drug and alcohol use and abuse
• Drug overdose or alcohol poisoning
• Increased risk of injury
• Law violations and legal troubles
• Self-harm
• Social isolation
  
• Suicide or violence