Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-8kt4b Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-20T16:45:02.798Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Medical and Psychological Investigation of Psychogenic Polydipsia: A Case Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. Kulkarni
Affiliation:
Prince Henry's Hospital
R. McLachlan
Affiliation:
Prince Henry's Hospital
D. Copolov*
Affiliation:
Monash University, Prince Henry's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Visiting Clinical Scientist, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Edinburgh
*
Reprint requests: Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Prince Henry's Hospital, Melbourne 3004, Victoria, Australia.

Summary

The case of a 17 year-old female with psychogenic polydipsia is reported; 13 out of 18 members of her maternal family were known to have had polydipsia and polyuria, but only two had undergone endocrine investigations—one had diabetes insipidus and one also had psychogenic polydipsia. There are probable contributions of non-genetic family factors including imitation and identification to the development of this patient's condition. Detailed family and developmental histories may be of particular assistance in the understanding of the psychogenesis of the disorder in some patients.

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alexander, E. R., Crow, T. J. & Hamilton, S. M. (1973) Water intoxication in relation to acute psychotic disorder. British Journal of Medicine, 1, 89.Google Scholar
Barlow, E. D. & de Wardener, H. E. (1959) Compulsive water drinking. Quarterley Journal of Medicine, 28, 235258.Google Scholar
Dubovsky, S. L., Grabon, S., Berl, T. & Shrier, R. W. (1973) Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone with exacerbated psychosis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 79, 551554.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goduco-Agular, C. & Wintrob, R. (1964) Folie à famille in the Philippines. Psychiatric Quarterly, 38, 278291.Google Scholar
Hobson, J. A. & English, J. T. (1963) Self induced water intoxication. Case study of a chronically schizophrenic patient with physiological evidence of water retention due to inappropriate release of antidiuretic hormone. Annals of Internal Medicine, 58, 324332.Google Scholar
Miller, M., Dalakos, T., Moses, A., Fellerman, H. & Streeten, D. H. P. (1970) Recognition of partial defects in antidiuretic hormone secretion. Annals of Internal Medicine, 73, 721729.Google Scholar
Minuchin, S., Rosman, B. L. & Baker, L. (1978) Psychosomatic Families, Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Moses, A. M. & Notman, D. D. (1982) Diabetes insipidus and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. In Advances in Internal Medicine, Vol. 27 (ed Stollerman, G. H.). Chicago: Year Book Publication.Google Scholar
Raskind, M. (1974) Psychosis, polydipsia and water intoxication: Report of a fatal case. Archives of General Psychiatry, 30, 112114.Google Scholar
Raskind, M. Orenstein, H. & Christopher, T. G. (1975) Acute psychosis, increased water ingestion, and inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. American Journal of Psychiatry, 132, 907910.Google Scholar
Smith, W. O. & Clark, M. L. (1979) Self induced water intoxication in schizophrenic patients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 10551060.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.