{"id":120581,"date":"2020-10-01T11:00:01","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T10:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=120581"},"modified":"2023-03-08T17:51:11","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T17:51:11","slug":"confused-thoughts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/confused-thoughts.htm","title":{"rendered":"Confused Thoughts – Worried You Are \u2018Losing Your Mind\u2019?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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photo by: Daniel Mingook<\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you have confused thoughts lately? Worried about what it might mean for your mental health<\/a>? <\/span><\/p>\n

What is confused thinking? <\/span><\/h3>\n

We all at some point have an overly busy mind<\/strong>.\u00a0 Research now shows<\/a>\u00a0that confusion is, for example, part of the brain’s way of learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you recognise that your strange or confused thoughts are just thoughts, and if they don\u2019t affect your identity<\/a> or ability to cope, then it\u2019s not likely an issue. <\/span><\/p>\n

When disorganised thoughts are part of a mental health issue, they start to adversely affect your daily life. <\/span>You might find it hard to have a clear enough line of thought to make a decision<\/a>, struggle to speak and socialise, or start acting in ways that aren\u2019t usual for you. <\/span><\/p>\n

At it\u2019s extreme, confused thinking leads to a break from reality<\/a>, where you believe things to be real that actually aren\u2019t, and you aren’t sure who you are. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Research from the University of California<\/span>,<\/a> for example, found that those with schizophrenia have an impaired ability to relate their memories to themselves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What are confused thoughts a symptom of? <\/span><\/h3>\n

First and foremost check that it\u2019s not a physical health issue<\/strong>, particularly if it comes with other medical symptoms<\/a>. There are several things that can cause confused thinking, including a head injury, infection, a reaction to medication, and of course things like recreational drugs<\/a>, alcohol abuse<\/a>, or not sleeping<\/a> for several days. <\/span><\/p>\n

And if you are aged, and your confused thinking has persisted for some time and is worsening, it\u2019s worth seeing a doctor to discuss the possibility of dementia. <\/span><\/p>\n

Confused thoughts and mental health issues <\/span><\/h3>\n

In psychology, \u2018disorganised thinking\u2019 refers to consistent problems with the way you think<\/strong> that include thinking things are real that aren\u2019t (delusions<\/a>). In this case you will be diagnosed as having a thought disorder, such as schizophrenia<\/a>.
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But this is one end of the spectrum. Confused thoughts, or even an occasional delusion, can be another mental health issue entirely, including things like stress and anxiety,<\/a> or borderline personality disorder (BPD)<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are your confused thoughts a symptom of? <\/span><\/h3>\n

So how do confused thoughts relate to different mental health issues? <\/span><\/p>\n

Stress.<\/span><\/h4>\n