Chronic fatigue syndrome is a medical condition that causes sleep disturbances, concentration problems, memory loss, and tiredness. Therefore, chronic fatigue syndrome can be easily mistaken for major depression disorder.

Misdiagnosing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as Depression

Obstructive sleep apnea causes daytime sleepiness and insufficient sleep rejuvenation, leading to mood fluctuations, agitation, trouble concentrating, anxiety, and depression. Other symptoms to be aware of include high blood pressure, snoring, and weight gain.

Misdiagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnea as Depression and/or Anxiety

Epilepsy causes changes in thought processes, mood, and behavior, resulting in mistaking it for a psychological disorder. Using an electroencephalogram (EEG) scan, it is possible to determine whether a patient has epilepsy.

Misdiagnosing Epilepsy as a Psychological Disorder

Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of the adrenal gland tissue that leads to an overproduction of adrenaline. Even though it is usually noncancerous, it causes headaches, excessive sweating, and tremors. Since it is a rare condition, it can be misdiagnosed as general anxiety disorder or panic disorder.

Misdiagnosing Neuroendocrine Tumors as Anxiety Disorders

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can lead to primary and secondary damage, resulting in neuropsychiatric symptoms and neurological impairments. Primary damage can be a brain hemorrhage or a skull fracture. Secondary damage, on the other hand, can lead to neural dysfunction over time due to an increase in brain metabolism. Therefore, patients suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury could experience symptoms like depression, fatigue, trouble concentrating, apathy, mania, anxiety, agitation, aggression, irritability, or psychosis.

Misdiagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury as a Psychological Disorder

Dementia tends to alter behaviors, affects, and thought processes. Frontotemporal dementia, for example, causes disinhibition, abnormal behavior, and unstable moods, while Dementia with Lewy bodies impairs executive functioning and cognition in addition to causing hallucinations. Alzheimer's disease might cause psychological symptoms such as agitation, psychosis, and affect dysregulation. As a result, dementia might be misdiagnosed as a psychiatric disorder. Healthcare professionals should know that Alzheimer's patients tend to suffer from visual hallucinations, as opposed to those with psychiatric conditions, who typically suffer from auditory hallucinations. 

The Misdiagnosis of Dementias as a Psychiatric Disorder

Delirium can manifest neuropsychiatric symptoms that mimic psychological disorders, leading to potential misdiagnoses. Specifically, hyperactive delirium presents symptoms that resemble mania or schizophrenia, while hypoactive delirium presents symptoms resembling severe depression. To distinguish delirium from a psychological disorder, healthcare professionals should determine whether the symptoms appear suddenly, fluctuate inconsistently, and are accompanied by an altered level of consciousness.

Misdiagnosing Delirium as a Psychological Disorder

There is evidence that thyroid issues can disrupt mood and energy levels, which can adversely affect individuals' overall quality of life. Thyroid malfunction usually presents the same symptoms as some psychological conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar. When the thyroid is overactive or underactive, it causes imbalances in dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and other necessary mood-regulating chemicals. Hyperthyroidism can lead to irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, anxiety, and signs of mania, while hypothyroidism results in fatigue, lethargy, depression, weight gain, and impaired cognitive functioning. As a result, thyroid malfunction has been frequently misdiagnosed as a psychological disorder, and further tests should be done to prevent it.

The Misdiagnosis of Thyroid Disorders as Psychiatric Disorders

Some infections can cause symptoms that resemble those of neuropsychiatric disorders. Such infections are Lyme disease, syphilis, neurocysticercosis, HIV, herpes encephalitis, tuberculosis, and hepatitis C. These conditions can be misdiagnosed as neuropsychiatric disorders; therefore, a physical examination should be done if the patient also complains of headaches, neck stiffness, memory problems, or confusion.

The Misdiagnosis of Infections as Neuropsychiatric Disorders

* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
* Thyroid Disorder
* Obstructive Sleep Apnea
* Neuroendocrine Tumors
* Delirium
* Dementias
* Epilepsy
* Traumatic brain injury
* Infections


State University of New York at Albany

Many physical illnesses can cause symptoms that are similar to the symptoms of psychological disorders, and there is a risk of misdiagnosing them as such. Around 12% of psychiatric admissions are caused by unidentified physical illness, resulting in the worsening of the symptoms. Therefore, the psychiatrist needs to be aware of such illnesses and their symptoms to be able to order physical tests and rule out any possible physical illnesses before diagnosing the patient.

The Misdiagnosis of Physical Conditions as Psychological Disorders

Gardiner, A. (2021, September 21). 5 medical conditions that mimic psychiatric disorders. MDLinx. https://www.mdlinx.com/article/5-medical-conditions-that-mimic-psychiatric-disorders/2aAIlMRClHbug3SBgSVKp3

Medical Conditions that Mimic Psychiatric Disorders Reference 

Medical Offices of Manhattan Group. (n.d.). Six diseases often mistaken for mental disorders. Medical Offices of Manhattan. https://www.medicalofficesofmanhattan.com/six-diseases-often-mistaken-for-mental-disorders/

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