Brief overview
- Causes: Thinking disorder, usually due to a mental or neurological illness, e.g. depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dementia and others
- When to see a doctor? If the thought disorder is noticed by the affected person themselves or by outsiders
- Diagnosis: medical history (anamnesis), psychological tests and questionnaires
- Treatment: Treatment of the root cause, medication suitable for the illness or disorder and psychotherapy methods
- Prevention: Early diagnosis and therapy to reduce the risk of progression of the mental illness
What is perseveration?
In perseveration, the person affected sticks to thoughts, phrases, questions and words that were previously used but are meaningless in a new context.
Their thoughts circle around one and the same thought content in a monotonous, monotonous way. The patient repeats it stereotypically because he is unable to complete it mentally. The transition from one thought to the next is disturbed.
Perseveration is one of the formal thought disorders. These are disorders of the thought and speech process. Other examples of formal thought disorders are slowed thinking, neologisms and prolixity.
Perseveration: causes
Depressive syndrome is the term used to describe a state of depression and reduced motivation. It develops, for example, in cases of depression, stress and adjustment disorders or in the context of other illnesses such as heart failure or high blood pressure.
An affective (bipolar) disorder is characterized by the repeated occurrence of depressive and manic phases.
Perseveration is also often observed in the context of dementia, for example. The term dementia refers to the continuous decline in mental capacity.
Perseveration is also sometimes seen in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This mental disorder manifests itself in the form of obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions.
Perseveration: when to see a doctor?
It is advisable to see a doctor if you notice that you or someone close to you are stuck with monotonous thoughts and words and these thoughts are constantly repeated, even though they do not make sense in the current context.
Perseveration: examinations and diagnosis
To get to the bottom of perseveration, the doctor first takes a medical history: He collects all important information about the occurrence of perseveration, asks about other symptoms and complaints and inquires about any previous or underlying illnesses.
The next step in the investigation of perseveration is for the doctor to make a psychopathological assessment (also known as a psychiatric or psychological assessment). The doctor attempts to identify the mental disorder underlying the perseveration in more detail.
To do this, he will examine the patient’s appearance (e.g. neat, unkempt, neglected, etc.), his behavior and his general mental state. He asks specific questions about certain symptoms such as compulsive behavior, hallucinations, depressive moods or orientation problems.
Depending on the suspected diagnosis, further steps may be taken, for example certain psychological tests.
Perseveration: treatment
In patients with perseverations, therapy is aimed at treating the underlying cause, such as depressive syndrome or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Among other things, appropriate medication and psychotherapeutic procedures are used for the respective illness.
Perseveration: prevention
There is no specific measure that can be taken to prevent perseveration. As a rule, it is an expression of a serious mental or neurological illness. If left untreated, there is a danger that mental illnesses will worsen and pose certain risks for those affected.
