Do I Have Catatonia?

Do you experience stupor (i.e., you can’t move, can’t speak, and appear to be staring off into space)?

Do you stay in the same position for an extended period?

Do you have unhealthy eating or drinking habits, which may cause you to be malnourished and/or dehydrated?

Do you show echolalia (i.e., responding to conversation by only repeating what you’ve heard)?

Do you show negativism (i.e., a lack of response or opposition to external stimulation)?

Do you experience catalepsy (i.e., muscular rigidity)?

Do you make grimaces?

Do you refuse to speak (i.e., mutism)?

Do you mimic another person’s movements (i.e., echopraxia)?

Based on your answers, it is unlikely that you have catatonia. Catatonia is a psychomotor disorder and it involves the connection between mental function and movement. When someone suffers from catatonia, he will be unable to move in a normal way. Symptoms of this disorder may vary, but the most common symptom is stupor: not being able to move, speak or respond to stimuli. Catatonia can last a few hours, but it can also last up to years. If you are not sure about your symptom(s), it may be useful to talk with your doctor.

Unfortunately, you are displaying symptoms typically seen among individuals who have catatonia. Seeking medical support is of high importance. In order to make a diagnosis for catatonia, your doctor may need to rule out other conditions, including acute psychoses, an inflammation in the brain tissue, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. You need to show at least two chief catatonia symptoms for 24 hours to receive a diagnosis. Treatment usually includes medication and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). With ECT a person receives electric shocks to the brain that are believed to improve catatonia symptoms.