Delirium has many symptoms that can change quickly. Delirium can come and go within 24 hours. And people with delirium often can be lucid (clear-headed) during this time.
The symptoms vary among people with the condition.
Four Key Signs
A person may have delirium if they have:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in behavior, personality, mood, or attention
- Changes in awareness (for example, being either super alert or drowsy)
- Any change in function, such as sleeping more or eating less
Typical Symptoms of Delirium
- Sudden onset over hours to days
- Slurred speech and language difficulties, talking that doesn’t make sense
- Changes in feeling (sensation) and perception
- Easily distracted, decreased attention, concentration, and awareness of what is nearby
- Usually more alert in the morning than at night; in and out of consciousness
- Changes in movement (for example, people may become slow moving or very restless)
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Confusion and disorientation, not aware of correct time or place
- Memory loss, including worse short-term memory
- Disorganized thinking
- Emotional or personality changes, with frequent changes in moods
- Incontinence (unable to control urine or bowel movements)
- Hallucinations (visual, but not auditory)
- Signs of medical illness (such as fever, chills, pain, etc.) or medication side effects
Last Updated May 2023