Psychogenic polydipsia is a special form of polydipsia, caused by mental disorders.

The patient drinks large amounts of water, which raises the pressure of the extracellular medium. As a side effect, the antidiuretic hormone level is lowered. The urine produced by these patients will have a low electrolyte concentration and it will be produced in large quantities (polyuria).

While it is widely believed that psychogenic polydipsia is not found outside the population of those with serious mental disorders, it may occasionally be found among others in the absence of psychosis, although there is no extant research to document this other than anecdotal observations. Such persons typically prefer to possess bottled water that is ice cold, consume water and other fluids at excessive levels, and may be falsely diagnosed as suffering from diabetes insipidus (since the chronic ingestion of excessive water can produce diagnostic results that mimic mild diabetes insipidus).

Symptoms | Psychological conditions