People who are addicted to drinking can drink more than 20 liters of fluids per day. This disorder is dangerous for the body. Discovery with Rodolphe Oppenheimer, psychotherapist and psychoanalyst.
If drinking water is essential for the proper functioning of the body (doctors recommend an average of 1.5 liters of water per day), drinking too much can become dangerous. It even has a name: potomania. It is a psychiatric problem that Rodolphe Oppenheimer, psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, explains to us.
What is potomania? A psychiatric problem?
Potomania is a psychiatric disorder whose name comes from the Latin words “potare” (drinking) and “mania” (mania, madness). Potomania is medically defined as compulsive and excessive consumption of fluids. This is a “thirst disorder”, explains Rodolphe Oppenheimer, psychotherapist and psychoanalyst. “The potomane consumes liters of liquids irrationally during the day. In extreme cases, some people can drink 20 to 24 liters per day”.
Many causes: dementia, diabetes…
The causes of potomania are numerous. It can be generated by diseases such as diabetes (mellitus, insipidus) but also pathologies such as schizophrenia, dementia, mental retardation and anorexia. In the case of untreated type 2 diabetes, it is characterized by excessive urination (due to the inability of the kidneys to concentrate urine) and by excessive consumption of fluid to compensate for water loss. Potomania is also caused by “disturbances of the hypothalamus, that is to say the area of the brain regulating thirst, psychoses and infantile neuroses and neurological diseases” adds the psychotherapist.
Symptoms that should alert
Although they are difficult to detect – due to the number of pathologies that can cause them – there are still some signs that can alert you. The most common is polyuria – namely the increase in urinary volume greater than 3 liters – associated with polydipsia which is characterized by a feeling of permanent and intense thirst. People with potomania can consume water but also other alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. “Certain neurological disorders, notably epileptic seizures, can be symptoms of potomania.” adds the psychoanalyst.
In order to diagnose potomania, going back to the origin of the disorder is essential. “The specialist will reconstruct the patient’s history with those around him, seeking to understand the reasons for potomania and the rhythm of daily interference. Drug addicts whose cause is psychiatric will, for example, drink during the day while those whose cause is biological will not be able to stop drinking even during the night.” explains Rodolphe Oppenheimer. “A “water deprivation” test can also be carried out to find out the real reasons for the disorder.“continues the psychoanalyst. This test consists of depriving the patient of water in order to observe the concentration of liquid in the urine. The diagnosis is also based on a blood test to measure the sodium level.
Dramatic and even fatal consequences
The physiological consequences of potomania can be dramatic and fatal: it is water intoxication. “Hyponatremia is one of the most common risks. It is characterized by too much water in the blood, what is called a hydroelectrolyte disorder” specifies the psychoanalyst. It creates a drastic decrease in the concentration of sodium in the blood with values below 135 mmol/l and symptoms such as lethargy and mental confusion. Brain edema is another symptom. In this case, “excessive accumulation of water will cause the body to swell and sometimes cause cerebral edema which can lead to the death of the subject” specifies the specialist. The edema compresses the brain and causes loss of consciousness and coma.
Treatment for potomania depends on its cause and type. “If the origin of the disorder is psychological or psychiatric, a consultation with a psychotherapist will be the most appropriate response.” advises the psychoanalyst. Cognitive and behavioral therapy can then be implemented in order to identify and change the behavior gradually. To reduce anxiety, it is also possible to use practices such as sophrology and hypnosis in addition. In the context of hospitalization, treatment can be based on water restriction and controlled fluid intake. “If the cause of potomania is due to the existence of a primary disease which was not known to the patient at that time (diabetes for example), this disease will first have to be treated before any real improvement can be seen.” explains the specialist.
Thanks to Rodolphe Oppenheimer, psychotherapist and psychoanalyst.
