“Aboulomania, a Mental Disorder Characterized by Pathological Indecisiveness”, 2023 ():
The mental disorder known as aboulomania, characterized by pathological indecisiveness, is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), widely used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental illnesses. However, it is frequently observed alongside other mental disorders.
Aboulomania is linked to neurotic thinking or “neurosis”, which pertains to a mental disorder arising from previous anxiety. This case presentation is on a 40-year-old Caucasian male, with a past psychiatric history of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moderate cannabis use disorder, with no known medical history, who was involuntarily admitted to the psychiatric ward.
Prolonged hospitalization of over two weeks was attributed to his severe and persistent indecisiveness, which hindered progress in discharge planning. In order to tackle this problem, the patient received encouragement from his treatment team to take small, concrete actions to deal with his indecisiveness.
This case report emphasizes the importance of aboulomania in causing long-lasting indecisiveness and provides valuable insights on how to overcome this condition.
…The patient’s chief complaint was, “I do not know why I am here.” Throughout the interview, the patient displayed guarded and evasive behavior. He remained unclear about recent substance use and expressed fear of potential repercussions. When asked to rate his mental health on a scale 1–10, he found it challenging to quantify…The patient expressed frustration with staff when they attempted to assign him a room near the nursing station. He pondered the treatment options available during his stay and expressed a desire to make the most of his time there. There was ongoing debate with the writer regarding the need for substance use treatment and his reluctance to consider it or explore other alternatives. Despite contrary collateral information, he adamantly denied substance use. The patient shared that he has spent the past two years alone at home, lacking interest in many activities and struggling to form close relationships…frequently avoided leaving his house…his tone was monotonous…The patient described his mood as “okay”. The patient displayed a flat affect with a limited range. The patient’s thought process was circumstantial but coherent. The patient engaged in debates about the type of treatment he wants and whether he believes he needs it. The patient’s associations were intact. He is currently unemployed and has no legal issues…Examples of symptoms stated by this patient are as follows: “At times, it is challenging to make decisions because I feel like I have limited information. It’s similar to going to a National Park and trying to choose a hiking trail, but you only have a small amount of information about each trail.” “I constantly feel the need for more information before making decisions.”