•  
  •  

Changes in Behavior

A change in how a person acts is called altered behavior. A change may include:

  • Confusion.
  • Disorientation to time and place.
  • Unusually aggressive or combative behavior.
  • Lethargy, unexplained sleepiness, or the inability to arouse a person from sleep.

Altered behavior can be caused by conditions or substances that may affect the brain, such as:

  • Prescription and nonprescription medicine.
  • Drug and alcohol abuse or withdrawal.
  • Electrolyte imbalances.
  • Exposure to toxins, such as carbon monoxide, arsenic, or lead.
  • Lack of oxygen to the brain.
  • Head injury.
  • Seizure.
  • Abnormally high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or abnormally low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
  • Infection, especially in older adults.
  • Mental health problems, such as anxiety disorders, depression, or psychosis.
  • Blockages in the blood vessels in the brain, such as in a stroke.
  • Bleeding in the brain from a head injury or stroke.
  • Destruction of brain tissue by a tumor.
  • Pressure on brain tissue by a tumor or swelling.

Changes in behavior may be sudden, such as those caused by a stroke or head injury. Or they may be gradual, such as those caused by a tumor or swelling in the brain.

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Revised September 1, 2011

Last Revised: September 1, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more visit Healthwise.org

© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.