Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Assessment and Communication for People with Disorders of Consciousness
Published on: August 1, 2017
Abstract:
Telling a patient that he is mentally ill is a frequently encountered but rarely simple task. Because a diagnostic disclosure could have a deleterious effect, the decision to inform a patient of his psychiatric illness must be based on whether the patient will utilize the knowledge in a constructive or self-destructive manner. In this article, the author discusses when and how to tell a patient he has a psychological disorder, along with areas of caution and recommended guidelines.
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