Behavioral and medical treatment of chronic polydipsia in a patient with schizophrenia and diabetes insipidus.

Costanzo ES, Antes LM, Christensen AJ. Behavioral and medical treatment of chronic polydipsia in a patient with schizophrenia and diabetes insipidus. Psychosomatic medicine. 2004 May 1; 66(2):283-6.

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Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: This case report describes a novel outpatient behavioral treatment intervention for chronic polydipsia. The program was used in an effort to reduce excessive fluid intake in a woman with chronic paranoid-type schizophrenia who also had a diagnosis of diabetes insipidus. METHODS: The 12-session individual behavioral intervention incorporated self-monitoring, stimulus control, coping skills training, and reinforcement components. RESULTS: The patient engaged fully in the treatment program, and she successfully restricted her fluid intake. Her diabetes insipidus could therefore be treated with desmopressin, a medication that requires fluid restriction, and she experienced a concomitant reduction in polyuria and urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: The outpatient behavioral intervention demonstrated promising outcomes in a chronically mentally ill patient whose polydipsia had underlying psychogenic and physiological components. This case highlights the efficacy of combining behavioral and medical interventions.