An acute state of confusion characterized by fluctuating consciousness, disorientation, and impaired attention. Patients may experience hallucinations, agitation, or altered perception of reality.
From Latin 'delirium' meaning 'to go off the furrow' (de- 'away' + lira 'furrow'), originally describing a plowman going off track. The metaphor evolved to describe minds that have wandered from rational thought.
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