Behavioral treatment of chronic psychogenic polydipsia with hyponatremia: a unique case of polydipsia in a primary care patient with intractable hiccups.

ABSTRACT

Psychogenic polydipsia is recognized as a dangerous and potentially life threatening disorder. Few studies have focused on the treatment of polydipsia presenting in the outpatient setting. A review of the behavioral treatment literature pertaining to psychogenic polydipsia is presented. This review is followed by a case illustration of an outpatient behavioral approach to the treatment of psychogenic polydipsia in a non-psychiatric, primary car, adult, male patient suffering from intractable hiccup. An ABA single-case design was used, with sodium concentration as the dependent variable. This behavioral method appears promising in settings where restriction of fluid intake is not practical.