The Potomanía is often confused with dipsomania, which is the result of excessive drinking water, but this disorder is related to toxic and rapid intake of liquid, usually associated with alcohol and also with the presence of diabetes insipidus in times of crisis.
This psychological disorder is not well known because it is often ignored by presenting symptom pictures that resemble other eating disorders, besides being a new addiction of which very little is known, but it affects a large segment of the population. The hypothalamus is a brain region, which among other things is responsible for maintaining the amount of water needed for the body and to warn of the lack of liquid sound the thirst. An alteration in the operating mechanism of the hypothalamus may cause episodes potomania (potomania neurological), but experts agree that this is very strange, so the disorder associated with mental imbalance and generally, eating disorders are related with psychological problems and personality disorders.
There are several risk factors that may influence the onset of the disorder:
Certain mental illnesses, such as personality disorders, delirious and hysterical symptoms.
Anxiety Disorders.
Organic disorders or hormonal disorders (such as diabetes mellitus, one of whose symptoms is precisely polydipsia or excessive thirst).
Have anorexia nervosa. In this case the affected drink plenty of water, either in order to get enough calories without eating or to increase body weight just before going to the specialist to be weighed and, thus misleading the professional.
Alterations in the function of the hypothalamus as the appetite.
Syndrome of inappropriate sensation of thirst, disturbance due to hypothalamic osmorreceptor.
Frequent use of medications such as anti-inflammatory (nonsteroidal), thiazide diuretics and lithium, which interfere with the function of the kidney, and anticholinergic drugs that can cause dry feeling in the mouth.
The absence of fluid descompensantes diversity.
