deliriumista

Deliriumista is a neologistic term that has been used to describe a person who experiences delirium. It is not a standard medical term and does not appear in major clinical taxonomies such as the DSM-5 or ICD-11. In some literary or theoretical texts, deliriumista is employed to emphasize the subjective experience of delirium or to personify the condition for narrative or analytical purposes.

Etymology and usage: The word combines delirium with the Italian/Spanish suffix -ista, similar to terms that denote practitioners or enthusiasts. Its use is largely informal and contextual rather than clinical. As such, deliriumista usually appears in discussions on patient experience, medical humanities, or speculative fiction rather than as a diagnostic label.

Delirium is defined clinically as an acute disturbance in attention and awareness, with fluctuating cognitive impairment and perceptual disturbances, often accompanied by sleep-wake disruption. It arises from a medical condition, substance effects, medications, infection, or metabolic derangements, and typically requires prompt identification and treatment of the underlying cause, along with supportive care.

Relation to deliriumista: In nonclinical discourse, deliriumista may be used to frame delirium from the patient’s or observer's point of view, to explore identity under acute cognitive disruption, or to discuss ethical considerations in care. The term does not replace established diagnostic criteria and should be understood as a literary or theoretical construct.