Prominent hallucinations or delusions are characteristic of which diagnosis?

• A. Psychotic Disorder due to Another Medical Condition
• B. Major Depressive Episode
• C. Hypomanic Episode
• D. Bipolar I Disorder

Answer: (A)

Prominent hallucinations or delusions point to true psychosis. When those psychotic symptoms are clearly caused by another medical condition rather than arising from a primary mood or psychotic disorder, the appropriate label is psychotic disorder due to another medical condition. This distinction matters because the underlying medical issue must be addressed to resolve the psychosis, in addition to treating any psychotic symptoms. Mood disorders can have psychotic features, but the defining diagnosis there centers on mood symptoms with psychosis appearing secondarily; hypomania rarely presents with prominent psychosis, and while bipolar I can include psychotic features during mood episodes, the primary diagnosis is a mood disorder with potential psychosis rather than a psychosis strictly due to a medical condition. In settings like HIV-related CNS illness, infections or metabolic problems can drive prominent delusions or hallucinations, making the secondary psychosis diagnosis the most accurate choice.