disorientation

1 a wild delusion (especially one induced by a hallucinogenic drug) [syn: freak out]

2 confusion (usually transient) about where you are and how to proceed; uncertainty as to direction; "his disorientation was the result of inattention"

English

Pronunciation

• /dɪs.ˌɔ.ɹi.ɪn.ˈtei.ʃn̩/

  Rhymes: -eɪʃǝn

Noun

1. the loss of one's sense of direction, or of one's position in relationship with the surroundings.
2. a state of confusion with regard to time, place or identity.
3. a delusion.

Related terms

• disorientate
• orientation

Translations

• French: désorientation
• Japanese: とまどい (tomadoi)

Orientation is a function of the mind involving awareness of three dimensions: time, place and person. Problems with orientation lead to disorientation, and can be due to various conditions, from delirium to intoxication. Typically, disorientation is first in time, then in place and finally in person.

The exact cerebral region involved in orientation is uncertain, but lesions of the brain stem and the cerebral hemispheres have been reported to cause disorientation, suggesting that they act together in maintaining awareness and its subfunction of orientation.

Disorientation, the opposite, is a cognitive disability in which the senses of time, direction, and recognition become difficult to distinguish.

See also

• Mental confusion

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