Anosognosia

Aditi Singh
Aug 25, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Anosognosia, a condition that causes someone to be unaware of having a mental illness, is faced by 50-98% of those with schizophrenia, 40% of those with bipolar disorder, and 80% of those with Alzheimer's disease.

What causes anosognosia?

Anosognosia arises when damage or disruption to your brain's frontal lobe weakens your ability to update your self-image, or how you perceive yourself. Here are the primary injuries and diseases that result in anosognosia:

Alzheimer’s disease
Bipolar disorder
Dementia
Huntington's disease
Schizophrenia
Aneurysms
Brain tumors
Head injuries
Infections
Seizures and epilepsy
Sleep apnea
Strokes
Poisoning by toxins like carbon monoxide

What are the symptoms of anosognosia?

When someone has anosognosia, they are unable to recognize that they have an illness or medical problem. As a result, they may do the following:

Cover up symptoms of their medical problem
Rationalize symptoms of their medical problem through confabulation, or unconsciously creating false memories
Believe others are lying or making a mistake about their medical problem, resulting in conflict and frustration
Be unwilling to accept and undergo treatment, causing their medical problem to become worse

How can you treat anosognosia?

Anosognosia is incurable, but there are ways to manage it.

If you have a brain injury...

Treating the underlying injury can help anosognosia over time. In some people, a full recovery of the injury can make anosognosia go away. Others experience permanent effects of anosognosia.

If you have a degenerative disease...

Anosognosia is permanent for those with degenerative diseases. Therapy and treatment programs can help individuals address the disease, but they will not affect anosognosia.

How can I prevent anosognosia?

The best way to avoid anosognosia is taking care of your brain. You should eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, treat infections in your eyes and ears, wear safety equipment like helmets, and manage injuries or illnesses that could lead to anosognosia.

If you or a loved one has anosognosia, it's important to visit a healthcare provider you trust. Throughout the process, make sure to be patient and understanding.