Acute Mania with Psychotic Features in an Adolescent Female: A Case Report

Abstract

The current report examines a 19-year-old female university student who developed acute manic symptoms following hospitalization for gastritis. The patient, previously without psychiatric history, presented with complete sleep cessation, pressured speech, grandiose delusions, and inappropriate social behavior. Her most prominent symptoms included fixed false beliefs about career achievements, inflated self-importance, uncontrollable speech patterns, and preoccupation with marriage themes. Prior to her January 2025 medical admission, she had functioned normally with no mental health concerns. Psychiatric symptoms emerged abruptly five days post-discharge and intensified over four consecutive days. Clinical evaluation revealed elaborate delusional thinking, flight of ideas, emotional lability, and complete absence of insight. This case highlights the challenges in recognizing and managing first-episode mania in young adults and demonstrates the potential temporal relationship between medical hospitalization and psychiatric symptom onset in vulnerable individuals.