Self-induced water intoxication in a schizophrenic patient.

Water intoxication occurred in a 53-year-old woman with chronic simple schizophrenia and poorly controlled diabetes. For several years she had had a compulsive habit of drinking excessive amounts of water. Coma, fever, convulsions and other neurologic signs appeared suddenly, and she had severe hyponatremia. Her condition improved rapidly when the electrolyte abnormality was corrected.