ABSTRACT
This paper presents the case of a 22-year-old woman who was hospitalized multiple times with episodes of psychosis co-occurring with hyperglycemia. Her psychosis was characterized by auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, and disorganized speech and behavior. The patient has a prior medical history of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and Graves' disease and was non-adherent to diabetic diet and medications. The patient is a Somalian refugee who moved to the United States (US) a year ago. We explore the relatively unique observation of hyperglycemia-induced psychosis in the patient, specifically in the context of autoimmune disorders. We also discuss some of the complexities associated with the cultural aspects of mental health and diabetes management in refugee communities and their implications in clinical practice.
