Word salad (mental health)


 * In context of e-mail spamming, see also Word salad.
 * In context of e-mail spamming, see also Word salad.

In the mental health field, word salad (originally from the German Wortsalat) is used to describe the symptom of confused, and often repetitious, language that is symptomatic of various mental illnesses. It is usually associated with a manic presentation and other symptoms of serious mental illnesses, such as psychoses. It describes the apparently confused usage of words with no apparent meaning or relationship attached to them. In this context, it is considered to be a symptom of a formal thought disorder. In some cases word salad can be a sign of asymptomatic Schizophrenia. e.g. the question "Why do people believe in God?" elicits a response like "Because he makes a twirl in life, my box is broken help me blue elephant. Isn't lettuce brave? I like electrons, hello."

In popular culture
The character Homsar in the animated cartoon series Homestar Runner is known for indefinitely speaking in word salads, as are members of the Xaositect faction of the Planescape setting of the Dungeons & Dragons game, Ed from the animated Cartoon Network series Ed Edd and Eddy, and Happy Noodle Boy from Johnny the Homicidal Maniac.