Ego-dystonic symptoms are those that are experienced as alien, unwanted, and inconsistent with one's self-concept or values. Patients with neurotic disorders (e.g., OCD, anxiety disorders) often find their symptoms distressing and wish to be rid of them, demonstrating intact insight. In contrast, psychotic symptoms like delusions can often be ego-syntonic, meaning they feel real, consistent with the patient's internal world, and are not perceived as problematic by the patient, even if they are false from an objective standpoint.
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