Delusional disorder
Delusional Disorder
Delusional disorder (/dɪˈluːʒənəl dɪsˈɔːrdər/) is a type of serious mental health condition called a psychotic disorder. People who have it can't tell what's real from what is imagined.
Etymology
The term "delusional disorder" is derived from the Latin word "deludere", meaning "to deceive". The term was first used in the medical literature in the late 19th century to describe a condition where a person holds false, fixed beliefs despite evidence to the contrary.
Definition
Delusional disorder involves having non-bizarre, persistent delusions, which are irrational beliefs that persist for at least one month. These delusions cannot be better accounted for by another psychiatric disorder, are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance, and do not occur only during the course of schizophrenia or a mood disorder.
Types of Delusional Disorder
There are several types of delusional disorder, each with their own specific themes. These include:
- Erotomanic: The person believes that someone, usually of higher status, is in love with them.
- Grandiose: The person believes that they have a great talent or have made an important discovery.
- Jealous: The person believes that their spouse or partner is unfaithful.
- Persecutory: The person believes that they are being conspired against, cheated, spied on, followed, poisoned or drugged, maliciously maligned, harassed, or obstructed in the pursuit of long-term goals.
- Somatic: The person believes that they have a physical defect or medical problem.
Symptoms
The presence of non-bizarre delusions is the most obvious symptom of this disorder. Other symptoms that might appear include:
- An irritable, angry, or low mood
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not really there) that are related to the delusion
- For example, a person who has a delusional disorder might believe that they have an unpleasant body odor when none actually exists.
Treatment
Treatment for delusional disorder most often includes medication and psychotherapy (a type of counseling). Delusional disorder can be very difficult to treat in part because its sufferers often have poor insight and do not recognize that a psychiatric problem exists.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Delusional disorder
- Wikipedia's article - Delusional disorder
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