Delusion: From 2 Different Sources
A fixed, irrational idea not shared by others and not responding to reasoned argument. The idea in a paranoid delusion involves persecution or jealousy. For instance, a person may falsely believe that he or she is being poisoned (see paranoia). Persistent delusions are a sign of serious mental illness, most notably schizophrenia and manic–depressive illness. (See also hallucination; illusion.)
n. a belief that is held with unshakable conviction, cannot be altered by rational argument, and is outside the person’s normal cultural or subcultural belief system. The belief is usually wrong, but can occasionally be true: the abnormal pathology lies in the irrational way in which the person comes to the belief. In mental illness it may be a false belief that the individual is persecuted by others (paranoid delusion; see paranoia), is very powerful (grandiose delusion), is guilty of something they have not actually done, is poor, or is a victim of physical disease. Delusions may be a symptom of *schizophrenia, acute intoxication, *mania, *delirium, or an organic *psychosis. The intensity of the delusional belief may vary over time.
An irrational and usually unshakeable belief (idée ?xe) peculiar to some individuals. They fail to respond to reasonable argument and the delusion is often paranoid in character with a belief that a person or persons is/are persecuting them. The existence of a delusion, of such a nature as to in?uence conduct seriously, is one of the most important signs in reaching a decision to arrange for the compulsory admission of the patient to hospital for observation. (See MENTAL ILLNESS.)... delusions
a *monodelusional disorder in which patients believe they or their environment are infested by living or non-living pathogens. These can range from rats in the patient’s house to microspores in the air. Most commonly, patients claim they are infested with insects, worms, parasites, mites, or inanimate threads or fibres, often underneath their skin. Many present the alleged parasite as a specimen for examination. If compliance can be established, most patients respond well to *antipsychotic medication. The term delusional infestation was first introduced by Roland W. Freudenmann and Peter Lepping in 2009, and has gradually superseded the terms delusional parasitosis and Ekbom’s syndrome.... delusional infestation
the intensity with which a delusional belief is held. This can vary over time and sometimes shifts quite rapidly. Some factors, such as treatment, may temporarily or permanently reduce the intensity of a delusion, while others may work to reinforce it.... delusional intensity
a *delusional belief that one’s partner is unfaithful when there is no reasonable evidence for this. It often occurs in the context of *alcoholism.... delusional jealousy
see delusional infestation.... delusional parasitosis
a *Schneiderian first-rank symptom in which a person believes that a normal percept (product of perception) has a special meaning for him or her. For example, a cloud in the sky may be misinterpreted as meaning that someone has sent that person a message to save the world. While the symptom is particularly indicative of *schizophrenia, it also occurs in other psychoses, including *mania (in which it often has grandiose undertones).... delusional perception
a delusion in which the patient believes that another person or an animal (usually the patient’s pet) has certain physical symptoms, even though these cannot be objectively verified. The patient with the delusional belief is called the inducer; the person or pet that is allegedly affected is the proxy. Some *monodelusional disorders, such as *delusional infestation, have a prevalence of delusion by proxy of up to 5%. Treatment is usually with *antipsychotics. In some situations it may be necessary to remove the proxy to provide safety from the behaviour associated with the delusion. See also double delusion; folie à deux.... delusion by proxy
a *delusion in which the patient believes that unsuspicious occurrences refer to him or her in person. Patients may, for example, believe that certain news bulletins have a direct reference to them, that music played on the radio is played for them, or that car licence plates have a meaning relevant to them. Ideas of reference differ from delusions of reference in that insight is retained.... delusion of reference
the situation in which a patient (the inducer) presents with delusional symptoms that he or she believes to be shared by someone else who is incapable of expressing them (typically a child or a pet). This is different from a *delusion by proxy, in which the inducer does not claim to be experiencing the symptoms himself or herself. The term was introduced in 2015 by Peter Lepping, Mark Rishniw, and Roland Wolfgang Freudenmann. Compare folie à deux.... double delusion
see folie à deux.... shared delusion
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