Delusional disorder is a mental illness that blurs the lines between reality and imagination, causing audio and visual hallucinations and strong beliefs that something imagined is real. It falls into five categories, including erotomanic, jealous, persecutory, grandiose, and somatic disorders. It can exist on its own or be a symptom of a more complex disorder, and is typically treated with medication and psychotherapy.
A delusional disorder is a form of mental illness that involves the inability to distinguish between the real and the imagined. The disorder can cause both audio and visual hallucinations, as well as strong beliefs that something imagined is actually real. The key factor in a delusional disorder, also known as psychosis, is that any imagined emotion or action could potentially occur in real life. A delusional disorder typically falls into one of five main categories.
The first two types of delusional disorders, erotomanic and jealous disorders, focus on blurry lines of reality involving emotions and relationships. People with erotomanic disorder have a false belief that someone else is a strong admirer. This often manifests as a feeling that someone famous is in love with or obsessed with the person with the disorder. Jealousy disorders often lead spouses or significant others to believe that their partner is having an affair or pursuing an emotional relationship with someone else.
The next two varieties, persecutory and grandiose disorders, involve problems with the feelings an individual has about or towards themselves. Victims of persecutory disorder believe that someone is essentially out to get them. Commonly known as paranoia, this particular disorder can be passive, in which the victim believes that someone is following or watching them, or aggressive, in which the victim believes that someone is trying to harm them. Grandiose disorder creates a false sense of self-worth, leading the person to believe they are much more important, intelligent, or talented than they actually are.
The fifth delusional disorder, classified as a somatic disorder, is sometimes commonly referred to as hypochondriasis. It involves the belief that the victim is physically ill or deformed in some way. Studies have shown that if this false belief in a disease is allowed to progress long enough, the body will actually begin exhibiting the true symptoms of the phantom disease, further encouraging the delusion.
It is also quite common for individuals to suffer from mixed delusional disorder, which incorporates two or more of the various types of disorders listed above. A delusional disorder can exist as a condition on its own or be a symptom of a more complex disorder, such as schizophrenia. They are believed to be genetic in nature, making it more likely that an individual will develop delusional disorder if there is already a history of the events in the family. A person suffering from delusional disorder is typically able to perform a high level of daily functioning and is most often treated with a combination of prescribed medications and psychotherapy.
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