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Delusional jealousy is a mental disorder where a person believes their partner is cheating on them, causing obsessive thoughts and potentially violent behavior. It can be a symptom of other mental disorders and is treated with therapy and medication, with severe cases requiring involuntary confinement and antipsychotic medication.
Delusional jealousy is a mental disorder in which a person has delusional beliefs that the person they are romantically involved with is cheating on them. It is sometimes called morbid jealousy or Othello syndrome, taking its name from the Shakespeare play in which delusions of infidelity play a large part. Less common names for the condition are erotic jealousy syndrome and sexual jealousy. Sometimes it’s a condition on its own, but more often it’s a symptom of another psychiatric disorder.
Psychiatric professionals distinguish between regular jealousy and jealous behavior that can be delusional. A healthy sense of jealousy or suspicion only occurs as a response to evidence of infidelity. It also changes over time to reflect the facts surrounding a situation. Delusions of jealousy have no basis in reality, or do not change in the face of new facts or evidence to the contrary. These delusions manifest themselves in obsessive thoughts that can become the center of the person’s life. A person suffering from delusional jealousy will often repeatedly accuse their loved one of infidelity, constantly seek evidence to prove the allegations, and may even resort to stalking both their significant other and the person they think they are cheating with.
As delusions progress, they can even take up a person’s entire life. Personal and professional relationships may begin to suffer, and the mental health of the person with the delusions may deteriorate further. Delusional jealousy can even become life-threatening for those who suffer from it and the people around them. Delusion-based stalking behavior can turn violent. Suicide is also a concern, as delusions can lead to severe depression.
Many times, delusional jealousy is a symptom of another mental disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can often lead to delusions. BPD sufferers often go through periods of extreme anxiety and depression. They also tend to be defensive and are easily offended. All of these factors combined tend to make them more susceptible to feelings of jealousy, and extreme cases can lead to delusions associated with jealous thoughts. Depression and other mental issues like bipolar disorders and schizophrenia can also lead to delusions of infidelity. External factors such as sexual dysfunction or drug and alcohol abuse have also been shown to contribute to delusional jealousy.
Treatment for delusional jealousy can vary based on the severity of the disorder. Mild symptoms can often be treated with therapy and medication, but severe cases require stronger treatment. Because people with morbid jealousy can sometimes be violent towards themselves and others, involuntary confinement in a psychiatric hospital and strong antipsychotic medications can be used to help manage the condition. In extreme cases the best treatment may be for the partners to separate completely, eliminating the momentum for the delusions.
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