Learn about delusional disorder
The beliefs we hold about life and reality rule our everyday lives. Delusions are beliefs that are held strongly, despite evidence to the contrary. When an individual believes something that is not actually happening, yet he or she holds on to that belief despite evidence pointing otherwise, that person may have delusional disorder.
Individuals with delusional disorder can have difficulty identifying myth from reality. When the person experiences episodes of delusion or false thoughts for more than a month and those delusions are not stemmed from another physical or mental health condition, a diagnosis of delusional disorder may apply. This condition could have an impact on the person’s daily living, although, fortunately, it does not necessarily prevent that individual from functioning within society on an ongoing basis.
This mental health condition can cause a person to display varying types of delusions, including:
- Erotomanic Delusion – This happens when an individual believes that a specific person is in love with him or her.
- Somatic Delusion – This type of delusion makes a person feel his or her body is invaded by outside forces, illness, or insects, among other things.
- Jealous Delusion – This occurs when a person has the belief that a partner is unfaithful.
- Grandiose Delusion – This occurs when a person believes that he or she is famous or has an impeccable talent.
- Persecutory Delusion – This type of delusion makes an individual feel as if he or she is being held back, attacked, or plotted against.
This type of disorder will only manifest once the individual speaks about irrational ideas and delusional beliefs and refuses to listen to those who think otherwise.
Even if it is not a hindrance to functionality and performance of daily tasks, delusional disorder can still have serious effects and complications on a person’s life. Luckily, there are treatments available that can help an individual recover and manage this mental health condition.
