Delusional Disorder (paranoid Psychosis): Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
He Delusional Disorder also known as Paranoid Psychosis, is a psychotic disorder. This disorder manifests itself with the presence of delusional ideas and thoughts, disconnected from reality, and without the presence of other underlying psychopathology.
But, What are the signs and symptoms that we can see in a person who suffers from Delusional Disorder? The diagnosis of this disorder must be made by a mental health professional, and will be guided by several diagnostic criteria:
Symptoms and signs
How do people with Delusional Disorder behave? The picture of paranoid psychosis It usually manifests itself in that people who suffer from it are totally convinced of things that are not real. For example, they may believe that they are famous athletes or successful singers, and from there they may think that people are chasing and harassing them on the street, or they may be paranoid thinking that there are people who want to harm them in some way.
This psychiatric condition is usually included in the group of psychopathologies in which a single delusional idea is manifested, or a series of delusional ideas closely linked to each other and that remain over time, being difficult to treat and persisting, on many occasions. , until the end of the life of the affected individual.
What type of delusions do these people suffer from?
Exactly what is going on in these people’s heads? Delusions can vary greatly from one subject to another. These are usually paranoid thoughts related to delusions of grandeur, hypochondria, or persecution and harassment.
In other cases, Delusional Disorder can manifest itself with recurring thoughts without a real basis about the infidelity of the romantic partner, or the belief that others think that the subject is homosexual, for example.
Causes
Delusional Disorder can appear at any time in life. In cases where delirium refers to deformities of some part of the body, it usually appears in early adulthood.
The content of delusional thoughts and the age at which they begin can have a fairly direct link with some experiences and experiences that can affect their psychological stability. It has been described that, at times, paranoid ideas of persecution are more common in individuals who belong to historically disadvantaged ethnic minorities. Beyond the behaviors and attitudes linked to delusional ideation, these patients do not usually have any impairment in their empathy, communication skills or in general in any other important aspect.
Characteristics of Paranoid Psychosis
As we have mentioned, people who suffer from Delusional Disorder suffer from recurring and unrealistic ideas, thoughts and beliefs. Despite this, sometimes these delusions do not directly affect your daily routine.
Most common types of delusional ideas
Mental health professionals describe up to four large groups of delusions according to their main characteristics. They are the ones we describe below.
1. Persecutory delusions
It is the most common type of delirium. The person who suffers He lives thinking that he is the victim of a conspiracy and that he is spied on and followed on the street, constantly.
2. Delusions of grandeur
This type of delusion causes the affected person to be convinced that they are someone important, a celebrity. For example, they may think that they have exceptional talent or that in their past they were renowned athletes, singers, or thinkers.
It is a group of delusions that affect the perception of one’s own body. The most common are: the belief that they smell bad, thinking that a part of the body grows uncontrollably, etc.
4. Erotomanic delusions
It is about the unreal belief maintained over time that someone loves them madly. It is more common in women, and they believe they receive letters, hidden messages or signals from someone who is “in love” with her, who is usually an important person for her (a teacher, a famous soccer player, a singer, an actor…). They can even get in touch with the man they think of through calls, messages, gifts, and letters.
5. Jealous type delusions
They repeatedly think that their romantic partner is with other people. This belief that their partner is unfaithful is based on erroneous assumptions based on delusion. It can pose a danger since this belief, in some cases, motivates physical attacks.
Treatments and therapies
We have talked about the characteristics of Delusional Disorder, but: Is it possible for these people to be cured, or at least improve their psychological normality?
There are a series of psychological treatments that help control symptoms, reducing their impact and recurrence and enabling the patient to think and structure their perception of reality in a non-pathological way.
The clinical psychologist can contribute enormously to the recovery of the person affected by Delusional Disorder. Through therapeutic sessions, and progressively, The psychologist can guide the patient to explain his thoughts and delusions, explore these contents and emotions. and, slowly, manage to identify the errors in your thinking patterns.
One of the most accepted therapeutic trends is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on achieving changes in delusional beliefs and their psychological, emotional and behavioral effects. It is a good idea to encourage people who suffer from this disorder to go to a trusted psychologist or psychiatrist, who can guide and direct them to significantly improve their quality of life.
