Previously people used to call delusional disorder paranoid disorder. It’s a type of psychotic disorder, a mental health condition. Today, we’ll discuss what is delusional disorder; its symptoms, types, causes, and treatment.
What is Delusional Disorder?
Delusional disorder is a form of mental illness where you can’t differentiate between what is real and what is imaginary, and delusion is its main symptom. They have got a complete and utter belief in something that isn’t true or not based on reality. It doesn’t mean that they’re not completely realistic.
DD comprises delusions that are not strange and comprise of situations that could happen in real life like being loved from a distance, conspired against, deceived, poisoned, or being followed. Usually, delusions comprise mistaken and wrong experiences and perceptions. But in reality, the situation could either not be true or exaggerated.
A bizarre or strange delusion is something that has got no possibility of happening in real life. They’re like seeing your thoughts broadcasted on TV or cloned by aliens. You can call such a person with delusions a delusional person.
Often, people with DD condition keep on performing various functions and socializing normally in their lives apart from their delusions. They don’t generally behave in a bizarre and odd manner. However, it’s possible that the delusions are the symptoms of psychotic disorder. Sometimes, delusions disturb the life of people with DD conditions. DD condition often occurs in the late or middle life, and it is more common among females than males.
Symptoms of Delusional Disorder
Some of the main symptoms of delusional disorder are as follows;
- Hallucinations: they’re relevant to delusions like feeling, hearing, and seeing things that aren’t real. For instance, some people would think that they have got odor problem and they would start smelling bad things
- Irritability: low mood, anger, or irritability
- Non-bizarre Delusion: delusions are the very obvious symptoms of
Types of Delusional Disorder
Some of the main types of delusional disorder are as follows;
Erotomanic
It’s a form of delusion where a person believes that some individual with higher social status loves them. For instance, it is when a person thinks that the actress on TV is in love with them and they’re talking with each other through secret hand gestures in their TV shows.
Grandiose
It’s a type of delusion where a person thinks that he has got extraordinary power, wealth, fame, and talent. For instance, they believe that God has given them special powers, and the work they do every day would assist the planet to keep on its track.
Persecutory
It’s a form of delusion where people believe that they’re being mistreated show, cheated on, slandered, followed, drugged, and spied on. For instance, they think that their boss is putting their employees on narcotic drugs via water cooler, and it makes people work hard.
Jealous
It is a type of delusion where people think that their partner is unfaithful and cheating on them. For instance, it’s when a person believes that his partner meets with her lover when you use the restroom. They think that they talk with each other through secret messaging at the grocery store via the cashier.
Somatic
Somatic is a type of delusion where you experience bodily dysfunction or the physical sensation under the skin. For instance, they think that worms and parasites are living inside their body.
Mixed
As the name implies, they don’t experience a single category of delusions, various combinations of delusions attack them. Psychologists call it an unspecified condition where the condition doesn’t fall in one category.
Causes of Delusional Disorder
Researchers don’t know the exact causes of delusional disorder just like any other type of psychotic disorder. The DD condition may be hereditary and you could learn it from your parents. Some of them are as follows;
Psychological/Environmental:
Studies have shown that stress could trigger the DD condition, and drug abuse and alcohol could be the contributing factors. People that live in isolation like immigrants with poor hearing and eyesight, tend to develop DD conditions.
Biological:
Research studies have been going on the DD condition that it’s likely to happen when an area of the brain isn’t working normally. The abnormal part of the brain that manages your thinking and perception would exhibit the symptoms of delusions.
Genetics:
The DD condition is more common among people that have a family member suffering from schizophrenia or delusions. It suggests that the condition could be genetic. Just like any other mental health condition, the DD condition has the possibility to be transferred from parents to children.
Treatment of Delusional Disorder
The treatment plan for delusional disorder comprises medication and therapy. It’s important to keep in mind that it’s highly difficult to treat the DD condition. According to an estimate, roundabout half of the patients with patients following antipsychotic medication show a partial improvement in their condition.
Conventional Antipsychotics
Their focus is on blocking the dopamine receptors, and neurotransmitters of dopamine would cause the development of delusions. Some of the conventional antipsychotic medicines are as follows;
- Trifluoperazine
- Thiothixene
- Thioridazine
- Perphenazine
- Loxapine
- Haloperidol
- Fluphenazine
- Chlorpromazine
Atypical Antipsychotics
Some of the atypical antipsychotic medicines are as follows;
- Ziprasidone
- Quetiapine, Risperidone, or Olanzapine
- Paliperidone Palmitate
- Paliperidone
- Lurasidone
- Iloperidone
- Clozapine
- Cariprazine
- Brexpiprazole
- Asenapine
- Aripiprazole
Individual Therapy
It helps the person to see and acknowledge and correct the thinking process that has been distorted
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The focus of CBT is to help a person point out and change such thoughts and behavior that are causing the development of troublesome feelings
Conclusion: What is Delusional Disorder? Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
After an in-depth study of what is delusional disorder; its symptoms, types, causes, and treatment; we have realized that the DD condition could badly disturb your life. If you’re experiencing its symptoms, then you should discuss it with the therapist as soon as you can and work on the treatment plan.
Ahsan is an accomplished researcher and has a deep insight in worldly life affairs. He goes Live 3 days a week on various social media platforms. Other than research writing, he’s a very interesting person.
