Delusional Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, Types & Treatment

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Delusional Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, Types & Treatment

A delusion simply means- inability to identify reality from imaginary scenarios.

When a person is delusional, they might not be able to know the difference between the real scenarios and what they have imagined, leading to a state of confusion. Classified as a psychotic disorder, the thoughts that arise might not always be grandiose or unrealistic in nature. This makes it difficult for the person to distinguish between the perceived reality and actual situation.

A quite rare condition, the chances of developing delusional disorder are as low as 0.05-0.1%.

Some defining characteristics of delusional disorder include-

Misinterpreting experiences
Feeling confused and doubtful about situations
Altered memories
Continue to function well in the society but have issues when the situation becomes severe

Symptoms exhibited in Delusional Disorder

The condition for this disorder brews very normally, where the person might just ignore the usual symptoms as a mistake or even a misinterpretation of the situation. Some common delusional disorder symptoms are listed as follows for your awareness-

Feeling of exploitation
Untrustworthiness with friends
Tendency to misinterpret things said by others
Reacts to any small issue aggressively
Lacking self awareness
Always feeling like they’re in a problematic situation
Lack of acceptance about their surroundings
Anger and violent behaviors (in certain types of delusions)
Develop anxiety or depression as a result of continuous delusions

Causes behind development of delusional disorder

As etiology from ICD and DSM suggests, there are 3 major factors that contribute to the development of delusional disorder. The disorder can result from the trigger of any single factor or a mixture of precipitating factors.

Genetic factors– According to researchers, there is a big genetic involvement in development of delusional disorder. People who have a family history of delusional disorder and schizophrenia are highly exposed to the risk of developing delusional disorder.
Biological factors– Imbalance of certain neurotransmitters in the body is found to be a highly contributing factor in this disorder. Based on different brain structures, a particular correlation has been found between lesions formed on the right cerebral hemisphere. Certain structures are related to development of specific delusions, which may develop on their own or as a result of physical trauma.
Environmental & psychological factors– A highly prevailing trigger, stress is considered as one of the major causes for the development of delusional disorder. Alcohol misuse and substance misuse is also directly related to its onset. Social crisis, identity issues, lack of self esteem and suspicion are some of the major psychological causes that contribute to the development of this disorder.

Major Types Prevailing in this Condition

There are various types of delusions, with high or low intensities defining their severity. Some of them are discussed here-

Erotomanic– Quite bizarre, the person here believes that some person of high status and popularity is infatuated with them and loves them. The person goes to the lengths of contacting these “famous people” and fulfilling their desires.
Grandiose– This type of delusion directly translates to a feeling of being “grand”. This can be an exaggerated sense of high worth, individuality, identity, power and self-worth. They believe that they have every right to be important and considered highly in every situation.
Jealous– The person here has an irrational belief that their spouse or partner is being unfaithful to them and cheating without having any evidence against this suspicion.
Persecutory– People in this type of delusion believe that they are being stalked, or taken advantage of by someone. Complaints with authorities may be involved.
Somatic– The person may feel that they have a medical issue, but that will not be the case.
Thought insertion– Here, the person may feel that someone is influencing them and inserting their thoughts into the person’s mind. They may feel like an outsider’s thoughts are now theirs.
Bizarre– The person may believe in a situation or an idea that is not possible in real life.
Mixed– Two or more types of delusions may occur simultaneously.

Treatment for delusional disorder

Delusional disorder can be treated with approaches in psychotherapy, but this disorder is highly resistant when treated alone with medication. Firstly, people with this condition might not realize that they have this issue, let alone seek treatment for it.

They’ll be more likely to feel that they are struck with issues like depression and anxiety. It will take a very thorough and careful evaluation on the clinician’s part to know the exact cause of the symptoms. At Tulasi Healthcare, our team of experts explore every aspect of your issue to determine the exact cause of your issues. Misdiagnosis is fairly common in this disorder, but careful evaluation at our facility will undermine any such issues.

Let’s explore some treatments that are applicable for this condition.

Individual psychotherapy– Here, the client is taken into a personal consultation and provided with talk therapy to make them understand their condition and raise awareness about it. This is paired with psychopharmacological medications to stabilize the condition.
Family-focused therapy– Through family focused therapy, a foundational base for treatment and management can be made through the process of psychoeducation, communication strategies and problem solving training. This helps the client as well as the family members to cope up and understand the situation of the client.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy– A very structured and goal-oriented therapy, CBT has 3 core principles to align the delusions-
Working on unhelpful thought patterns
Accepting and working towards behaviors that have been generated as a result of these thought patterns
Development of coping patterns to deal with this maladjustment

Medications

First generation (typical) antipsychotics– They work by blocking the dopamine receptors in the brain, which is believed to be a chemical involved in the development of delusions. These include chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thiothixene, trifluoperazine, perphenazine and many more, depending upon the client’s diagnosis and suitability.
Second generation (atypical) antipsychotics– These block both dopamine and serotonin receptors in the brain. Include risperidone, clozapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone and many more.

Looking for expert guidance? We’re here to help.

At Tulasi Healthcare, our expert guidance is available 24*7 to people who need a consultation. Issues can be quite unmanageable and pose threats to you if the severity is high, but under our constant guidance and care, you are sure to find a solution and support in no time. Visit www.tulasihealthcare.com to know more about our services and consultation plans.

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