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Delusional
Disorder
Category
Psychotic
Disorders
Etiology
The
cause of delusional disorder is not known. Some studies suggest a
biological component due to increased prevalence in first degree relatives
of individuals with the disorder.
Symptoms
Non-bizarre
delusions including feelings of being followed, poisoned, infected,
deceived or conspired against, or loved at a distance. Non-bizarre
referred to real life situations which could be true, but are not or are
greatly exaggerated. Bizarre delusions, which would rule out this
disorder, are those such as believing that your stomach is missing or that
aliens are seeking you out to be their leader. Delusional disorder can be
subtyped into the following categories: erotomanic, grandiose, jealous,
persecutory (most common), somatic, and mixed.
Treatment
Medications
can be helpful but are often refused due to the nature of the disorder.
Some individuals function quite normally, while others may react to their
delusion in ways that can greatly disrupt their life.
Prognosis
Ranges
from good to very poor depending on the individual, subtype, and life
circumstances.
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