People who develop delusional disorder have increasing difficulty distinguishing between fact and fantasy. Their behavior may seem normal for the most part, and they may function successfully in most situations. But they have certain beliefs that are false and often quite disturbing, leaving them struggling to cope with difficult and confusing emotions.
There are several different types of delusional disorder. They include:
- Somatic. A person imagines they suffer from a physical illness, deformity, or other problem related to their bodily health.
- Erotomanic. This describes a person’s false belief that someone else is in love with them, a conviction that continues often in spite of frequent rejection.
- Jealous. Someone with a jealous delusion believes their spouse or partner has been unfaithful, and no amount of evidence will convince them otherwise.
- Grandiose. People with delusions of grandeur believe they are better or more important than other people, although they have no actual accomplishments to back up this perception.
- Persecutory. These types of delusions make a person feel paranoid and suspicious, based on their conviction that others are out to get them or are somehow causing damage to their lives.
- Mixed. Some people with delusional disorder will suffer from more than one type of delusion, and the number of delusions they experience may increase over time.
In some instances, these delusions may involve fairly plausible scenarios. In other cases they are totally bizarre or illogical. But all are believed with equal firmness, regardless of their disconnection from observable reality.
Such thoughts and feelings can make functioning difficult and cause immense emotional strain. Persistent delusions of this nature can easily disrupt or even destroy relationships, lead to the loss of employment, or create embarrassing situations that damage a person’s self-esteem.
Men and women who try to cope with the negative impact of delusions through substance use are playing with fire. The delusions won’t be tamed by this activity, and over time addiction is the likely result if drug and alcohol consumption continues unabated.
