The symptoms of delusional disorder are similar to those of schizophrenia, although they are typically more severe. People with delusional disorders believe that other people are speaking to them or following them. They may hear voices in their head or see things that others do not see.
Delusions can lead to other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety disorders. Learn more about the main characteristics of delusions and how you can watch for signs of delusional disorder in yourself or others so it can be treated early on
The Symptoms of Delusional Disorder
The symptoms of delusional disorder include:
- Delusions. These are false beliefs that are firmly held and reflect an underlying theme. Commonly, they involve persecutory (the belief that someone or something is out to get you), grandiose (the belief that you have special abilities), or jealousy-based themes. For example, a person with paranoid schizophrenia may believe that everyone around him or she is trying to harm them, while someone who has persecutory delusions might believe that a specific person is responsible for everything bad in their life and deserves punishment for it.
- Hallucinations: Auditory hallucinations are when people hear voices or other sounds as heard by others but not by themselves; visual hallucinations can take the form of seeing things like animals or figures appear in front of them when there’s no one else present; tactile hallucinations happen when people feel objects being touched on their skin unexpectedly (for example, they might feel something brush against their cheek while they’re walking down the street).
- These kinds of experiences often occur during times when people with schizophrenia experience heightened levels of arousal—such as waking up at night due to insomnia—and cause them great distress because they don’t know whether what they’re experiencing actually exists outside themselves instead thinking it might be real.”
Delusion
Delusions are beliefs that are not true, even though they may seem to be. They can be very specific or general and can also include ideas like “the moon is made of cheese” or “my father is an astronaut.”
Delusions are not a symptom of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression; however, they may occur along with these conditions. They’re also not symptoms of anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Hallucinations
Hallucinations are the perception of something that is not there. They can be visual, auditory, or tactile. Hallucinations can be real and imagined at the same time. Sometimes they are transient (lasting only a short while), while other times they may persist for years or even decades.
Hallucinations can be simple (e.g., seeing shadows) or complex (e.g., hearing voices). Some people who have experienced hallucinations report that their hallucinations are perceived as being real by them or others around them – which makes this condition even more confusing!
Disorganized speech
- Disorganized speech may be filled with nonsequiturs, such as “I thought you were going to kill me” or “I’m not crazy.”
- It may also be filled with rambling, incoherent statements. For example: “My life is like a soap opera.”
- Delusional disorder patients may make bizarre comments such as saying that someone is pregnant when he or she isn’t (known as ‘birthers’). In some cases, these people believe they themselves are pregnant and give birth at an early age even though they are actually middle-aged men or women who think they have switched bodies with another person who looks much younger than them
Disorganized or catatonic behavior
The main symptoms of delusional disorder include disorganized or catatonic behavior, delusions, hallucinations, and disorientation.
- Disorganized speech – This is a common symptom of schizophrenia that involves speaking in a strange way.
- Delusions – These are beliefs that are not based on reality; for example believing you can fly or seeing things that aren’t there.
- Hallucinations – Seeing things that aren’t real (hallucinations) can occur due to poor sleep quality, stress levels, and other factors such as substance abuse or mental illness
Conclusion
Delusional disorder is a serious mental illness that affects a person’s day-to-day life. It can be difficult to notice the early signs of this disease, especially if you are not aware of your surroundings or if your delusions are not as severe.
The delusions are usually about something happening to you or someone close to you, such as being followed by government agents who want to harm them and causing strangers harm with their thoughts alone. Many sufferers also experience hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms such as hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t really there. Delusions can range from grandiose (believing oneself wealthy) to persecutory (thinking others want them harmed).