What Is Delusional Disorder?

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Delusional disorder is a psychotic disorder that can make it hard for a person to distinguish between what’s real and what’s imagined to be true.The primary symptom of this condition is the presence ofdelusions, which are irrational, unshakeable beliefs that are untrue.

People with delusional disorder may experience bizarre or non-bizarre delusions:

This article explores thetypes, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of delusional disorder.

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Types of Delusional Disorder

Delusional disorder is classified into different types, depending on the type of delusions the person experiences:

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Symptoms of Delusional Disorder

These are some of the symptoms that may be present with different types of delusional disorder:

It’s important to understand that the delusions are very real to the person experiencing them.

Causes of Delusional Disorder

While the exact causes of delusional disorder are unknown, these are some of the risk factors that can contribute to the development of the condition:

Diagnosing Delusional Disorder

The diagnostic criteria for delusional disorder listed in the DSM-V are as follows:The person has experienced one or more delusionsThe delusions have persisted for at least one monthThe person hasn’t experiencedhallucinationsor significant mood symptomsApart from the impact of the delusion, functioning is not markedly impaired

The diagnostic criteria for delusional disorder listed in the DSM-V are as follows:

The diagnostic process may involve a complete medical history, a physical examination, a comprehensive psychiatric interview, and perhaps other screening tests or questionnaires, in addition to other tests or scans to help rule out other health conditions.

It’s important to note that delusions can occur as a symptom in several mental health and neurological conditions, such as schizophrenia,bipolar disorder, fronto-temporal dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, among others.

Treating Delusional Disorder

People with delusional disorder may be unlikely to seek treatment because they may not realize that their delusional beliefs are not true.

This condition can be difficult to treat, because the person’s suspicious nature and delusional beliefs can cause them to believe their loved ones and healthcare providers are trying to harm them.However, recovery is possible, especially if the healthcare provider is able to earn the person’s trust.

Treatment for delusional disorder typically involves:

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A Word From Verywell

If you or a loved one are experiencing delusions, it can be helpful to visit a mental healthcare provider such as a psychologist or psychiatrist as soon as possible. Your primary care doctor can provide a reference, if you need one.

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.Delusional disorder.American Psychological Association.Delusion.APA Dictionary of Psychology.Harvard Medical School.Delusional disorder.Harvard Health Publishing.Mental Health America.Paranoia And delusional disorders.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR).González-Rodríguez A, Seeman MV.Addressing delusions in women and men with delusional disorder: Key points for clinical management.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(12):4583. doi:10.3390/ijerph17124583Rootes-Murdy K, Goldsmith DR, Turner JA.Clinical and structural differences in delusions across diagnoses: A systematic review.Front Integr Neurosci. 2022;15:726321. doi:10.3389/fnint.2021.726321Opjordsmoen S.Delusional disorder as a partial psychosis.Schizophr Bull. 2014;40(2):244-247. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbt203Texas A&M University.Delusional disorder.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.Delusional disorder.American Psychological Association.Delusion.APA Dictionary of Psychology.Harvard Medical School.Delusional disorder.Harvard Health Publishing.Mental Health America.Paranoia And delusional disorders.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR).González-Rodríguez A, Seeman MV.Addressing delusions in women and men with delusional disorder: Key points for clinical management.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(12):4583. doi:10.3390/ijerph17124583Rootes-Murdy K, Goldsmith DR, Turner JA.Clinical and structural differences in delusions across diagnoses: A systematic review.Front Integr Neurosci. 2022;15:726321. doi:10.3389/fnint.2021.726321Opjordsmoen S.Delusional disorder as a partial psychosis.Schizophr Bull. 2014;40(2):244-247. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbt203Texas A&M University.Delusional disorder.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Cleveland Clinic.Delusional disorder.American Psychological Association.Delusion.APA Dictionary of Psychology.Harvard Medical School.Delusional disorder.Harvard Health Publishing.Mental Health America.Paranoia And delusional disorders.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR).González-Rodríguez A, Seeman MV.Addressing delusions in women and men with delusional disorder: Key points for clinical management.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(12):4583. doi:10.3390/ijerph17124583Rootes-Murdy K, Goldsmith DR, Turner JA.Clinical and structural differences in delusions across diagnoses: A systematic review.Front Integr Neurosci. 2022;15:726321. doi:10.3389/fnint.2021.726321Opjordsmoen S.Delusional disorder as a partial psychosis.Schizophr Bull. 2014;40(2):244-247. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbt203Texas A&M University.Delusional disorder.

Cleveland Clinic.Delusional disorder.

American Psychological Association.Delusion.APA Dictionary of Psychology.

Harvard Medical School.Delusional disorder.Harvard Health Publishing.

Mental Health America.Paranoia And delusional disorders.

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR).

González-Rodríguez A, Seeman MV.Addressing delusions in women and men with delusional disorder: Key points for clinical management.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(12):4583. doi:10.3390/ijerph17124583

Rootes-Murdy K, Goldsmith DR, Turner JA.Clinical and structural differences in delusions across diagnoses: A systematic review.Front Integr Neurosci. 2022;15:726321. doi:10.3389/fnint.2021.726321

Opjordsmoen S.Delusional disorder as a partial psychosis.Schizophr Bull. 2014;40(2):244-247. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbt203

Texas A&M University.Delusional disorder.

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