Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHistorySignsIdentifyingCausesOther TypesTreatmentCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

History

Signs

Identifying

Causes

Other Types

Treatment

Coping

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The delusion can be quite distressing, leading to feelings ofparanoiaandanxiety. There is no known cure for the Fregoli delusion, but treatment may help lessen symptoms and improve quality of life.

History of the Fregoli Delusion

Courbon and Fail named the delusion after Italian actor Leopoldo Fregoli because of his ability to impersonate people on stage.

Signs of the Fregoli Delusion

A person experiencing the Fregoli delusion will often believe that a certain person is following them and impersonating other people.This person is usually someone they don’t know, and the delusion can be quitedistressing. The person may also have feelings of paranoia and anxiety.

Below are specific symptoms of the Fregoli delusion:

Identifying the Fregoli Delusion

The Fregoli delusion is a rare psychiatric condition, so it can be difficult to diagnose. A mental health professional will likely perform apsychological evaluationto rule out other conditions with similar symptoms. They may also ask about anyrecent traumaor look into potential brain disorders.

Causes of the Fregoli Delusion

Below are the potential causes of the Fregoli delusion:

Other Types of Delusional Misidentification Syndromes

Treatment for the Fregoli Delusion

There is no known cure for the Fregoli delusion. However, treatment may help lessen symptoms and improve quality of life. Treatment options include medication, therapy, and support groups:

If you think you or someone you know may be experiencing the Fregoli delusion, it’s important toseek professional help. The condition can be quite distressing, and treatment can help lessen symptoms and improve quality of life.

Coping With the Fregoli Delusion

The Fregoli delusion can be a very distressing condition. In addition to seeking professional help, there are things you can do to cope with the condition.

Here are some tips:

Summary

The Fregoli delusion is a rare and distressing condition. If you think you or someone you know may be experiencing the condition, it’s important to seek professional help. Treatment can help lessen symptoms and improve quality of life.

8 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.Langdon R, Connaughton E, Coltheart M.The Fregoli delusion: a disorder of person identification and tracking.Top Cogn Sci. 2014;6(4):615-631. doi:10.1111/tops.12108Courbon P, Fail G.Syndrome d"‘illusion de Frégoli" et schizophrénie [Syndrome of the “illusion of Fregoli” and schizophrenia]. Bulletin de la Société Clinique de Médecine Mentale. 1927:20;121–125.Kumar PNS, Gopalakrishnan A, Williams M.A case of Fregoli syndrome in schizophrenia.Asian J Psychiatr. 2018;36:119-120. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2018.07.003Cipriani G, Vedovello M, Ulivi M, Lucetti C, Di Fiorino A, Nuti A.Delusional misidentification syndromes and dementia: a border zone between neurology and psychiatry.Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2013;28(7):671-678. doi:10.1177/1533317513506103Feinberg TE, Eaton LA, Roane DM, Giacino JT.Multiple fregoli delusions after traumatic brain injury.Cortex. 1999;35(3):373-387. doi:10.1016/s0010-9452(08)70806-2Pandis C, Agrawal N, Poole N.Capgras’ Delusion: A Systematic Review of 255 Published Cases.Psychopathology. 2019;52(3):161-173. doi:10.1159/000500474Narayanaswamy JC, Gopinath S, Rajkumar RP, Raman RP, Math SB.Co-occurrence of Intermetamorphosis and Frégoli Syndrome in Schizophrenia: A Case Report. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2012;14(2):PCC.11l01279. doi: 10.4088/PCC.11l01279. Epub 2012 Apr 12. PMID: 22943023; PMCID: PMC3425455.Christodoulou GN, Margariti M, Kontaxakis VP, Christodoulou NG.The delusional misidentification syndromes: strange, fascinating, and instructive.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2009;11(3):185-189. doi:10.1007/s11920-009-0029-6

8 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.Langdon R, Connaughton E, Coltheart M.The Fregoli delusion: a disorder of person identification and tracking.Top Cogn Sci. 2014;6(4):615-631. doi:10.1111/tops.12108Courbon P, Fail G.Syndrome d"‘illusion de Frégoli" et schizophrénie [Syndrome of the “illusion of Fregoli” and schizophrenia]. Bulletin de la Société Clinique de Médecine Mentale. 1927:20;121–125.Kumar PNS, Gopalakrishnan A, Williams M.A case of Fregoli syndrome in schizophrenia.Asian J Psychiatr. 2018;36:119-120. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2018.07.003Cipriani G, Vedovello M, Ulivi M, Lucetti C, Di Fiorino A, Nuti A.Delusional misidentification syndromes and dementia: a border zone between neurology and psychiatry.Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2013;28(7):671-678. doi:10.1177/1533317513506103Feinberg TE, Eaton LA, Roane DM, Giacino JT.Multiple fregoli delusions after traumatic brain injury.Cortex. 1999;35(3):373-387. doi:10.1016/s0010-9452(08)70806-2Pandis C, Agrawal N, Poole N.Capgras’ Delusion: A Systematic Review of 255 Published Cases.Psychopathology. 2019;52(3):161-173. doi:10.1159/000500474Narayanaswamy JC, Gopinath S, Rajkumar RP, Raman RP, Math SB.Co-occurrence of Intermetamorphosis and Frégoli Syndrome in Schizophrenia: A Case Report. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2012;14(2):PCC.11l01279. doi: 10.4088/PCC.11l01279. Epub 2012 Apr 12. PMID: 22943023; PMCID: PMC3425455.Christodoulou GN, Margariti M, Kontaxakis VP, Christodoulou NG.The delusional misidentification syndromes: strange, fascinating, and instructive.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2009;11(3):185-189. doi:10.1007/s11920-009-0029-6

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.

Langdon R, Connaughton E, Coltheart M.The Fregoli delusion: a disorder of person identification and tracking.Top Cogn Sci. 2014;6(4):615-631. doi:10.1111/tops.12108Courbon P, Fail G.Syndrome d"‘illusion de Frégoli" et schizophrénie [Syndrome of the “illusion of Fregoli” and schizophrenia]. Bulletin de la Société Clinique de Médecine Mentale. 1927:20;121–125.Kumar PNS, Gopalakrishnan A, Williams M.A case of Fregoli syndrome in schizophrenia.Asian J Psychiatr. 2018;36:119-120. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2018.07.003Cipriani G, Vedovello M, Ulivi M, Lucetti C, Di Fiorino A, Nuti A.Delusional misidentification syndromes and dementia: a border zone between neurology and psychiatry.Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2013;28(7):671-678. doi:10.1177/1533317513506103Feinberg TE, Eaton LA, Roane DM, Giacino JT.Multiple fregoli delusions after traumatic brain injury.Cortex. 1999;35(3):373-387. doi:10.1016/s0010-9452(08)70806-2Pandis C, Agrawal N, Poole N.Capgras’ Delusion: A Systematic Review of 255 Published Cases.Psychopathology. 2019;52(3):161-173. doi:10.1159/000500474Narayanaswamy JC, Gopinath S, Rajkumar RP, Raman RP, Math SB.Co-occurrence of Intermetamorphosis and Frégoli Syndrome in Schizophrenia: A Case Report. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2012;14(2):PCC.11l01279. doi: 10.4088/PCC.11l01279. Epub 2012 Apr 12. PMID: 22943023; PMCID: PMC3425455.Christodoulou GN, Margariti M, Kontaxakis VP, Christodoulou NG.The delusional misidentification syndromes: strange, fascinating, and instructive.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2009;11(3):185-189. doi:10.1007/s11920-009-0029-6

Langdon R, Connaughton E, Coltheart M.The Fregoli delusion: a disorder of person identification and tracking.Top Cogn Sci. 2014;6(4):615-631. doi:10.1111/tops.12108

Courbon P, Fail G.Syndrome d"‘illusion de Frégoli" et schizophrénie [Syndrome of the “illusion of Fregoli” and schizophrenia]. Bulletin de la Société Clinique de Médecine Mentale. 1927:20;121–125.

Kumar PNS, Gopalakrishnan A, Williams M.A case of Fregoli syndrome in schizophrenia.Asian J Psychiatr. 2018;36:119-120. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2018.07.003

Cipriani G, Vedovello M, Ulivi M, Lucetti C, Di Fiorino A, Nuti A.Delusional misidentification syndromes and dementia: a border zone between neurology and psychiatry.Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2013;28(7):671-678. doi:10.1177/1533317513506103

Feinberg TE, Eaton LA, Roane DM, Giacino JT.Multiple fregoli delusions after traumatic brain injury.Cortex. 1999;35(3):373-387. doi:10.1016/s0010-9452(08)70806-2

Pandis C, Agrawal N, Poole N.Capgras’ Delusion: A Systematic Review of 255 Published Cases.Psychopathology. 2019;52(3):161-173. doi:10.1159/000500474

Narayanaswamy JC, Gopinath S, Rajkumar RP, Raman RP, Math SB.Co-occurrence of Intermetamorphosis and Frégoli Syndrome in Schizophrenia: A Case Report. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2012;14(2):PCC.11l01279. doi: 10.4088/PCC.11l01279. Epub 2012 Apr 12. PMID: 22943023; PMCID: PMC3425455.

Christodoulou GN, Margariti M, Kontaxakis VP, Christodoulou NG.The delusional misidentification syndromes: strange, fascinating, and instructive.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2009;11(3):185-189. doi:10.1007/s11920-009-0029-6

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