Persecutory delusion
Persecutory delusions are a delusional condition in which the affected person believes they are being persecuted . Specifically, they have been defined as containing two central elements: [ 1 ]
- The individual thinks that harm is occurring, or is going to occur.
- The individual thinks that the perceived persecutor has the intention to cause harm.
According to the DSM-IV-TR , persecutory delusions are the most common form of delusions in schizophrenia , where the person believes "he or she is being tormented, followed, tricked, spied on, or ridiculed." [ 2 ] In the DSM-IV-TR, persecutory delusions are the main feature of the persecutory type of delusional disorder .
Legal aspects
When the focus is to remedy some injustice by legal action, they are sometimes called " querulous paranoia ". [ 3 ]
In cases where reporters of stalking behavior have been judged to be making false reports, a majority of them were judged to be delusional. [ 4 ] [ 5 ]
If the delusion results in imprisonment or involuntary commitment , the person may feel justified in this belief.
Treatment
Persecutory delusions are usually treated with medications for schizophrenia, especially when positive symptoms are present. Both first-generation antipsychotics and second-generation antipsychotics may be useful. [ 6 ] Cognitive behavioral therapy has also been used.
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