I don’t care what your belief system is or how spiritual you are, telling someone with psychosis that their symptoms are because of spirits/demons/ghosts/etc is unbelievably inappropriate, not to mention dangerous. stop it
A delusion is a false belief that contradicts reality or fact. This false belief does not take into account the affected person’s cultural or religious background, nor their intelligence. A person experiencing a delusion is fixed in their beliefs, and they will continue to believe them despite contrary evidence.
(Tip: instead of using “delusional” as an insult to people who’s opinions you don’t like, try looking at delusions in the context of mental illnesses like schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.)
There are four main categories of delusions:
Bizarre delusions — Beliefs that are impossible and unrealistic in nature, like alien abductions or supernatural powers.
Non-bizarre delusions — Beliefs that are possible and realistic. This includes being stalked or getting poisoned.
Mood-congruent delusions — Beliefs that occur when in a manic or depressive state.
Mood-incongruent delusions — Beliefs that occur “out of nowhere” without the influence of a certain mood.
And here are some of the different types of delusions one may experience:
Persecutory delusions — The most common type of delusion. It is the false belief that you are being followed, stalked, or pursued by someone, such as the police. Other examples include distrust in people or the fear that someone is out to harm you.
Erotomanic delusions — The unfounded belief that someone is in love with you, especially someone you’ve never met, like a celebrity. These delusions often lead to feelings of jealousy or possessiveness.
Grandiose delusions — An inflated sense of self, or a belief that one is superior, or has special talents that no one else possesses. This also includes beliefs that one has supernatural powers. Grandiose delusions may lead to reckless or dangerous acts.
Jealous delusions — The belief that one’s romantic or sexual partner is being unfaithful, despite evidence of the contrary.
Somatic delusions — Beliefs that one is experiencing medical problems, particularly physical ailments. This can also include the belief that one is pregnant.
Religious delusions — These delusions are religious in nature. One example is the belief that a religious figure such as God or Satan is speaking directly to you or directly controlling you. Or that you have been possessed by an evil spirit. (Note: simply being religious doesn’t make someone delusional.)
Nihilistic delusions — The belief that one doesn’t exist, that their life isn’t real, or that they have died. People may also believe that their life is artificially produced, like in The Matrix or The Truman Show.
Other types of delusions — Other delusions include the belief that thoughts are being inserted in your mind by an outside force, that your thoughts are being broadcasted for the world to hear, or that the TV or radio is sending you secret messages.
I think it’d be neat if during discussions about schizophrenia and psychosis more people made a point to mention how psychotic episodes themselves can be deeply traumatizing. because they sure can. experiencing a break from reality like that is traumatizing. delusions, even though they aren’t real, are traumatizing. believing you’re being prosecuted by God himself and not knowing how to cope with that just to later realize none of it was real is probably traumatizing. experiencing frightening hallucinations can be traumatizing. people talk about how psychotics suffer from their disorder but let’s talk about why we do. and I haven’t even mentioned the inherent trauma of living with a stigmatized disorder in a world where psychotics are despised and shunned and kicked out of homes. lets not forget that one.
“I’ve got a bad case of the 3:00 am guilts - you know, when you lie in bed awake and replay all those things you didn’t do right? Because, as we all know, nothing solves insomnia like a nice warm glass of regret, depression and self-loathing.”
There’ll be a moment when you realise you’re 27 when yesterday you were just 17; and you wouldn’t be able to tell how a decade passed away and your life got divided into before and afters. The fury of youth will subdue and nothing will really change but everything will feel different when you look at old photographs and blurry videos taken on cheap mobile phones. Scents will remind you of childhood and certain friends you don’t talk to anymore, hangouts will become reunions and mom’s burnt pie will become the best food you ever had. And I know on some days you won’t be able to show anything of those 10 years but I hope you remember to breathe, and let go of the knot in your chest. I hope you go out in the sun and live a little, because tomorrow is 37.
Edit- I added the visualizer for this piece on my YT, check it out here
