Delusional delusion is a relatively common form of delusional illness, referring to the patient’s distorted thoughts about their own health problems leading to excessive worry about the unreal. If not treated early, this mental disorder can seriously affect both physical and mental health and quality of life.
People with delusional disorder always think that they are suffering from a serious, incurable disease
What is delusional disorder?
Paranoia is a serious psychological disorder, the patient often has distorted thoughts and strong beliefs in this thought. When a person is paranoid, the person may change their worldview, distrust anyone else, and act in unpredictable ways.
Delusional delusions are a fairly common form of delusional disorder. In it, the person suffering from this delusion always tries to imagine himself having a serious health problem, with no cure. Many people also believe that their bodies are born with defects and are not as perfect as others.
In some cases, people with delusions of illness even think that their body is living with a certain type of parasite. Even though the medical tests carried out confirmed that they were completely healthy, the person suffering from paranoia still did not believe it. They think that doctors are being manipulated, deceived with the purpose of harming them.
To a lesser extent, paranoia refers to excessive inferences about a person’s physical symptoms. For example, a minor skin injury is enough to make them think of a series of serious complications.
Some people even imagine “fake” symptoms to strengthen their belief that their deductions are correct. From there is born anxiety, excessive stress and always haunted by disease.
People with delusional disorder are more likely to visit medical facilities. However, the symptoms they shared with the doctor were either their own imaginations or they were intentionally exaggerating.
Causes of paranoia
Although many studies have been conducted, the cause of delusions in general and delusions of suspicion in particular is still unknown. However, experts say a number of factors can increase the risk of developing the condition.
People with anxiety disorders are more likely to develop paranoia
The factors most commonly associated with paranoia include:
- Having a close relative suffers from paranoia in general and paranoia of suspicion of illness in particular.
- Brain injury, psycho-psychiatric disorders, etc.
- Have a loved one passed away or are living with serious health problems.
- Childhood was spent fighting with illness.
- People with anxiety disorders.
- People living in families with members with mental disorders or mental illnesses.
- Regularly watch haunting movies about serious health problems.
- Prolonged excessive stress.
Recognizing signs of delusional illness
People with delusional disorder always think that they themselves have a serious illness. And they have a very strong belief that their thoughts are always true. This thought can be accompanied by excessive psychological stress and anxiety.
Signs in a person with suspected paranoia may include:
- Patients always show anxiety, stress and think that they are suffering from incurable diseases that cannot be cured.
- Even a mild physical symptom is enough to cause them to become unduly stressed. They even get angry or have a strange expression because they think it is a warning sign of a dangerous disease.
- Get in the habit of seeing a doctor and regularly consult a doctor when you have only mild symptoms. Some people, even though there are no signs of illness, still go for excessive physical health checks. However, they always refuse to visit mental health.
- Ask your doctor to do extensive testing even though there’s nothing really wrong with them.
- React to the doctor’s opinion when receiving completely normal results. They think the doctor is being manipulated and lied to harm them. Because in their mind, they definitely have the disease.
- Try to examine the body for abnormalities such as bruises, wounds, deformities, tumors, etc.
- Try to check your blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart rate excessively every day.
- When they read information about diseases on the internet, they always think that they have similar symptoms and start to worry, go for a health check immediately.
- Visualize symptoms and signs even though you don’t have them.
- Stubborn, conservative, and never listens to people’s explanations even though there is solid evidence given.
People with delusions of suspicion may have too many health checks every day
Is delusional illness dangerous?
Paranoia is characterized by an excessive concern for physical well-being. Accompanying that is an excessive, unfounded and somewhat mythical fear of yourself having serious health problems. In particular, the key point of the problem is that people with this paranoia always have a very strong belief in their own thoughts.
Even when the medical results show that they are completely normal, the patient still does not believe this. Thinking about their own illness is constant and uncontrollable. This causes a lot of negative effects on both physical and mental health as well as quality of life.
Paranoia can cause the following problems:
- Always spend a lot of time thinking about the body having a serious disease that will reduce work efficiency. In addition, people with paranoia suspected of being sick often take time off from work to go to the hospital for health checks.
- Reduced productivity along with excessive health checks can cause financial stress. This has a huge impact on mental health. In particular, it can cause the patient to fall into a state of melancholy, boredom and pain.
- Increased risk of other psycho-psychiatric diseases such as depression, personality disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, etc.
- Increased risk of sleep disturbances, migraine headaches, spastic colitis, etc.
- Causing conflicts in relationships, especially in family and marriage relationships. Family members sometimes appear helpless and do not know how to help the sick person.
Treatment of delusional disorder
As analyzed above, untreated paranoia can have adverse effects on health as well as quality of life. However, the treatment of this disorder is not simple.
Patients have a strong belief that they have the disease and even the doctor’s words to them are not trustworthy. They always think that doctors are being manipulated, so they misrepresent their health status in order to intentionally harm them.
In order to treat paranoia, it is first necessary to establish a relationship between the patient and the doctor. Early, proper and continuous treatment can help reduce complications and bring a better life to the patient.
Methods that may be considered by your doctor include:
1. Using drugs
People with presumptive paranoia are often stressed because they have excessive concern and fear about their own serious illness. Therefore, in the early stages of treatment, it is very important to stabilize the mind of the patient.
Certain medications can be prescribed by your doctor to help stabilize your mind and calm your mood
The doctor may consider giving the patient some Western medicine that reduces anxiety, stabilizes the mind as well as improves the accompanying negative symptoms. Medications that may be used include:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Antipsychotic drugs
- Sedatives (benzodiazepines or non-benzodiazepines)
These drugs can provide positive improvements, but they still have potential side effects, so they need to be handled with caution. Please follow the medical indications and immediately notify the doctor for timely adjustment.
If the patient refuses to admit that he or she is being paranoid and refuses to take medication, he or she may need to be hospitalized to receive more appropriate medical care. Inpatient treatment is necessary to avoid paranoia suggesting that the disease is advanced and poses many risks.
2. Psychotherapy
Medication, although it does bring positive improvements, is not the only and long-term solution. Therefore, people with delusional disorder need to receive psychotherapy to change their false beliefs.
In fact, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered very suitable when applied to people with delusions and suspicions. This therapy will help the patient look back at the problem he is having and know where he is not right. From there, change false beliefs with realistic thinking and focus on positive things.
In addition, CBT equips patients with the skills necessary to manage the excessive anxiety associated with delusional disorder. It also changes your response to physical symptoms as well as bodily sensations. From there, it helps to limit excessive, misleading and utopian thinking about the current state of your health.
For those who refuse to take medication, a psychologist will also help them become more aware of the role of the drug. From there, maintain the habit of taking medication correctly, persistently and according to the treatment plan. Psychotherapy combined with medication will help patients improve their lives significantly and quickly.
3. Support measures
Along with the use of drugs and psychotherapy, patients need to apply other supportive measures to improve health. Supportive measures will help reduce anxiety, balance negative emotions related to paranoia. Furthermore, it benefits both physical and mental health.
Simple measures that can be taken include:
- Equipping relaxation methods to effectively manage stress such as qigong breathing techniques, relaxation therapy exercises, etc. excessive settling.
- Set aside 30 minutes of physical activity a day to calm your mood and improve your physical health.
- Participating in social activities can help reduce your thoughts and paranoia about having a serious illness. Moreover, charity work also helps you to live a more ideal, happy and optimistic life.
- Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can worsen existing symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid smoking, drinking strong tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages while suffering from delusional disorder.
- Make yourself happy by going shopping, listening to relaxing music, reading, taking a warm bath, aromatherapy, etc. It is recommended to strengthen the connection with friends and relatives to share the problems you are having. right, and seek help when needed.
- Build a healthy and balanced diet. You should choose a variety of fresh and clean foods to supplement the full nutrients for the body.
What to do when a loved one suffers from delusional disorder?
People with paranoid delusions are unaware that their thoughts are distorted, groundless, and far from reality. They always think that what they think is the truth and it is difficult for people around them to change their mind even though they have given all the most authentic evidence.
Because of this, family members play a particularly important role in the patient’s examination and treatment process. If you notice that your loved one is showing signs of delusional disorder, you should:
1. Take your loved one to the hospital for check up
When you find out that your loved one has symptoms of anxiety about the illness that are outrageous and unbelievable, you should convince them to go to the hospital to be checked. However, often they will refuse to see a psychiatrist, but instead always want to be examined for symptoms that they consider to be signs of a serious illness. Even so, you should still take them to the hospital and provide additional support with the doctor.
If a loved one shows signs of being paranoid, the family member should take them to see a psychiatrist as soon as possible.
At the hospital, doctors will conduct a thorough health check. The GP will refer the patient to a psychiatrist. Here, a specialist doctor will perform specialized methods to be able to diagnose whether the patient has delusional disorder or not. From there, timely and appropriate intervention measures can be taken.
2. Don’t be in a hurry to tell the sick person about their condition
Under the influence of paranoia, patients often experience excessive anxiety. If they now know about the actual medical record, they will become even more stressed. Symptoms of paranoia, loss of trust in people around can be worse.
Therefore, after receiving the diagnosis results from the doctor, the family should not rush to share it with the patient immediately. Talk to them with the most optimistic spirit to try to dispel any existing worries.
3. Change the way you talk to the sick
You should know that, when suffering from delusional disorder, the patient will have a very strong belief in what they think. Therefore, it will be extremely difficult for you to explain and change their distorted thinking.
Even the more you disobey them, the more negative thoughts they will have. At the same time, they refuse to cooperate in examination and treatment. Therefore, what you need to do is be patient and gentle with the patient, especially in the early stages of treatment.
Family members need to spend time and care for the person suffering from paranoia properly
After a period of treatment, when the methods have worked well, you should really talk more frankly with the patient about the problem they are having. However, you still need to be gentle, empathetic and share with them instead of criticizing them.
4. Take better care of the sick
People with delusional disorder always think that their body is always in an unhealthy state. As a result, the indifference and lack of concern from loved ones can make their spirits heavy, melancholy, and depressed.
At this time, family members should often care, talk and spend more time with the patient. A healthy and upbeat living environment can be beneficial in the treatment of paranoia and other mental illnesses.
Paranoia is a mental disorder that significantly affects both mental and physical health and quality of life. However, patients have too strong beliefs in their paranoid thoughts, so they often do not cooperate with treatment. Therefore, family members need to pay more attention and try to convince the patient to see a doctor as soon as possible when they notice suspicious signs.
