Mental Health

Delusional disorder

Delusional disorder is a primary psychotic disorder in which one or more thematically related delusions remain the dominant feature, typically for at least 3 months, while prominent schizophrenia symptoms, mood episodes, substances and medical causes have been excluded and functioning outside the delusional system is relatively preserved.

Definition

Delusional disorder is a primary psychotic disorder in which one or more related delusions are the dominant feature, typically persisting for at least 3 months, without a depressive, manic or mixed episode, prominent schizophrenia symptoms, or a medical, medication-related or substance-related explanation. Affect, speech and behaviour are usually relatively preserved outside the delusional system.

First principles

A persistent, circumscribed psychotic disorder

A delusion is a firmly held belief that is not shared within the person's cultural context and is not corrected by available evidence. In ICD-11, delusional disorder is dominated by one or more related delusions, typically persisting for at least 3 months, without a depressive, manic or mixed episode. The belief may be persecutory, jealous, erotomanic, grandiose or somatic, and may be accompanied by perceptual experiences closely related to it.

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