I think every person values their autonomy. Their independence, their freedom. This is why we are so opposed to any restriction of freedom. We then feel that something extremely precious is being taken away from us, even though we are willingly able to sacrifice some of it in the name of other values. A mother is more than happy to give up part of herself in order to bring up her child. On the other hand, when there is a restriction of freedom as a result of repression, we are talking about occupation, which always has negative overtones. We can speak of a certain restriction of freedom (in thought) in the case of induced delusions.
Table of contents:
Definition
We speak of delusions, or in psychopathology disorders of the content of thought, when a person makes assertions, judgements about reality that are contradictory. This also sometimes happens, for example, during a history lesson, when a student is convinced that the Second World War broke out in the 1500s. These are , of course, humorous words, because the essence of delusion is, above all, a total lack of criticality with regard to what is being said. In the above-mentioned example, the teacher is able to guide the pupil to the correct date of 1939, whereas when the patient says, for example, that his home is the control centre of the universe, he is firmly convinced of this and no suggestions are able to change this. More often than not, when talking to a person uttering delusional content, we are able to judge it in advance as untrue.
We speak of induced delusions (granted paranoia, granted lunacy) in a situation in which an initially healthy person, most often closely related to the ill person, begins to treat the ill person's delusional content equally uncritically. Such an induction, a "contagion", of delusions can occur when a person stays with the sick person for a longer period of time. The themes of the delusions or delusional system are usually similar and mutually shared by both persons.
Diagnostic criteria
- Two or more people share the same delusion or delusional system and support each other in this belief.
- These individuals have an unusually close relationship. More often than not, the person inducing the delusion and the originally healthy person share a family relationship.
- There is evidence from temporal links or the context of events that the delusion was induced in the passive member (originally healthy) as a result of contact with the active member (originally ill).
Contributing factors
Of course, in the vast majority of social situations, it is not the case that contact with a mentally ill person and uttering delusional content will result in the granting of the illness in the originally healthy person. However, it should be emphasised that this is a disease entity that happens very rarely and requires extremely intensive, isolated contact with the sick person! Researchers working on this issue agree that a number of contributing factors must be present for the induction of delusional disorders to occur. Researchers point in particular to significant isolation (linguistic, cultural, geographical, social) from the environment, or contacts with the environment are rare and superficial. This can occur, for example, when two people (sick and healthy) travel to a foreign country without knowing the language there. A language barrier will form, which the two people will compensate for by deepening the relationship they share. They will gradually begin to isolate themselves from society. A similar situation occurs when two people from, for example, the Indian culture come to Poland. If they are initially rejected then they will cherish their cultural difference all the more and close themselves inside their relationship. The environment will be considered hostile, unfavourable and the only reality will be the other person sharing a common unpleasant fate. By nature we run away from difficult, stressful events, and shared misery can become a bonding element - if, in such a situation, the only alternative, to contact with the other person, is a more intimate relationship with the sick person then such an 'escape' can be expected.
Can psychosis be 'infected', photo: panthermedia
Among the factors that predispose to the formation of a delusional induction, scientists also include the specific characteristics of the persons on whom the induction process has occurred. This situation occurs much more easily when the sufferer is the dominant person in the relationship, when they are constantly able to impose their view of reality. In such a situation, when he or she begins to utter delusional content, the subordinated person will also recognise such judgements as true, real. If such content hits fertile ground, i.e. a person who is by nature gullible, susceptible to all suggestions, compliant, it is also much easier for them to induce delusions.
Many researchers also point out that the susceptibility to assimilate other people's delusions is significantly influenced by the situation in which the sick person is characterised by a significantly higher intelligence than the healthy person, and when he or she is an authority in some field. It is easier for us to accept any words from a respected person whom we consider to be a mentor, an expert on a certain topic than from a person whom we do not hold in particular esteem, recognition.
According to many authors, delusions are much more frequent in women, which is certainly influenced by the cultural patterns of a traditional family, in which the woman is more passive in relation to the man.
Treatment
Therapeutic management is based on the belief that in the person in whom the delusions have been, so to speak, induced, the disorder would not have occurred if only he or she had not stayed with the sufferer for a long time. Therefore, treatment largely consists of separating the two people - in such a situation, the induced symptoms should resolve spontaneously (i.e. without drug treatment). However, if this does not work, treatment is provided with antipsychotic medication (as in traditional illnesses with manufacturing symptoms). It is very important to avoid a situation that induces delusions - isolation must be prevented, family relationships with healthy people must be strengthened and, of course, effective treatment of the person with primary psychosis is crucial.
