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Symptoms of Delusional disorder

Symptoms of Delusional disorder

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Delusional disorder includes the 2 symptoms listed below:

Research symptoms & diagnosis of Delusional disorder:

Delusional disorder Symptoms: Book Excerpts

Research More About Delusional disorder

Do I have Delusional disorder?

Delusional disorder: Medical Mistakes

Delusional disorder: Undiagnosed Conditions

Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical tests related to Delusional disorder:

Wrongly Diagnosed with Delusional disorder?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Delusional disorder includes:

See the full list of 27 alternative diagnoses for Delusional disorder

Delusional disorder: Research Doctors & Specialists

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More about symptoms of Delusional disorder:

More information about symptoms of Delusional disorder and related conditions:

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

Medical Books Online about Delusional disorder

Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Delusional disorder are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Delusional disorder.

Medical Books Excerpts

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

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Patient Surveys for Delusional disorder

Symptoms of Delusional disorder: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Delusional disorder.


Delusional disorders: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

The psychiatric history of a delusional patient may be unremarkable, aside from behavior related to his delusions. He’s likely to report problems with social and marital relationships, including depression or sexual dysfunction. He may describe a life marked by social isolation or hostility. He may deny feeling lonely, relentlessly criticizing or placing unreasonable demands on others.

Gathering accurate information from a delusional patient may prove difficult. He may deny his feelings, disregard the circumstances that lead to his hospitalization, and refuse treatment. However, his responses and behavior during the assessment interview provide clues that can help to identify his disorder. Family members may confirm your observations — for example, by reporting that the patient is chronically jealous or suspicious.

Note how well the patient communicates. He may be evasive or reluctant to answer questions. Conversely, he may be overly talkative, explaining events in great detail and emphasizing what he has achieved, prominent people he knows, or places where he has traveled. Statements that first seem logical may later prove irrelevant. Some of his answers may be contradictory, jumbled, or irrational.

Be alert for expressions of denial, projection, and rationalization. Once delusions become firmly entrenched, the patient will no longer seek to justify his beliefs. However, if he’s still struggling to maintain his delusional defenses, he may make statements that reveal his condition, such as “People at work won’t talk to me because I’m smarter than them.” Accusatory statements are also characteristic of the delusional patient. Record pervasive delusional themes (for example, grandiose or persecutory).

Also watch for nonverbal cues, such as excessive vigilance or obvious apprehension on entering the room. During questions, the patient may listen intently, reacting defensively to imagined slights or insults. He may sit at the edge of his seat or fold his arms as if to shield himself. If he carries papers or money, he may clutch them firmly.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Delusional disorders: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Aside from behavior related to the patient’s delusions, the psychiatric history of a delusional patient may be unremarkable. This helps distinguish it from disorders that result in behavior more dissociated from reality such as paranoid schizophrenia. (See Delusional disorder or paranoid schizophrenia? )

The delusional patient is likely to report problems with social and marital relationships, including depression or sexual dysfunction. He may describe a life marked by social isolation or hostility. He may deny feeling lonely, relentlessly criticizing, or placing unreasonable demands on others.

Gathering accurate information from a delusional patient may prove difficult. He may deny his feelings, disregard the circumstances that led to his hospitalization, and refuse treatment.

However, his responses and behavior during the assessment interview provide clues that can help to identify his disorder. Family members may confirm observations — for example, by reporting that the patient is chronically jealous or suspicious.

Assessment clue: Communication

The patient’s ability to communicate can be another indicator. He may be evasive or reluctant to answer questions. Or he may be overly talkative, explaining events in great detail and emphasizing what he has achieved, prominent people he knows, or places he has traveled.

The patient may make statements that at first seem logical but later prove irrelevant. Some of his answers may be contradictory, jumbled, or irrational.

A delusional patient may make expressions of denial, projection, and rationalization. Once delusions become firmly entrenched, the patient will no longer seek to justify his beliefs. However, if he’s still struggling to maintain his delusional defenses, he may make statements that reveal his condition such as “People at work won’t talk to me because I’m smarter than they are.”

Accusatory statements are also characteristic of the delusional patient. Pervasive delusional themes (for example, grandiose or persecutory) may become apparent.

The patient may also display nonverbal cues, such as excessive vigilance or obvious apprehension on entering the room. During questions, he may listen intently, reacting defensively to imagined slights or insults. He may sit at the edge of his seat or fold his arms as if to shield himself. If he carries papers or money, he may clutch them firmly.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Delusional disorder:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Delusional disorder. This signs and symptoms information for Delusional disorder has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Delusional disorder signs or Delusional disorder symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Delusional disorder may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Delusional disorder symptoms.


 » Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Delusional disorder

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