Delusional Beliefs in the Clinical Context

Abstract

Delusional beliefs are key symptoms of mental illness, and physicians over hundreds of years have attempted to understand and offer treatments for patients with such beliefs. In this chapter, the authors will explore the experience of delusional beliefs within the clinical context: i.e. with people who present to mental health services for help. The authors begin with definition of the descriptive psychopathology, prevalence and context in which delusional beliefs occur and their clinical relevance. Delusional beliefs have a core role in distress, depression and risk within

Finding order within the disorder: a case study exploring the meaningfulness of delusions

“…1 They are often associated with great distress, depression and harm, representing a significant therapeutic challenge for clinicians. 2,3 Despite extensive literature on the potential psychological, neurocognitive and phenomenological underpinnings of delusion formation, [4][5][6] there is no consensus as to what causes delusions or why they are maintained despite their harmful consequences. Furthermore, cross-disciplinary attempts to define their puzzling nature remain inconclusiveperpetuating the philosophical debate between doxasticists (who regard delusions as beliefs) and non-doxasticists (who regard delusions as other than beliefs).…”