What Is Shared Psychotic Disorder?
What Is Shared Psychotic Disorder?
A psychotic disorder is a mental illness that causes abnormal and irrational thinking and perceptions. Psychotic illnesses alter a person's ability to think clearly, make good judgments, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, understand reality, and behave appropriately. People with psychotic disorders have difficulty staying in touch with reality and often are unable to meet the ordinary demands of daily life.
The most obvious symptoms of a psychotic disorder are hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations are sensory perceptions of things that aren't actually present, such as hearing voices, seeing things that aren't there, or feeling sensations on the skin even though nothing is touching the body. Delusions are false beliefs that the person refuses to give up, even in the face of contradictory facts. Schizophrenia is an example of a psychotic disorder.
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Shared psychotic disorder, also known as folie a deux ("the folly of two"), is a rare condition in which an otherwise healthy person (secondary case) shares the delusions of a person with a psychotic disorder (primary case), such as schizophrenia. An example: A person with a psychotic disorder believes aliens are spying on him or her. The person with shared psychotic disorder will also begin to believe in spying aliens. The delusions are induced in the secondary case and usually disappear when the people are separated. Aside from the delusions, the thoughts and behavior of the secondary case usually are fairly normal.
Shared psychotic disorder usually occurs only in long-term relationships in which one person is dominant and the other is passive. In most cases, the person in whom the delusions are induced is dependent on or submissive to the person with the psychotic disorder. The people involved often are reclusive or otherwise isolated from society and have close emotional links with each other. The disorder also can occur in groups of individuals who are closely involved with a person who has a psychotic disorder.
The person with shared psychotic disorder has delusions that are similar to those of someone close who has a psychotic disorder.
What Is a Psychotic Disorder?
A psychotic disorder is a mental illness that causes abnormal and irrational thinking and perceptions. Psychotic illnesses alter a person's ability to think clearly, make good judgments, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, understand reality, and behave appropriately. People with psychotic disorders have difficulty staying in touch with reality and often are unable to meet the ordinary demands of daily life.
The most obvious symptoms of a psychotic disorder are hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations are sensory perceptions of things that aren't actually present, such as hearing voices, seeing things that aren't there, or feeling sensations on the skin even though nothing is touching the body. Delusions are false beliefs that the person refuses to give up, even in the face of contradictory facts. Schizophrenia is an example of a psychotic disorder.
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Schizophrenia Patient Education Center
Visit WebMD's Schizophrenia Health Center Newly Diagnosed? Find Help Here Healthwise from WebMD: Schizophrenia Basics Healthwise from WebMD: Schizophrenia Treament Overview Healthwise from WebMD: Home Treatment for Schizophrenia Keys to Recovery from Schizophrenia
Read the Schizophrenia Patient Education Center article > >
What Is Shared Psychotic Disorder?
Shared psychotic disorder, also known as folie a deux ("the folly of two"), is a rare condition in which an otherwise healthy person (secondary case) shares the delusions of a person with a psychotic disorder (primary case), such as schizophrenia. An example: A person with a psychotic disorder believes aliens are spying on him or her. The person with shared psychotic disorder will also begin to believe in spying aliens. The delusions are induced in the secondary case and usually disappear when the people are separated. Aside from the delusions, the thoughts and behavior of the secondary case usually are fairly normal.
Shared psychotic disorder usually occurs only in long-term relationships in which one person is dominant and the other is passive. In most cases, the person in whom the delusions are induced is dependent on or submissive to the person with the psychotic disorder. The people involved often are reclusive or otherwise isolated from society and have close emotional links with each other. The disorder also can occur in groups of individuals who are closely involved with a person who has a psychotic disorder.
What Are the Symptoms of Shared Psychotic Disorder?
The person with shared psychotic disorder has delusions that are similar to those of someone close who has a psychotic disorder.
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