Delusions of grandeur or megalomania (also called delusions of grandeur, but this is incorrect) are determined by a set of internal symptoms, as a result of which the patient exceeds significance and overestimates his own qualities and abilities. An idea of a famous, wealthy person with opportunities that ordinary people do not have is formed.
The megalomaniac considers himself a king who knows everything. There are often cases of special purpose. When determining the disease, a conversation is held and behavior is observed. There is no specific treatment approach. Mood stabilizers, antipsychotic drugs and tranquilizers are used to slow the progression of the disease.
What is megalomania, megalomaniacal delirium, expansive delirium
“Delusion of grandeur”, a term common among professional psychiatrists. The appropriate name is “delusions of grandeur.” Megalomania, megalomaniacal delusion and expansive delusion refer to the same disease, but are used less frequently.
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The risk of developing the disease is higher in men. As a rule, the main signs are considered to be aggressiveness and persistence in defending ideas without evidence. The disorder develops against the background of paranoia, schizophrenia and manic-type syndrome.
Prevention of "delusions of grandeur"
The disappearance of ideas of delusions of grandeur directly depends on the results of treatment of the underlying disease: if therapy for the original pathology leads to remission, then ideas of delusions of grandeur disappear along with its other symptoms. It is important to note that the risk of relapse is very high, therefore, to prevent the recurrence of delusions of grandeur, regular medical monitoring of the patient’s condition is necessary.
There are no specific methods for preventing delusions of grandeur, since the causes of its occurrence lie in mental disorders of various origins. However, it is possible to minimize the risk of both primary and recurrent occurrence of delusions of grandeur if:
- promptly diagnose mental illnesses and psychotic conditions with organic lesions of the central nervous system;
- monitor your general health;
- learn to cope with stress correctly and avoid stressful situations;
- stop taking alcohol and drugs.
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Symptoms of delusions of grandeur
The main symptom of delusions of grandeur is the concentration of the individual on his superiority over the people around him. If a person has a disease, he thinks that he is more powerful than others, richer and more educated. He seems to be haunted by fame and fortune. The patient thinks about the power and trust of others. There is a constant categorical defense of one's own position.
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People with delusions of grandeur are demanding, and want to be treated according to their imagined status as a great person. Frequent mood changes are one of the symptoms of a delusional state. Against this background, an emotional imbalance is formed. Aggression is replaced by a kind attitude and euphoria. Such people suffer from frequent depression.
When the disease is in the development stage, or the intensity decreases, there is a negative attitude towards criticism and advice from others. High self-esteem is taken into account. The opinions of others do not exist, only your own importance is important. There is absent-mindedness and increased activity. A person suffers from anxiety attacks.
In this state, sleep disturbance becomes the norm. Male aggression increases. The disease in the stage of high activity is characterized by an increase in delusional fantasies.
It seems to patients that they are the rulers of the universe and the saviors of humanity. Euphoria often sets in here. Delusions of grandeur are characterized by a complex disorder. The cheerful mood gives way to sadness and aggression. There is an increase in motor activity and emotional excitability. Depending on the content of delusional ideas, symptoms vary:
Aristocrat
If the patient imagines himself to be a born aristocrat, belonging to a noble family, then a delusion of a special origin is determined. An unhealthy imagination creates the image of a child born into a family of famous people, for example, writers or rich people. The delirious person talks about his wealth, shares the presence of many valuables.
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Despite the condition, the narration sometimes occurs in a fairly truthful manner. But more often than not, it looks ridiculous and emotional. The degree of delirium starts from several hundred thousand dollars and can reach castles filled with jewelry.
Delirium of a scientist inventor
The disorder is characterized by the patient's belief that he is a great designer and innovator in the field of technology. These include the creators of medicines that will save humanity from all diseases. The patient places the emphasis not on the invention, but on her personality.
Delirium of love
Representatives of the weaker sex are more susceptible to the disorder. A woman believes that a high-ranking man, for example, a famous statesman or businessman, is in love with her. A high level of daydreaming leads to the creation of this kind of illusion.
The delirium of the great reformer
The patient considers himself a great revolutionary, capable of changing the economic situation or becoming a reformer of the social system. As a rule, such ideas are characterized by emotionality, but not concrete actions.
Antagonistic delirium is defined as the opposition between good and evil, light and dark, life and death. Delusions of altruism generate ideas in which the patient imagines himself as the savior of the world and humanity.
General description of the syndrome
A distinctive feature of delusions of grandeur are false, erroneous judgments that do not correspond to the surrounding situation , which completely take over the consciousness and cannot be corrected. By and large, the concepts of delusional syndrome and normal mental state are incompatible.
It is impossible to force a person to renounce his beliefs; moreover, attempts to dissuade the patient, to prove to him the illogicality of his statements and thoughts only cause irritation and aggression. But everyone makes mistakes, and many, including mentally healthy people, very often do the wrong things, make mistakes in their judgments, but at the same time consider themselves infallible and strictly adhere to their opinions.
Delusions of grandeur can be distinguished from false delusions by the following signs:
- Absurd, ridiculous content. The ideas are so inconsistent with reality that their obvious falsity is noticeable and beyond doubt. Thus, a person can convince others, tell them “in confidence” that he has some secret knowledge, controls the actions of political figures, etc.
- Persistence. By a certain age, the plot of delusional disorder is completely formed and remains practically unchanged for a long time.
- Direct relationship with the patient. The central figure of all thoughts and statements is only the patient himself, for example, it is he, and not someone else - the persecuted ruler of the world.
- Emotional intensity. Ideas take over a person completely, crowding out everything else.
Typically, the first manifestations of the disorder appear at the age of 25–35 years , but with concomitant mental illnesses, for example, with schizophrenia, symptoms appear earlier.
Why does delusion of grandeur develop?
Delusions of grandeur are characterized by a violation of the quality of thinking. The process of logical perception of information is distorted. A worldview is formed that seems real to the patient. In fact, there are ideas that are different from the present, becoming a product of delusional imagination. The basis of delirium is physiology. Personality characteristics and experience determine the content of delusional ideas. Thinking is disrupted, perception of the environment deteriorates. Memories become abrupt.
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Such nonsense develops in stages. The basis is a delusional mood. This is the first stage. Arrogance begins to dominate. A person considers himself better than those around him. Subsequently, the perception of one’s own personality changes. The idea of superiority is formed. The culmination is the patient's behavior. The patient behaves like a head of state or a deity.
Factors in the development of the disease include social, psychological, physiological and genetic prerequisites. The features of delusions of grandeur are specific. People with unstable self-esteem and a desire for leadership and superiority are more susceptible to developing the disease.
Treatment methods
Delusions of grandeur pose a high risk to the patient's health due to the high likelihood of developing depressive disorder and suicidal tendencies. It is important to pay attention to the fact that this pathology is practically impossible to completely cure. An individual approach is selected for each patient, where the treatment strategy is aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms of the pathology.
To select methods for correcting the mental state, it is very important to identify the cause of delusional thoughts. Complex therapy includes the use of drugs from the category of sedatives and antipsychotics, in combination with tranquilizers and methods of mental correction.
Since most patients are unable to recognize the presence of mental problems, in the case of this disease, compulsory treatment is required. If the need arises, the patient is placed in a psychoneurological hospital, where mental disorders are corrected.
Causes of delusions of grandeur
- Organic damage to the central nervous system. Characterized by the lack of clear systematization in the development of delirium;
- Split personality. Systematization and stability of symptoms is a distinctive feature. The disease occurs in a paranoid form.
- The idea of superiority is formed;
- Paralytic dementia. Characterized by late syphilis. Megalomania develops on average in 5% of patients;
- Manic-depressive psychosis or bipolar affective disorder. In the manic phase of psychosis, symptoms of delirium appear. Activity exceeds acceptable norms, and one’s own capabilities are overestimated. I lose control of myself.
Features of the development of mania
In some cases, manic tendencies can be a personality trait, just like apathy tendencies. Increased activity, constant mental agitation, inadequately elevated mood, outbursts of anger or aggression - all these are symptoms of manic syndrome. This is the name given to a whole group of conditions that have different causes and sometimes different symptoms.
Both various life situations and incidents, as well as uncorrected pathological character traits, lead to the development of mania. A person prone to manic behavior is very often obsessed with an idea, he strives to realize it, even if it is unrealistic. Often the patient is driven by theories that have political, religious or scientific justifications. Quite often, patients show a tendency to be active in social and community activities.
A significant proportion of manic patients have so-called overvalued thoughts and ideas. Sometimes they can be global, sometimes these are ideas at the everyday level. From the outside, the behavior of patients talking about their ideas sometimes looks quite comical. If a highly valuable thought is global in nature, the patient, on the contrary, seems thoughtful and enthusiastic to others. Especially if he has enough education and erudition to substantiate his beliefs.
This condition is not always a pathology; it can be individual characteristics of the psyche. Treatment is necessary if overvalued thoughts and ideas get out of control and consume the patient’s entire life, in other words, interfere with the life of himself or those around him.
How is delusions of grandeur defined?
The diagnosis of the disease is carried out by a psychiatrist. Megalomania is defined as a derivative of an underlying mental disorder. Clinical studies are underway. The first thing to be examined is the brain.
With an integrated approach, the following activities are carried out:
- Preliminary conversation. During the conversation, the doctor gets to know the patient. Symptoms characteristic of delusions of grandeur are identified. The conclusion is made based on the person’s life experience and the characteristics of the development of the disease. Patients with megalomania are open, willingly talk about life and freely share their thoughts. The basis is the main disease. Schizophrenic delusions are characterized by fantastic nature. Absurdity is noted in Bayle's syndrome (progressive paralysis);
- Behavioral Research. Human behavior is characterized by changes in mood. The patient may be sad and suddenly become cheerful. There is increased activity. In other cases, there is looseness and failure in choosing goals. Sometimes laughter occurs for no reason. They may behave ambiguously with staff, disrupting interpersonal interaction;
- Study of disorders of mental processes. Pathopsychological testing is carried out. The testing is based on conventional methods for studying the characteristics of thinking, attention and memory.
Etiology
Currently, in modern psychiatry there are several hypotheses for the development of pathology. There is no doubt that hereditary predisposition plays a certain role. Delusions of grandeur very often accompany schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
According to psychodynamic theory, this disease is a consequence of severe psychotrauma . It is believed that in this way a person subconsciously protects himself from the influence of stress factors. So, if in early adolescence a child suffered from neglect, comparison (not in his favor) with peers, belittling of achievements, lack of praise from loved ones, as he grows up, his self-doubt grows stronger, numerous complexes appear, which can become the cause of the syndrome.
also characteristic of organic brain damage due to:
- neoplasms;
- neurosyphilis;
- severe traumatic brain injury;
- suffered a stroke, etc.
But with concomitant neurological diseases, other symptoms usually appear: impaired coordination of movements, paresis and paralysis, speech disorders, etc.
What does the late stage of megalomania lead to?
Complications of delusions of grandeur include depression coupled with thoughts of suicide. Patients with manic-depressive psychosis are in the main risk group. If the period of a manic state was quite bright, then the depressive state will be severe.
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There comes disappointment in one’s own strengths and ideas that have not manifested themselves in reality. Depression provokes suicidal thoughts. The patient seeks care from others, convincing them of his own insignificance and uselessness.
Main causes of the disease
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Psychiatrists consider megalomania as a component of paranoia, manic syndrome, schizophrenia, and paralytic dementia. People whose close relatives suffered from these diseases are at risk. Transferred or advanced syphilis can also trigger a pathological process in the brain.
Sometimes the syndrome can develop in an individual with high self-esteem. The trigger in this case is a previous nervous breakdown or neurosis.
Important! Alcohol and drug abuse can trigger the development of delusions of grandeur.
Forecast and treatment of delusions of grandeur
To eliminate megalomania, a comprehensive approach is taken to get rid of the underlying cause. The correct approach in the treatment of progressive paralysis, manic-depressive disorder, and schizophrenia helps to gradually get rid of delusional ideas.
Medicines are prescribed only by a doctor on an individual basis. Treatment uses tranquilizers, antipsychotics and lithium-based drugs. If the disease is severe, hospitalization is required. Mild forms are treated at home or in a facility. In conclusion, it is necessary to prepare a person for leading a social life.
Depression and consequences of megalomania
Delusions of grandeur, oddly enough, are often replaced by a conviction of one’s own worthlessness. This happens when the patient loses confidence in his importance and power over the world. Returning to reality is very difficult and usually leads to the development of severe depression.
Therefore, it is important not only to rid a person of delusional judgments, but also to provide him with psychological support when the manic phase gives way to a depressive phase, to convince him of the value of his personality, regardless of life’s achievements and the recognition of others.
When do you need a doctor's help?
Manic syndrome is already a deviation from the norm, which is characterized by a number of symptoms that are more unpleasant for others than for the patient himself. This disease manifests itself as disturbances in mental activity and the emotional sphere.
Usually the behavior of a manic patient is incomprehensible to others and looks at least strange.
There are certain symptoms that indicate the need for medical attention:
- Extremely elevated mood, up to constant mental excitement and euphoria.
- Optimism that does not correspond to the situation, the patient does not notice real problems and is not inclined to experience a bad mood appropriate to the situation.
- Accelerated speech, accelerated thinking, lack of concentration on objects and phenomena that do not interest the patient. Therefore, with mania, learning is often difficult, when you have to pay attention to rather boring things.
- Increased mobility, active gestures and exaggerated facial expressions.
- Extravagance, pathological generosity. The patient can spend all his savings in a minute, without realizing responsibility for his actions.
- Insufficient control over behavior. The patient does not realize that his high mood is not appropriate everywhere.
- Hypersexuality, often with promiscuity (for example, a person who has never been prone to cheating before suddenly begins to flirt “indiscriminately”, enters into close relationships that he would never have dared to enter into before, even to the point of starting several novels in parallel or starting into a series of “short, non-binding relationships”, which later, after the episode of mania has passed, he will repent and feel shame and even disgust, sincerely not understanding “how this could happen”).
Treatment is complicated by the fact that the patient himself often does not recognize himself as sick. He considers his condition to be normal, subjectively pleasant, and does not understand why others do not like his behavior: after all, he feels better than ever before. It is difficult to send such a patient to see a doctor and persuade him to undergo therapy.
Symptoms and signs of the disease
In addition to the signs listed above, there are several characteristic symptoms that unite almost all manic states:
- Tendency to thoughtlessly waste money.
- Tendency to make bad deals and gamble.
- Frequent violation of the law.
- Tendency to provoke fights and conflicts.
- Excessive alcohol consumption or addiction to other bad habits.
- Promiscuous sexual behavior.
- Pathological sociability - the patient often meets strange, suspicious individuals and spends time in a variety of companies.
If these signs get out of control, qualified medical attention is needed. It is important to understand that such behavior is not promiscuity, but symptoms of a disease that needs to be treated. Appealing to common sense is useless.
In some cases, the patient has a specific mania - for example, a mania of a special purpose. Then the patient is sincerely confident in his special mission and tries to implement it with all his might, despite the skepticism of others.
