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Shared Psychotic Disorder - Shared Psychotic Disorder Symptom, Cause, Treatment
A Shared Psychotic Disorder is one is which a person who has a psychosis essentially superimposes their delusions onto a previously healthy person, who then shares the delusion. It 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, who has well-established delusions. For example: A person with a psychotic disorder believes aliens are spying on him or her. This occurs generally in a long-standing, close relationship that has been fairly socially isolated, with the initially healthy person being the more passive partner. This becomes fertile ground for the primary (dominant) partner to press for understanding and belief by others in the family. Aside from the delusions, the thoughts and behavior of the secondary case usually are fairly normal. In most cases, the person in whom the delusions are induced is dependent on or submissive to the person with the psychotic disorder. In most cases, the person in whom the delusions are induced is dependent on or submissive to the person with the psychotic disorder. There have been cases involving multiple persons, the most significant being a case involving an entire family of 12 people (folie á douze).
Symptoms of Shared Psychotic Disorder
Some are common 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.
- The delusion is similar in content to that of the person who already has the established delusion.
- Strange, possibly dangerous behavior
- A description of symptoms related to Shared Psychotic Disorder, a delusion developed in an individual in the context of a close relationship with another person(s), who has an already-established delusion.
- The delusion is similar in content to that of the person who already has the established delusion.
- The disturbance is not better accounted for by another Psychotic Disorder (e.g., Schizophrenia), or a Mood Disorder With Psychotic Features and is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition.
- Cold, detached manner with the inability to express emotion
Causes of Shared Psychotic Disorder
The common Causes of Shared Psychotic Disorder :
- The cause of shared psychotic disorder is not known; however, stress and social isolation are believed to play roles in its development.
- psychotic disorder encompasses a number of different illnesses, there may be different causes for different illnesses within this group.
- Compared with that, in the German psychopathological tradition those cases were also included in the conception of the "induziertes Irresein", in which the shocking experience of another's psychosis may cause a psychotic illness of somebody else.
- Most mainstream thought in the fields of psychiatry , neurobiology and related specialties considers each disease to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such that genetic vulnerabilities and environmental stressors combine to cause patterns of dysfunction and the suffering.
Treatment of Shared Psychotic Disorder
- Family therapy might focus on increasing exposure to outside activities and interests, as well as the development of social supports, to decrease isolation and help prevent relapse.
- Short-term treatment with anti-psychotic medication might be used if the delusions do not resolve after separation from the primary case.
- Once stabilized, psychotherapy should be undertaken with the secondary partner, with an eye toward integrating the dominant partner, once he/she has also received medical treatment and is stable.
- A type of counseling, psychotherapy can help the person with shared psychotic disorder recognize the delusion and correct the underlying thinking that has become distorted.
- Once the disorder becomes known, treatment generally includes separation of the psychotic individuals and administration of antipsychotic medications .
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