What is delusional disorder in love?
Dr Ankita Priydarshini, a psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in India, said that delusional love disorder is when a person develops strong feelings for another person, but those feelings are based on unrealistic beliefs or false perceptions. Delusional love disorder occurs when a person believes that the other person loves them, despite this being untrue and unfounded.
According to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a person is said to have delusional disorder when these symptoms are present for a month or more in a mentally healthy and alert person.
Symptoms of delusional love disorder
Being rejected doesn't change their feelings.
Even when rejected by their partner, people with delusional love disorder still have a strong belief that the person they love really wants to be with them. A study in the Industrial Psychiatry Journal found that people with any type of delusional love disorder believe that their delusions are completely true.
Displaying inappropriate behavior
People with delusional love disorder may engage in stalking behavior toward their loved one. They may constantly call, follow the other person on social media, or even go to their home. A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that up to 30% of participants were suffering from delusional love disorder.
Mood swings
Because they believe their partner is interested in them, people with delusional love disorder are prone to mood swings. They may be delighted when their crush glances at them, then distressed when they can’t talk to them. A study published in Psychopathology found that delusional love disorder and mood swings often coexist.
Causes of delusional disorder
Psychological factors
Past experiences of rejection or abandonment may contribute to the development of delusional love disorder. People who have not had many healthy relationships in the past are more likely to have unrealistic beliefs about love.
Biological factors
A study published in Behavioural Sciences & The Law, which examined the link between biological factors and delusional disorders, said that genes and biological factors may also be the cause of delusional love disorder.
