Delusional disorder is a psychological condition in which a person is unable to differentiate between reality and delusions. This term has been in the news after the tragic Burari deaths in Delhi recently, where investigators suggest that the family could have been influenced by a family member who was suffering from Delusional disorder.

In this condition, people misinterpret their hallucination experience and affects on their social life as well as health. Here are some key insights into the problem:

• Depression is one of the impacts of delusional disorder and seen very often in people who are suffering.
• Delusions can also cause violent behaviour in people. As it is difficult to see past imagination, people get involved with stalking or harassing their subject of hallucinations, which can cause legal troubles.
• Delusions affects personal relationship, thus, leads to isolation.
• Delusional people are seen to become more aggressive towards others.
• Work life is affected due to inability to perform good, and ends up losing their job.
• Unable to build or maintain relationships with people.
• People with delusions also tend to do a self-harm (injuries).
• They appear to develop behavioural conditions like hatred and cruelty towards others. It also worsens the existing mental condition.

Luckily delusional disorders are treatable. But treatment can be difficult in long term delusion cases. The available treatment options are:

• Medication: “Tranquilizers, antidepressants, neuroleptics, and atypical antipsychotics” are used for treating delusional disorders
•  Individual therapy:  It helps the patient identify and reorder the disoriented thinking with the help of counselling.
• Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy: It works on change in behaviour patterns and allows helps patient learn how to deal with troubled emotions.
• Family Therapy: It helps families to deal with their family members having delusional disorder.