Erotomanic Delusions Research Articles

Suicide Attempt and Melancholic Depression in a Male with Erotomania: Case Report

ABSTRACT Erotomania is a delusional disorder, which is more common among women. A case of erotomania in a 34-year-old male associated with depression and suicidal behavior is presented. At the time he attempted suicide his erotomania fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of “pure” erotomania, described by de Clérambault. A depressive picture with melancholic features emerged four months later. Antidepressant medication was given and two months later he became euthymic. The erotomanic delusion disappeared in the third month of the euthymic state. In this case primary erotomania was associated with a depressive illness, presumably unipolar depression. The patient developed delusional guilt and suicidal ideation before the unequivocal change in his mood. To the authors' knowledge this is the first reported case where the erotomanic symptomatology led to suicidal attempt.

Special Report: Highlights of the 2004 Institute on Psychiatric Services

Special Report: Highlights of the 2004 Institute on Psychiatric Services

Suicidal Inmates Can Often Be Identified

Suicidal Inmates Can Often Be Identified

Stalking of Doctors by Patients

Much has been written about stalking, especially when well-known figures have become victims of obsessive stalkers. In fact, the most likely objects of stalking are not famous persons or celebrities but ordinary citizens who feel rejected and angry after the breakup of an intimate relationship. Occasionally physicians and other health care professionals also become victims of stalking, although little has been reported about patients stalking doctors. This paper reviews the topic of stalking of clinicians and presents a case study of a plastic surgeon who became the object of a love obsessional patient, with erotomanic delusions. Guidelines for the risk management of stalking are discussed.

Case series with late-onset psychosis hospitalized in a geriatric psychiatry unit in Turkey: experience in 9 years.

In this article we report the first series of Turkish inpatients with late-onset psychosis, and describe our 9-year experience at the only inpatient geriatric psychiatry department in Turkey. Among 420 patients hospitalized between 1993 and 2002, 27 were psychotic. In this group, eight patients were diagnosed as having late-onset schizophrenia (LOS) and six very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis (VLOSLP). Five patients had early-onset schizophrenia and eight had delusional disorder. Females were more frequently seen in the group with LOS and the group with VLOSLP. Except for one patient with LOS, all patients with VLOSLP and LOS had paranoid psychosis. Nihilistic delusions, delusions of poverty or guilt, thought withdrawal, thought insertion, and thought broadcasting were not seen in any of the patients. Additionally, none of the LOS or VLOSLP patients showed erotomanic delusions. Grandiose and mystic delusions were not seen in those with VLOSLP. Treatment results and antipsychotic dosages at discharge were similar to those in previous reports from other cultures.

Legal and psychological aspects of stalking: a review

Stalkers can be loosely divided into those without a mental disorder (usually disgruntled ex-partners) and those who are mentally disordered. Although the former group is by far the larger, very little is known about the characteristics of those stalkers. The mentally disordered group comprises mainly those with erotomanic delusions, presenting either as a primary illness or secondary to another mental illness. The impact of stalking on victims is enormous - many develop post-traumatic stress disorder, contemplate suicide and suffer immense disruption to their lives. A sizeable portion of stalking victims are subjected to physical and/or sexual assault. Anti-stalking laws are usually ineffective against erotomanic stalkers, but may be more effective in deterring non-disordered stalkers. The efficacy of treatment for mentally disordered stalkers is mixed - in some cases the illness resolves completely while in others it persists unabated, often for decades.

Stalking Behavior in Delusional Jealousy

Stalking behavior has been associated with several mental disorders, both psychotic and non-psychotic. The most frequently associated condition appears to be an individual with primitive personality psychopathology regardless of co-occurring psychotic symptomatology. Among the psychotic symptoms, erotomanic, and jealousy delusions may be the most clinically and torensically relevant. However, delusional jealousy has not been well appreciated in the psychiatric literature as an important contributor to stalking behavior. In this article, we explore the psychiatric, psychosocial, and forensic aspects of stalking in the context of delusional jealousy. We use a case example to highlight important issues in this area.

Erotomanic Delusions Focused on a Child

Erotomanic Delusions Focused on a Child

Erotomania in a brain‐damaged male

A 31-year-old male presented to a neuropsychiatric service for the first time with an erotomatic delusion among other symptoms. He had suffered significant brain damage several times in the past and experienced a recent loss. After extensive evaluation, a trial of haloperidol resulted in some improvement. However, the erotomanic delusion remained unchanged.

Prediction of Dangerous Behaviour in Male Erotomania

New cases of erotomania in men, plus cases from the literature, were analysed to explore any association between erotomania and dangerousness, and to identify possible predictors. Files at two in-patient facilities were examined to determine the presence of DSM-III-R delusional disorder, erotomanic type. The sample (13 cases) was divided into dangerous and benign groups on the basis of serious antisocial behaviour directly related to erotomanic delusions. These cases were combined with all reports of erotomania in men (16 cases), found in the English language psychiatric literature, to allow for statistical analysis. Two factors, multiple delusional objects (P < 0.0005) and serious antisocial behaviour unrelated to the delusions (P < 0.05), were found to be significantly associated with dangerousness. Using a combination of these two variables it was possible to predict dangerousness with an accuracy of 88.9% (weighted prediction accuracy or 'hit rate'). We identified no false negatives but three false positives. The presence of multiple objects, and a history of serious antisocial behaviour unrelated to the erotomanic delusions, are useful predictors of dangerous behaviour in men with erotomania.

Co-Existence of Misidentification, Pseudocyesis and Erotomanic Delusions

Co-Existence of Misidentification, Pseudocyesis and Erotomanic Delusions

De Clérambault Syndrome (Erotomania) in the Criminal Justice System: Another Look at This Recurring Problem

While de Clérambault syndrome (erotomania) has long been a subject of scientific study, it has only recently become a frequent topic of media attention. A series of five individuals who were arrested for crimes related to their erotomanic delusion are presented. The psychiatric findings from this sample have potential social policy implication.

Erotomania and Fregoli‐like state in Down's syndrome: dynamic and developmental aspects

The present authors report the case of a 42-year-old female with Down's syndrome who developed a misidentification syndrome, erotomanic delusions towards her Bible instructor, and increasing grandiosity following the death of her father. The authors believe that her symptoms may be formulated in developmental and dynamic terms.

Depression-Dependent Erotomanic Delusions in a Mentally Handicapped Woman

Erotomanic delusions occurred in a depressed mentally handicapped woman. Although erotomania is generally classified with paranoid disorders, in people with mental handicap, depression may be the more commonly associated illness.

Diagnosis and clinical course of erotomanic and other delusional patients

Twenty-eight patients with erotomanic delusions were compared with 80 patients with other delusions to clarify questions about diagnosis and course of illness in erotomania. The erotomanic patients were a heterogeneous group with respect to both diagnosis and course. They had significantly more manic symptoms than the comparison group and more affective diagnoses than would be expected from the literature; 25% (N = 7) had schizoaffective disorder and 7% (N = 2) had bipolar disorder. A subgroup of monodelusional erotomanic patients was identified who met the DSM-III-R criteria for delusional disorder, thus supporting the decision to include erotomanic delusions in this diagnostic category in the revision of DSM-III.