Verywell / Bailey Mariner
What Is Shared Psychotic Disorder?
Shared psychotic disorder was first identified in 1860 by Baillarger.
It then came to be known under a number of different terms.
Verywell / Bailey Mariner
However, it’s likely that many cases go unreported.
This is because neither person realizes that the delusions are not real.
In a larger group setting, this might also be termed mass hysteria.
However, there are some features of the disorder that will be similar across cases.
Secondary mental health issues may develop such as anxiety and depression due to prolonged stress and fear.
Delusions may be bizarre, non-bizarre, mood-congruent, or mood-neutral (related tobipolar disorder).
Mood-congruent delusions match your mood (depressed or manic).
They will also become defensive or angry if their delusions are challenged.
Those with grandiose delusions might appear euphoric.
The primary person in the relationship will not recognize that they are making the other person ill.
These individuals are often susceptible to mental illness themselves in terms of having relatives with diagnosed illnesses.
Common dyads include husband-wife (married or common-law), mother-daughter, sister-sister, or parent-child.
There are several possible risk factors including the following:
Diagnosis
How is shared psychotic disorder diagnosed?
Then, in the DSM-IV, it was diagnosed as “shared psychotic disorder.”
Finally, in theInternational Classification of Diseases(ICD-11), this illness is diagnosed as induced delusional disorder.
For example, a person with a paranoid delusion about a neighbor might commit an assault.
For this reason, these types of cases may go undiscovered for a long time.
Since the disorder is rare, there is no standard treatment protocol.
Typically, this seems to help reduce the delusions in the secondary person.
It is only when these steps have been taken that you are likely to see improvement in your situation.
Al Saif F, Al Khalili Y. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2020.
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.5th ed.
Washington D.C.: 2013.
2011;16 Suppl 1(Suppl1):S453S455.
Mouchet-Mages S, Gourevitch R, Loo H. Folie a deux.
Update of an old concept regarding two cases.Encephale.
