Perhaps you have heard of erotomania or Clerambault syndrome, that “pathological infatuation.” Or perhaps someone around you could be suffering from this problem. In this Psychology-Online article, we will talk about What is Clerambault syndrome, the symptoms and causes as well as the treatment that could help your recovery. We will also address other similar syndromes such as Othello Syndrome that could be related.
What is Clerambault syndrome?
Clerambault syndrome consists of The person who suffers from it believes that a person has initiated a loving contact with them so he believes he has some type of relationship with said person. On the other hand, this person usually belongs to a work and financial environment that is very distant from the person suffering from the disorder. In some cases, the person who is the source of the delusion is imaginary or has died. Additionally, this can lead to a broader paranoid psychosis such as schizophrenia or mania.
Symptoms of erotomania
The main symptoms of erotomanic delirium are that the person she thinks there is someone in love with her and has stalking behaviors towards this person.
The person who presents the erotomanic delusion, usually a woman, ends up reproaching, claiming the truth of the man’s supposed attempts at loving contact and may end up having aggressive reactions with him, revenge and extreme behaviors in order to demonstrate that, indeed, said man tries to have romantic contact. She believes that through subtle ways such as body postures, subtle messages through the media, if he is a public figure, clothing, the way household objects are placed, the supposed admirer sends romantic messages.
Causes of erotomanic delirium
Clerambault syndrome has several risk factors:
- It is common for it to arise due to another psychological disorder like him or her.
- The alcohol and antidepressant intake It can also cause this pathology.
- On the other hand, it is believed that there may be a genetic factor combined with the repression of some sexual impulses.
- In patients with erotomania, a asymmetry in some parts of the brain and greater volumes in other parts such as the lateral ventricles, compared to people without this disorder.
However, it is not known for sure what the triggering factor for this disorder may be. Both in this, and in the disorders that we will see later, there have been situations in which delirium appears as a result of a deterioration of the cerebral cortex or alcoholism.
Additionally, the disorder is more common in single middle aged women who have high expectations in their life. However, men with this disorder are more likely to commit violent and harassing acts compared to women who have this disorder.
Treatment of Clerambault syndrome
Treatment is usually a combination of antipsychotic medication, antidepressants and psychotherapy through which the person is confronted with reality, although in a gradual and not drastic way.
In the most severe cases of erotomanic delirium, hospital admission may be necessary and in general there is a poor prognosis. In addition, environmental modification is also very useful, establishing routines with the person and remove it from the environment in which the person who is the source of the delirium is located.
In erotomania, as in the syndromes that we will talk about below, the use of antipsychotic drugs is common in order to reduce the level of arousal and hallucinations of the person. Furthermore, with psychotherapy the Distinction between realistic and non-realistic thoughts, different types of relaxation would be worked on and the most irrational thoughts that are alien to reality would be modified. Furthermore, this can be combined with small exposures to reality, which should be done cautiously and gradually.
Other related disorders
There are various syndromes that are also closely related to Clerambault Syndrome due to their delusional nature. One of them is, in this, the person develops the delusion that his partner is unfaithful.
The delusional misidentification syndromes (SIED) They are syndromes that we could also relate thematically to the previous ones since their functioning is similar. These syndromes would include the and the . In the latter, the person believes that a person around them, generally a cohabiting relative, is replaced by a double, while Frégoli Syndrome is the delusional belief that different people are actually the same person in disguise.
In both erotomania and (or Othello Syndrome), the person’s self-esteem would also be worked on since it has a high influence on this type of disorders.
In all of them, the person develops a obsession with proving that what he defends is real. To do this, they commit all kinds of behavior that, in the most extreme cases, end in homicide. That is why, in this type of disorders, it is necessary to multidisciplinary approach by professionals from the moment behaviors of this type begin to be identified. An early approach improves the prognosis.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Clerambault syndrome: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatmentwe recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
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- Moreno, AT (2007). Love, paranoia and pathological conviction. Delusions of erotomania in old age: about a case. ICSa-UAEH Psychology Electronics, (4), 264272.
- Oliveira, C.; Alves, S.; Ferreira, C.; Agostinho, C.; Avelino, M.J. (2016). “Erotomania-A review of De Clerambault’s Syndrome.” The Journal of the European Psychiatric Association 33: 664.