Delusional love disorder: How it changes a person's thinking towards the opposite sex

In April this year, a shocking case was reported from China, a 20-year-old man was identified to have an unusual feeling that later turned out to be a Delusional Love Disorder. The second-year college student was certain that every single one of his female classmates had feelings for him. As the disorder grew, he began to exhibit "inappropriately bold displays of love" for them. But now that his ailment has been treated medically, he is recovering well, as per news reports.

The experts suggest that Delusional love disorder, sometimes referred to as erotomania, is a frightening mental health condition in which a person believes that they are profoundly in love with a celebrity or person of higher status even if there is no proof to back up this view. This uncommon illness, which the DSM-5 categorises as a delusional illness, can have disastrous effects on the afflicted person as well as their imagined romantic partner.

According to a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report, the man is a native of Jiangsu province in eastern China. His symptoms began to manifest in February and continued to get worse.

All of his female students responded negatively to his approaches. But he saw the women's rejections as a sign that they were "too shy to accept his love."

Krupa Nishar, Forensic Psychologist told mid-day.com, "Understanding the mental state of someone with Delusional Love Disorder (DLDD) requires examining the interplay of symptoms and signs."

She added that the symptoms (Internal Experiences) may include-

• Preoccupying delusions: The core symptom is the presence of unshakeable delusions. These are fixed beliefs that are not based on reality. In DLDD, the delusion centers around a perceived romantic relationship with a specific person, often someone the individual doesn't even know well.

• Misinterpretations: People with DLDD misinterpret everyday interactions and actions as signs of love or reciprocation. A smile from a celebrity during a concert, a friendly email from a colleague, or even a simple "hello" can be seen as confirmation of their delusion.

• Emotional distress: The constant fixation and misinterpretations can lead to significant emotional distress. Feelings of jealousy, possessiveness, and social isolation are common.

• Obsessive thoughts: The perceived love interest becomes the center of their thoughts and emotions. They may spend a significant amount of time ruminating about the relationship and their interactions.

Krupa added, in some cases, external behaviors may include, fixated attention in which the individuals with DLDD exhibit a relentless focus on their perceived love interest. This can manifest as excessive phone calls, emails, letters, or showing up at their workplace or home unannounced.

She said that it may also include inappropriate behavior where the line between romantic gestures and harassment can blur.

"Sending expensive gifts, overly personal messages, or public declarations of love are common signs. As the individual becomes fixated on the delusion, their social life may suffer. They may neglect friendships and relationships with family. The work performance and daily activities can be impacted by the all-consuming nature of the delusion. In some cases, if the advances are rejected or ignored, the individual may become angry or even threatening," Krupa said.

It is crucial to keep in mind that every individual may uniquely experience DLDD. The indications and symptoms can differ in intensity. But identifying these warning signs can be essential to getting competent assistance before things get worse.

The goal of treatment is to deal with the underlying illusions and provide patients with better coping skills.

Krupa said, "Understanding the motivations behind these types of crimes is a critical task for forensic psychiatrists."