Article: Induction Of An Illusory Shadow Person

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Delusions of Control

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In my review of the schizophrenic delusion of control I noted that a reduction in long-range connections between the frontal and posterior regions of the brain, specifically the supplementary motor area, was likely to be the cause for the disconnection between conscious and unconscious decision making with respect to movement. I also made note of the fact that while damage to this area results in a similar phenomenon in people without schizophrenia, the delusional belief that an external force is controlling the sufferers behaviour was unique to individuals who suffer from delusions of control. At the time I was unaware of any explanation for this phenomenon, the feeling that an external force was controlling the individual’s movements, but it is clear that this belief in an often malicious force controlling or interfering with the actions of the individual is a common aspect to many forms of delusion experienced by people with schizophrenia.

Symptom Breakdown: Delusions of Control in Schizophrenia

Delusions of Control centre around an individual believing that their thoughts and/or actions are being controlled or influenced by outside forces. The ICD-10 has indicated that the common beliefs associated with delusions of control (thought broadcasting, thought insertion, and thought deletion) are individual symptoms of schizophrenia, but in this post I will be addressing the delusions as a single unit.

Symptom Breakdown: Delusions of Grandeur in Schizophrenia

Delusions of grandeur manifest as the belief that the individual is of high social importance, or that they possess highly developed skills of some kind. The individual’s belief in their self-importance is similar to the presentation of narcissistic personality disorder, but occurs only during the psychotic period/acute stage of schizophrenia and is not as extreme in the prodromal or residual stages.

Symptom Breakdown: Delusions of Reference in Schizophrenia

Delusions of Reference refer to situations wherein an individual experiences unimportant environmental information as personally important. This environmental information is commonly social information such as other people’s conversations, their emotional states, or laughter, and it is all interpreted as being directly related to, or targeted toward the individual.