EVERYONE: What do you mean by the word: "DELUSION"? What are some examples of delusional thinking?

Answer 1

A delusion is just a belief in something when the evidence suggests otherwise. I suppose you could call any thought process that leads to a delusion "delusional", but I would probably just call it "unclear" or "irrational".

Example: Feeling invincible is a delusion that could suggest a number of psychological/neurological disorders (I mean invincible in the hardest sense, like feeling that you can't get struck by lightning in a storm).

Example: Believing you have some telekinetic or telepathic abilities is a delusion, since every study conducted on the topic shows that it is not so. A thought process that could lead to this belief is known as "counting the hits and forgetting the misses". They may attribute a random falling of a picture frame to their mental efforts, but they ignore all the times in which they tried to make something happen and it didn't work.

Answer 2

Delusion--A fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact

Examples

I am certain that Alicia Keys is in love with me, even though we have never met and she isn't even aware of my existence. Although, I would love to have a woman so beautiful, intelligent and talented, there is no evidence outside of my own head that she is in love with me. Such a thought would be delusional, and is common of a condition called Erotomania.

The non delusional way to handle this would be to accept that I simply have a crush on Alicia Keys, nothing more.

I am 100% certain that God exists, is omnipotent, omnipotent, omnipresent and has a personal relationship with me. I am certain of this despite the fact that I cannot perceive God with any of my senses or prove the existence to others in any observable way. I may say I have faith, but faith is defined as belief without evidence, and cannot be accepted as proof. My unshakable belief in God is delusional.

The non delusional way to think about this would be to accept that the existence of God is false or at least uncertain.

I am a woman and I discover that I am pregnant. When asked who the father is, I say and firmly believe I am still a virgin and the baby has no father and that I have not undergone in vitro fertilization. My theory is that I have been impregnated by the spirit of my long dead husband. When says he's likely the father because we've been sleeping together, I deny sleeping with him, say he's sterile or deny plain old deny that he or any human could be the father. My thinking about my pregnancy is obviously delusional.

The non delusional way to approach this would be to appreciate the man's willingness to take responsibilty, maybe get paternity testing and acknowledge that I got pregnant by having sex like everyone else.

Answer 3

Exhibit A. Baby Jesus loves me.
Exhibit B. God talk to me.
Exhibit C. I am going to Heaven.
Exhibit D. I am a stunningly gorgeous supermodel.

All examples of delusion. Except possibly D.

Answer 4

Delusion is simply when you are (consciously or not) assuring yourself of something that may or may not be reality (it is similar in defintion to a self-imposed illusion). Delusional thinking includes believing you are Napoleon, Jesus, or chosen by God.

Answer 5

To me delusion is convincing yourself to believe in something without having any proof for it, or despite the fact that there is a bunch of proof refuting it. It is purposefully ignoring evidence to maintain faith.

Answer 6

Ignoring facts. Ignoring evidence. Ignoring rational thought. Claiming something exists without providing any credible supporting information.

Answer 7

For some reason everyone is under the impression their word is law, and that everyone else is, well, delusional.

Answer 8

I think it is when you think I AM RIGHT AND ALL OTHERS ARE WRONG.

Thank you for your insight.

Answer 9

Way to not be obvious about what you're fishing for!

Answer 10

when someone thinks,"i am a better person than that person because i belong to religion"