What is delusion?

What is delusion?

• A. A mood disorder characterized by excessive happiness
• B. A belief that is socially taught and accepted
• C. A false belief that is firmly held despite obvious proof or evidence to the contrary
• D. A perceptual distortion during sleep

Answer: (C)

Delusions are fixed, false beliefs that a person clings to despite clear or obvious evidence that contradicts them. They’re not simply mistaken ideas or culturally shared beliefs; they remain strongly held even when proof or reason argues against them. This rigidity and insistence on a belief that isn’t shared by others in the person’s culture is what makes a delusion distinctive, and they often appear as part of psychotic disorders. For example, a person might believe they are being watched by hidden agents or that they have a special mission, even when there’s no evidence and others disagree. By comparison, an overly happy mood describes a mood state, not a belief; a belief that is socially taught and accepted is a normal, shared belief rather than a delusion; and a perceptual distortion during sleep relates to dreams or sleep experiences, not a wakeful, fixed belief.

Delusions are fixed, false beliefs that a person clings to despite clear or obvious evidence that contradicts them. They’re not simply mistaken ideas or culturally shared beliefs; they remain strongly held even when proof or reason argues against them. This rigidity and insistence on a belief that isn’t shared by others in the person’s culture is what makes a delusion distinctive, and they often appear as part of psychotic disorders.

For example, a person might believe they are being watched by hidden agents or that they have a special mission, even when there’s no evidence and others disagree. By comparison, an overly happy mood describes a mood state, not a belief; a belief that is socially taught and accepted is a normal, shared belief rather than a delusion; and a perceptual distortion during sleep relates to dreams or sleep experiences, not a wakeful, fixed belief.