Mystical or messianic delusion: symptoms, causes and treatment

Each and every one of us is unique and unrepeatable, and we have very different experiences and perceptions of the world and of reality. They are mostly interpretations that allow us to make sense of what we experience in a way that allows us to survive and adapt to the environment that surrounds us.

But sometimes there are alterations in the content of thought that make us interpret reality in a specific way that is maladaptive and even harmful to oneself or to the environment, preventing our correct adaptation and biasing our vision in such a way that we make false judgments about the world. This is what happens with delusions.

Within the delusions we can find different typologies, differentiated by the aspect or theme to which they refer. One of them links states of psychotic sensory disturbances to beliefs of a spiritual nature, making us consider, for example, a being with a divine mission or even a messiah. We are talking about the mystical or messianic delirium.

• Related article: "Delusions: what they are, types and differences with hallucinations"

What is mystical delusion?

We understand by mystical delusion to an alteration of the content of thought, product of an anomalous interpretation of reality, of religious-spiritual themes.

As delusion that it is, it supposes an unchangeable and fixed judgment or idea that persists with great intensity despite the existence of evidence to the contrary, which usually generates a high level of worry or anxiety in the person who suffers from it (or prevents the person from functioning normally) and that is at least very unlikely, having also a complete lack of social or cultural support for such an idea. It is often the product of the interpretation of an altered perception (such as a hallucination), and usually entails a certain break with reality.

In the case at hand, the delusion in question It has a content linked to spirituality and religiosity. An interpretation of the world, of oneself and of others is made solely on the basis of faith, seeing in everything that happens a confirmation of their beliefs and the consideration of their role in the world.

They tend to have a consideration that most of the acts carried out are sin and seeking to atone for their faults or those of the rest, in some cases even violently. It is also not uncommon for there to be ideas of self-reference or even greatness, considering the subject a superior entity, a divine envoy or even a deity.

Difference between religious belief and mystical delusion

For a person without religious beliefs, it can be relatively easy to attribute this type of delusion to people who do, since religious beliefs per se tend to be low modifiable and self-explanatory (Although most people consider these beliefs moldable and interpretable, others present them with fixity). But this is not the case, in the same way that having a good level of self-esteem It does not imply a delusion of grandeur: we are simply facing a psychotic exacerbation of beliefs that were already based.

In the mystical delirium, the existence of revelation and mission is required, lived with ecstasy by who suffers from it, in addition to the sensation of having a clear knowledge of the truth through said revelation. It is also frequent the abandonment of the lifestyle taken until then and the total dedication towards what they consider their mission. All this separates the mystical delusion from the normative religious-spiritual belief, in which there is no confusion followed by the idea of ​​significance of the hallucinatory experience.

Causes of this delusion

The mystical delusion, as can be seen, has a strong religious and cultural influence as one of its main bases. However, the causes of the appearance of this delusion do not depend only on this factor, but rather there are multiple factors that contribute to its genesis. the delirium is perceived as a rational explanation by the subject, often serving to justify the existence of a hallucinatory experience that disturbs them.

Religiosity itself is a relevant but not necessarily determining factor (there are controversies according to the study as to whether its role is fundamental or one more variable), although the specific religious beliefs of a person with this type of delusion usually determine the type of content of the delusion. delirium. For example, in the Christian religion delusions related to guilt tend to abound more while in Judaism there is usually a greater nocturnal hallucinatory experience associated with the connection of the night with spirits.

Of course, many people with this type of problem do not have any specific religious belief, so it will not have an effect on everyone. Other relevant factors are the level and type of education of the person and the person's marital status.

Likewise, the existence of this type of mystical delusions has been mainly associated with the presence of intoxication by drugs, food or medicines, some medical or psychiatric illnesses (especially including psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia), acute or chronic pain (interpretable as a sign), or dementias. It is usually typical of people who suffer from what emil kraepelin named paraphrenia, a chronic psychotic disorder in which delusions are relatively fanciful in nature and that except for the subject in question, people do not present major alterations.

Treatment of this type of delusions

Treatment of a delusion, regardless of its type, is complex and relatively time consuming. And it is that we all have a tendency to maintain our beliefs more or less firmly. This makes delusional experiences, which for those who have them better represent reality than others, attempts are made to perpetuate and attempts at direct modification are directly rejected. In addition the interpretative biases of the phenomena that occur cause the subject to reinforce his delusional ideation.

In all cases, first of all, it is necessary to stabilize the patient if we are dealing with a disorder psychotic or fight the infectious or toxic agent if we are dealing with an infection or intoxication of Some kind. Once the psychological process has begun, it is first necessary to overcome the attitude of vigilance and aversiveness of the patient towards the therapist and gain his trust, without making a direct confrontation with his beliefs delusional. It seeks to foster the therapeutic relationship and gain access little by little and as confidence increases to the core of the ideation.

It is proposed that the patient go little by little introspecting and visualizing what has led him to think in such a way. Generate an increase in communication and little by little adjusting thought processes towards a more adaptive scheme of reality.

The type of environment that the patient has can also play a relevant role in his treatment, due to because it is possible that in the beginning the symptoms are not considered aversive until after a while dragged on. This increases the risk of chronicity and consolidation of delirium. In this sense some psychoeducation to the environment referring to the problem that the subject presents (always respecting the religious beliefs they hold), could be beneficial for both the subject and the patient.

Bibliographic references:

• Bastidas, M. and Alberto, C. (2004). Validity of mystical delirium in contemporary semiology. Colombian Journal of Psychiatry, vol. XXXIII(2): 172-181. Colombian Association of Psychiatry. Bogota, DC, Colombia.
• Rolling, D.E. and Fuentes, P. (2013). Mystic-religious delusions: historical journey, current validity and cultural implications in its genesis. Clepios. 62. Magazine of Professionals in Training in Mental Health.