It is estimated that one in five marital unions is destroyed due to jealousy, and in one in four divorces, the jealousy of one of the spouses played a significant role in the breakdown of the family. Very often, a woman who is fed up with a man’s pathological jealousy finds some reason for a serious quarrel and divorce and leaves her husband, without emphasizing anywhere that it is a matter of jealousy.
Jealous people, who themselves suffer from suspicions of sexual infidelity and torment their spouses, make up a significant part of the patients of psychologists and psychotherapists. Of course, they consider themselves to be completely healthy, and do not want to seek help, doing this only under pressure from their victims, under the threat of divorce. But, despite their conviction of their partner’s sexual infidelity, they do not want to lose their wives and still come to a specialist. There are frequent cases when a jealous husband himself, without anyone’s pressure, turns for help - he understands that he is torturing his wife, but cannot help himself.
Reasons for the development of delusions of jealousy
There are quite a lot of factors in the development of the pathological process. They are somehow connected with the personality of the patient. The reasons may lie in the premorbid period. When there was no disease as such. As a rule, delusions of jealousy develop in patients with the following characteristics:
- History of psychotic disorders
We are talking about pathological processes that completely destroy the patient’s picture of the world. Several violations can be identified here.
The first is schizophrenia. A classic psychiatric disease. The plot of delirium is persistent, the disturbance of thinking does not disappear even after the disease goes into stable remission. Patients have to continue to take medications so that the clinical picture does not intensify. As a rule, other manifestations also arise. For example, hallucinations.
The second possibility is bipolar affective disorder. Delusions of jealousy in this case are not so persistent and can be easily eliminated with special drugs - antipsychotics. It is possible to use tranquilizers. Typically, episodes of delusional disorders occur at the peak of the manic phase of the disorder.
Delusions of jealousy also occur in other disorders. Schizophreniform, reactive psychoses. There are several options.
- Suspicion
By her own. Not as a symptom of a disease, but as a character trait. Suspiciousness as such increases the likelihood of developing a pathological process by 2-3 times. Perhaps more. Data varies from source to source.
- Paranoid or epileptoid personality type
According to Leonard. A paranoid character is determined by two typical characteristics. Closedness: a person is uncommunicative, does not strive to realize himself in society. Or, on the contrary, he is too active, but only for show. Also an extreme degree of suspicion.
Epileptoid accentuation of character is determined by aggressiveness, and even cruelty. The need to dominate everything and always. This is a pronounced leadership accentuation, which, unfortunately, can transform into a disorder.
Of course, accentuation does not always lead to illness. In the area of special risk are patients whose features of personal accentuation are so pronounced that it borders on pathology. Most often we are talking about patients with personality disorders, psychopathy, as they were previously called.
- Tendency to aggression, high degree of irritability
Also, these qualities are not necessarily associated with character accentuation or some kind of disease. Variations are possible. The risk is higher, but there is no guarantee that the disorder will begin.
Delusions of jealousy as such develop for several reasons. As a rule, they are found in the system and go hand in hand.
Heredity
Studies show that patients with a family history of mentally ill people have a higher risk. This is not necessarily an identical pathological process. Options up to schizophrenia or other deviations are possible. Including neurotic nature, severe disorders. Most likely, we are talking about a genetic predisposition to psychosis.
Alcoholism
Less commonly, drug addiction. Dependence on ethanol and psychoactive substances. The most common culprit is alcoholism. It accounts for up to 90% of all cases of the disease and approximately 3% of alcoholic psychoses in general. In such patients, the disorder becomes resistant and difficult to treat. It takes a lot of time: months, possibly years. All this time it is necessary to correct the basic condition. That is, dependence on alcohol.
Psychotype
It has already been mentioned earlier. Paranoid personalities, stuck-type people, epileptoids. All of them are at greater risk of encountering a pathological process than healthy people. There is no treatment as such; it requires the use of drugs and intensive psychotherapy to smooth out negative personality traits.
Upbringing
As a rule, people suffer who had a negative example before their eyes in childhood. For example, parents' scandals due to their wife's infidelity or the husband (father) leaving the family. There can be many options. The fact is that the patient did not receive a positive example, one to look up to. Plus, such situations destroy the psyche, which is still fragile.
Brain biochemistry disorders
This condition does not always lead to psychosis. In some cases, neurotic disorders begin. In this case, delirium begins. Neurotransmitters are responsible for transmitting nerve impulses in the right direction. As soon as this process is disrupted, the normal functioning of the brain suffers and logic is lost.
Sexual failures. Sexual incompetence
This is quite a possible option if a person is unsuccessful sexually. Over a long period of time, this undermines the psyche and creates a dominant state in the brain. Especially if the patient does not sublimate the accumulated energy. Doesn't take it into a productive direction. The problem is solved under the supervision of a psychiatrist. The participation of a sexologist is possible.
There are also quite a few trigger mechanisms. They directly trigger delusions of jealousy. From this moment the disease begins. These include:
- Intense stress, especially constant stress. If a person does not relax and cannot rest.
- Psychological stress.
- A traumatic situation, such as job loss, death of a loved one, problems with a partner.
- Fatigue, lack of normal, proper rest.
There are many reasons. They are usually found in the system.
Symptoms
Scientific research has confirmed that such a factor as the betrayal of a spouse, which causes feelings of intense jealousy, deals a damaging blow to the male psyche. Such severe stress can be compared to the death of a loved one or loved one. The most common manifestations of jealousy syndrome:
- observing or spying on a partner;
- control of daily routine, working hours and telephone;
- checking clothes and underwear;
- searching for any traces on the partner’s body that would expose infidelity;
- interrogations of friends and work colleagues about possible love relationships;
- demanding a false confession of infidelity from a partner.
Manifestations, clinical picture
Signs of the disease are quite typical for delusional disorders. Adjusted for the specifics of the plot. Patients think that his wife (less often, his husband) is cheating. Man is constantly looking for confirmation of this fact. The pathological process differs from banal jealousy in a group of manifestations and features.
- Losing touch with reality
A person makes impossible assumptions. For example, he seriously believes that instead of going to work, the wife goes to her lovers. And so on. Gradually, these symptoms of delusions of jealousy intensify, becoming more crude and unrealistic. The pathological process gradually intensifies and develops. And so on until the patient becomes dangerous to others.
- Inability to convince the sufferer
Another typical feature. No logical arguments work in this case. In general, this is a characteristic feature of delirium. Since this is a pathological product of the brain, it is useless to try to treat a person with rational methods. Specialized drugs are needed. At the same time, treatment is always long, and symptoms do not go away quickly.
- Extreme degree of suspicion
On the verge of severe paranoia. Does your wife leave for work every morning? This is not true, she goes to her lovers. Have children been born? They don’t look like me, most likely, the wife also “fed up” the children. And everything like that. In severe cases, a person completely loses touch with reality and cannot make a single right decision. Inappropriate actions begin.
- Inappropriate actions include surveillance
The patient constantly follows his wife, watching what she does. As the pathological process progresses, he strives to completely control his partner. Doesn't allow him to take a single step without his knowledge. Even the nicest person turns into a toxic tyrant. Family life becomes impossible in principle. In the most favorable case, we are talking about a simple break in relations. If things get worse, it can lead to physical violence and even death.
- Constant nervous tension
Associated with increased suspicion. The person can neither sleep nor eat normally. He is constantly looking for new and new evidence of adultery. In addition to surveillance, provocations begin. Despite the general severity of the condition, intelligence remains at the same level and no defect is observed. At least if the problem is not related to schizophrenia. Therefore, complex multi-pass checks are possible. Including involving other people. The symptom manifests itself approximately equally in men and women.
- The appearance of false memories
Confabulations accompany the severe stage of the pathological process. The delirium of jealousy reaches its peak. Crystallizes. The plot is well constructed; for the patient, his fictional world becomes the only correct one.
- Loss of criticism
This is a natural process. If at the initial stages of the disease there are still doubts about your spouse, in this case everything is clear and understandable. At least this is what the sufferer sacredly believes.
- Aggression. Increased tendency to violence
Aggression develops first towards the spouse or husband. Depends on the gender of the patient. Then, as the disorder progresses, things get even worse. The husband may claim that the children were not born from him. Accordingly, the attitude towards the child becomes much worse. Directed aggression is possible. In its extreme stages, the pathological process is dangerous for the spouse and children. Because assault and physical violence are used. Homicides are possible, so such patients need to be intensively and continuously treated until the disorder goes into remission.
The disease progresses gradually. Many months, or even years, pass until the moment of manifestation, the beginning of the pathological process. This is the so-called premorbid period. At the initial stage, no one suspects about the disease. Because the person’s arguments are still logical. Once they go beyond common sense, everything becomes clear.
Since the disease takes a long time to treat, it makes sense to convince the patient to go to a psychiatrist as early as possible.
Delusions of jealousy are pathognomonic for alcoholics, and therefore coping with the task of persuasion is not so easy. It is necessary to call specialists to carry out interventions and convince the patient to undergo a course of therapy. In psychiatry, treatment for 1-3 years is considered the norm. Continuous course. All this time, the symptoms persist, and disappear after many months, gradually. Almost in the same order in which pathological manifestations arise.
How to determine the presence of feelings
In a relationship, it is important for a man to correctly determine whether a girl is jealous. The partner often hides this feeling
She can answer a direct question in the negative.
Manifestations by which a guy can determine that a girl is jealous.
An important factor in female jealousy is reasons. This is a certain behavior of a man, which is perceived by a girl as a signal to launch a negative defense mechanism.
Reasons for jealousy in women:
- being late from work;
- unexpected business trips;
- calls from unknown numbers;
- missed calls;
- the presence of girls in social network subscribers, likes of certain representatives;
- change in habitual behavior - playing sports, buying new things, wearing perfume, getting a new haircut, similar unusual behavioral changes;
- emergence of new interests;
- a good mood for which there is no reason in the daily life of the couple;
- cooling in intimate life with a partner;
- lack of interest in the partner;
- private excommunications from home.
Diagnosis of the pathological process
The examination is carried out by a psychiatrist. If the pathology is of alcoholic origin, delusions of jealousy are determined by psychiatrists and narcologists. A standard initial examination of the patient is carried out.
Oral survey. Used to evaluate symptoms. Compile a complete clinical picture. This will allow you to quickly determine the probable disease. As a rule, delirious patients immediately manifest themselves. Crystallized inadequate ideas become noticeable, especially to an experienced psychiatrist.
Anamnesis collection. We need to understand where the roots of the disorder are. As a rule, there is a burdened heredity and family life characteristics. Frequent conflict situations, mistrust of spouse, problems with children. A craving for alcohol and a tendency to pathological processes of a psychiatric profile are detected. There are many factors.
A conversation with a clinical psychologist to quickly determine the disorder. There are pronounced problems with thinking and illogicality. If the deviation is of a schizophrenic nature, then a disconnected thinking process is revealed.
Is this enough to diagnose delusions of jealousy? No, not enough. If alcoholic delusions of jealousy can be linked to alcohol intake, then schizophrenic and other forms are much more difficult to diagnose. It is necessary to observe the patient in the hospital for at least several weeks to make the correct diagnosis.
Differential diagnosis is required. Delusions of jealousy are distinguished from schizoaffective disorder, neurosis, and anxiety disorder. Those conditions in which thinking disorders may occur. There are three differentiation criteria:
- Persistence of the condition.
- The ability to convince the patient.
- The harmony of delusional constructions. In schizoaffective psychoses, for example, delusions are not persistent. Constantly changing in details and even large constructions. The same is most typical for manic syndrome in bipolar disorder.
The disease also occurs in old age. But the main category of patients are young men under 40 years of age. The second peak occurs in the period 45-50. However, the majority of cases are patients of fertile age. The problem can also occur in young women.
Methods of counteraction
Diagnosis and treatment of the disease in question falls within the competence of psychotherapists or psychiatrists. If to eliminate jealousy it is enough to neutralize the cause that gave rise to it, then in the case of pathology this is not enough. It is necessary not only to eliminate the source, but also to normalize the mental state that was distorted during the development of the disorder.
Diagnostics
Pathological jealousy is diagnosed by:
- analysis of patient behavior for a certain period;
- personal conversation with a psychotherapist;
- collecting information through questionnaires, questionnaires and tests;
- interviews with relatives and friends.
Based on a summary assessment of all collected data, the specialist makes a diagnosis. If the symptoms of a delusional state are proven, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately.
Therapy
Treatment of extreme forms of pathology often requires hospitalization. Given the patient’s condition, compulsory inpatient treatment is often prescribed. To eliminate the threat to others, the jealous person is placed in departments with strict or enhanced surveillance.
Treatment methods for causeless jealousy are divided into two groups.
- Medication.
- Psychotherapeutic.
SSRI antidepressants are used to treat morbid jealousy.
Drug treatment for delusional mental disorders does not play a major role. Medicines eliminate the visible symptoms of the pathology, but do not remove the factors that caused the development of the disease.
To effectively get rid of the disease, it is important to combine medication and psychotherapeutic methods. Psychiatry recommends the use of cognitive therapy. This method of treating causeless delirium is aimed at eliminating obsession in thinking; a person learns to identify and control his emotions. Regular sessions of relieving psycho-emotional stress help treat attacks of delirium.
What is it ↑
In the case of pathological jealousy, this feeling arises for no reason and is not caused by any real external factors, but rather by personal internal problems and complexes.
Many experts are convinced that pathological jealousy is a disease bordering on mania, which, unfortunately, cannot be cured, but can only be temporarily suppressed.
Such a mental disorder either develops on the basis of constant suspicion and jealousy, or it was originally present in a person and, under certain conditions, worsened.
