Delusions. What are they ? Who can have them ?
How can we understand those who experience delusions? When someone experiences delusions, they actually believe what it is they are experiencing. How can we tell when someone is having a delusion? Those who are normal and do not suffer from delusions have difficulty understanding those that do suffer from delusions. They find it difficult relating to the person who experiences them.
If you were to ask logical questions to someone who is delusional, why would their answers not satisfy you? Probably because their answers are not logical. Their answers only make sense to the one who suffers from this mental health condition.
A person who experiences delusions have ridiculous answers. Ridiculous to a normal person. But the one who suffers from this condition believe what it is they tell you. Since they are firm in their beliefs, how can you make sense of it all? How can you confirm that the person's answers are honest and logical instead of delusional?
If someone told you that I was doing X, Y, Z and after reviewing supporting evidence that I was not doing X, Y, Z ..... why then would the person who originally told you that I had been doing X, Y, Z still believe otherwise especially when all supporting evidence could be shown to them and others that their beliefs were incorrect ? Most people would assume the person was lying. If the person firmly stood their ground that X, Y, Z happened but even after showing them supporting evidence that such did not occur, then we could say the person was delusional. The difference between someone telling a lie and someone being delusional is that after evidence is provided, a person simply telling a lie will confess they told a lie. A delusional person will claim you have falsified the evidence or secretly conspired with others to falsify the evidence, even though clearly, you have not. Why is this?
There are approx. 4 billion people who believe in angels. Are they all delusional? What if someone told you they saw an angel ? Or that they believe in aliens and saw them? They believe in ghosts and they happened to have seen one? Are they delusional? There are more people in this world who believe in all of the above, than not. So how can we decipher what really is delusional and what isn't ? What would happen if I were to provide solid, verifiable evidence to prove that I had not done X, Y, Z and that what someone was saying about me was completely imaginary? You could see supporting evidence that verified my being truthful. A normal person would accept the evidence and recognize it for the truth that it is. A delusional person would not. If 4 billion people believed they had at one time seen angels, aliens and ghosts but were shown that there could be other answers for what they thought they saw, more than likely, those 4 billion people would say "perhaps my mind was playing tricks" and they would take into consideration there could be another possible explaination. A delusional person would never consider other alternatives to what they firmly believe in their mind as being THEIR truth. That is the difference between someone not experiencing delusions and someone who is.
A delusional person refuses to accept evidence as being truthful even when it is clearly presented in front of them. No matter how much evidence is presented, they will somehow twist the truth around and refuse to accept the truth as being real. They become angry, hostile and defensive. They work diligently to suppress the truth. Even if you recorded a conversation with a delusional person and the conversation was played back for them to hear, they would claim that you have slandered them with their own words. They refuse to believe the truth even when put before them. Common sense would prevail to a normal person. But to the individual who suffers from delusions, they can't seem to grasp reality or exercise common sense. Most people exercise healthy skepticism when reading a completely outrageous claim whether in the newspaper, magazine or on the internet. I would hope more people would exercise more of their skeptical senses when reading absurd claims or stories over the internet. Especially given the fact people can claim to be things they are not; they can post under assumed identities and they can make wild assertions that are completely fabricated, over the internet. Unless you are reading the national enquirer, most stories in magazines and newspapers are careful about posting fabricated stories. Lest they be sued.
Someone who experiences delusions may see, hear, smell and taste things that are not really there. The delusional individual can't understand what is real and what is not. Someone who has delusions can not tell the difference between what is real and what is not. Their mind has told them that what they see, hear, smell and taste is real, so they firmly believe it. Sometimes delusions can be frightening to the person experiencing them. It is very common for the person who experiences delusions to lose interest in normal every day things. They may take up activities that are negative and harmful. They could even become, eventually, a danger to themselves and to others. With some people, they become suspicious of others. They believe that others are out to get them or that others are trying to do harm to them. They have grandiose thoughts that are scattered and illogical. Their suspicions can go much further than normal and they may develop distorted ideas about what it is that is actually happening in reality. The delusional person may become convinced that other people are out to harm them, slander them, harass them or talk bad about them, when no amount of evidence supports this belief. This kind of belief is called a delusion and it can be very distressing both for the person experiencing the delusions and for those who are around them or being targeted by them.
My own experience with a delusional family member has been going on for years now. It is quite distressing to say the least. What the person has posted over the internet for years is disturbing and their mindset is very difficult to understand. No amount of evidence I've posted thus far can convince this individual that what they are posting is inaccurate and not truthful. Their thoughts are very disturbing and they have odd ideas about who I am, what it is I do and what it is I have done most of my life. Why the individual has fixated and obsessed with me, my children, my husband, my dogs and my business in a very derogatory manner is beyond anything we are able to comprehend. Perhaps they are having changes inside of their brain or maybe their medications have stopped working. It is pointless to try and argue with a delusional individual. It is even more pointless to show them supporting evidence that their beliefs are inaccurate.
Every time I have counter posted supporting evidence to prove their assertions are inaccurate, They continue to explain away the supporting evidence. When someone comes to my defense and further backs up my supporting evidence, the person who has defended me then becomes a target for being verbally attacked. Although photos and videos also provide supporting evidence that I have not done X, Y, Z....the individual will tell others that the videos and photos are not mine. This is the problem delusional people have, which is why it is pointless to make any attempt at arguing with someone who has this illness.
A delusional person needs to be distracted away from their fixation and obsession and it is quite unfortunate if someone who experiences delusions does not have a support system in place. Not having a support system can happen quite often because many people can fly under the radar if they have delusions but those delusions are not yet debilitating. Sometimes family members do not want to believe that their own spouse, child, sibling or parent is suffering, even when its clearly obvious that something is going on. Some doctors claim that delusions can be trauma related. Some claim that they can also be genetic or have a genetic component.
What are some other forms of delusions ?
"Emotions reflect intentions. Therefore, awareness of emotions leads to awareness of intentions. Every discrepancy between a conscious intention and the emotions that accompany it, points directly to a splintered aspect of the self that requires healing." Gary Zukav
Pride
Ignorance
Doubt
Jealousy
Laziness
Emotions around sexual abuse
Loneliness
Bruised Ego / dealing with criticism
All of the above are other forms of delusions. To have a greater self-awareness means to have a better grasp of reality. Many people who suffer from delusions have a distorted view of not only themselves...but of others as well. The delusional person has an exaggerated sense of qualities and personal abilities. Many delusional people suffer from low self esteem and suffer from inner hatred. They belittle others. They put others down. They will do this even to those closest to them. A delusional person can also suffer from other mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, OCD and memory lapses. Sometimes they can even have a split personality. Whether spouse, child, sibling, parent or friend, everyone and anyone can become a target. A delusional individual suffers, so they want everyone around them to suffer as well. They lose all faith in their own abilities and exercise poor judgement. Many of the things they do is done in excess. So excess--both in terms of exaggeration and devaluation--are equally destructive. Those who suffer from delusions have difficulty experiencing joy and happiness. They become angry when they see others experiencing happiness or joyful celebrations. They may even become jealous and envious of others. Feeling joy brings peace to the soul and mind. For the delusional individual, they are void of these feelings. They lack empathy for others and lack the basics for caring.
From his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama:
"One can be deceived by three types of laziness: of indolence, which is the wish to procrastinate; the laziness of inferiority, which is doubting your capabilities; and the laziness that is attachment to negative actions, or putting great effort into non-virtue."
The most important Dharma practice is to cease the delusions, the three poisonous minds, which are the root of all suffering, as well as the self-centered mind. All the reciting of mantras and prayers, listening to Dharma, meditating, prostrating, offering mandalas, making offerings at the altar to the holy objects—all of it is for ceasing the delusions and ego. ?sect=article&id=224" ?sect=article&id=224
*References:
"The Art of Happiness at Work" by the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D.
'Eight Verses for Training the Mind' by Geshe Sonam Rinchen
Gary Zukav in 'The Seat of the Soul'
Sogyal Rinpoche from "Glimpse of the Day"
Dalai Lama from "How to See Yourself As You Really Are"
