In an increasingly interconnected world driven by the wonders of the Internet, a case study BMC Psychiatry It shines a light on the dark side of digital interactions: online romance scams that induce erotomania, a rare delusional disorder.
Erotomania, or de Clérambault syndrome, is a persistent delusion that a person of generally higher social status is in love with the person experiencing the delusion, despite there being little or no interaction between the two. It appears as a belief. This condition is recognized in major psychiatric classifications such as ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR, and reflects a serious misunderstanding of social cues, leading to unilateral and often leads to compulsive pursuits.
The syndrome fascinates clinicians and academics alike, and its roots go back to the musings of Hippocrates and the detailed studies of early 20th century French psychiatrist Gaëtan de Clérambault.
A patient’s journey to delusional love
The subject of this case study is a 70-year-old married woman from Hungary who fell victim to an online romance scam that left her in a state of mental turmoil and an almost tragic situation. Her journey into this state of delusion began quite innocently, with her expressing her admiration for her musician’s work on social media. This admiration soon escalated into intense emotional involvement, spurred by fraudulent interactions with people she believed to be the musicians themselves.
For over a year, the scammer cultivated a deep emotional connection with the patient while hiding the musician’s identity. Through her clever manipulation and deception, her con artist makes her fall in love with her and induces her to undertake personal changes and even financial sacrifices in the name of her love. Did. Her situation descended into discord between her family and the financial demands of her scammer became overwhelming, culminating in her serious suicide attempt when her husband intervened.
The patient’s background highlighted an exploitable vulnerability. She is a retired cook and she has felt neglected. Her life was characterized by her loneliness, depressed mood, and lack of significant relationships outside of her marriage. . Her mental state, exacerbated by various health issues and mild cognitive impairment, created fertile ground for the seeds of her delusional beliefs to take root.
A comprehensive evaluation during her psychiatric hospitalization following her suicide attempt revealed a complex interplay of cognitive, emotional, and psychological factors underpinning her condition. The diagnosis of erotomaniac delusions, induced by online romance scams and exacerbated by her pre-existing vulnerabilities, presented a difficult treatment scenario.
road to recovery
The treatment approach for patients was multifaceted, combining psychopharmacological interventions with individual and group therapy. Central to her recovery was gradually realizing the deceptive nature of her online relationships and processing the associated emotional trauma. This process was supported by an empathetic, accepting and supportive therapeutic interaction and also aimed at resolving the marital conflict exacerbated by the deception.
This incident highlights that early recognition and intervention is paramount in cases of internet-induced erotomania. The proliferation of digital communications and the sophistication of online fraud puts individuals with existing vulnerabilities at increased risk of falling prey to such deceptive practices, with potentially devastating psychological effects.
Lessons learned and the way forward
This incident highlights the need to increase awareness and understanding of the psychological risks associated with online romance scams, especially among people with pre-existing mental health conditions.
“The presented case highlights the susceptibility of individuals with mental disorders to develop erotomaniac delusions in the context of online romance scams,” the researchers concluded. “Such patients, especially those with certain risk factors, are more likely to become victims, so it is important to monitor their online activity.” It is essential to identify.”
“These include dependent personality traits, unrealistic idealizations, cognitive impairments that affect situational awareness, reduced problem-solving abilities, reduced mentalization skills, experiences of loneliness and isolation, relationships and family This may include issues such as.
case study”Erotomania induced by online romance scams – a new form of de Clerambault syndrome” was written by Nasri Alotti, Peter Osvath, Tamas Tenyi, and Viktor Voros.
