A 20-year-old man in China was diagnosed with an odd disease known as delusional disorder. According to reports, the second-year university student believed that all of his female classmates liked him.
His condition worsened with time, and he began to exhibit “inappropriately bold displays of love” for them. However, he is now feeling better after receiving medical treatment for his illness.
What is delusional disorder?
Delusional disorder is a subtype of psychotic disorder. The primary symptom is the presence of one or more delusions.
A delusion is an unshakeable belief in something false. The belief is not part of the person’s culture or subculture, and practically everyone else understands it to be untrue.
Delusional disorder is most common in middle to late age, with an average age of 40 years.
The persecutory and jealous types of delusional disorder are more common in men, while the erotomanic type is more common in women.
Liu believes he’s the best-looking guy in the university
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the person in question is from Jiangsu province in eastern China and goes by the surname Liu. His symptoms began in February and gradually worsened.
“All the girls in school like me,” Liu told Lu Zhenjiao, a doctor at Huai’an No. 3 People’s Hospital, SCMP reported. According to the site, the doctor then informed a local media outlet, Litchi News, that Liu believes “he’s the best-looking guy in the university.”
Liu was always excited and had shifts in behavior. He started getting distracted in class, staying up late, and spending money. Following this abrupt transformation, he was taken to the hospital, where physicians “diagnosed him with delusional love disorder”.
According to Dr. Lu, the condition is most common between March and April. During such a time, the weather could trigger “fluctuation of endocrine levels in the body”. People suffering from this medical condition become hyperactive and lose sleep.
“In more extreme cases, patients can become enraged and attack people,” Dr. Lu told the local publication, according to SCMP.
The doctor emphasized that anyone experiencing the symptoms, no matter how minor, should seek medical attention immediately.