Dr. Vilayanur Ramachandran have made some breakthrough discovery on Capgras Delusion, I don’t know if it’s a rare type of delusion but I do have it when my psychosis happens, next to some number of delusions like grandiose delusion, and other very mild delusions that I can make logic with like persecutory, delusions of reference, conspiracy, and erotomanic delusions…
Anyway, I was wondering if there are any Capras delusioners ? like me…For all these years I didn’t know that I had a delusion that has a name ! and if I didn’t dig deep to figure out what was really going on in my psychosis; I would have never known…
Here is a brief explanation of Capgras delusion:
" In the Capgras delusion, the patient, usually a victim of brain injury but sometimes a schizophrenic, believes that one or more people close to her has been replaced by an identical imposter, or possessed by a demon entity that changed the person out of their characteristics. For example, one male patient expressed the worry that his wife was actually someone else, who had somehow contrived to exactly copy his wife’s appearance and mannerisms. This delusion sounds harmlessly hilarious, but it can get very ugly: in at least one case, a patient got so upset with the deceit that he murdered the hypothesized imposter - actually his wife. "
In my case, the imposters has different personalities and behavior from the original person that I have the delusion linked with, for example the evil twin of my father is a scary but humorous character that moves strangely in a creepy way, mostly like a creepy funny clown, my mom’s evil twin is a very scary person, I wish sometimes to run out of my skin when I see that evil twin…But I know it’s a delusion, no matter how strong I believe otherwise. When I was a kid I used to check the beds if my parents are asleep and the imposter is running around the house pretending that he/she is my parent, that was my way to make logic out of it.
I remember coming across this form of delusion when I was researching delusions. Along with Fregoli and Cotard.
The Fregoli delusion is the opposite: here the patient thinks that random strangers she meets are actually her friends and family members in disguise. Sometimes everyone may be the same person, who must be as masterful at quickly changing costumes as the famous Italian actor Fregoli (inspiring the condition’s name).
In the Cotard delusion, the patient believes she is dead. Cotard patients will neglect personal hygiene, social relationships, and planning for the future - as the dead have no need to worry about such things. Occasionally they will be able to describe in detail the “decomposition” they believe they are undergoing.
May I ask you this weird question about your father’s stroke, which hemisphere got affected by stroke ? did he recover afterwards? and did the delusion go away after he had recovered ?
Thats a classic scifi theme. And comes about because of the routine, more than likely. The person you’re referring to wants to change your relationship. And some teevee show like Oprah, or Phil Donahue, has talked them into, while you were away at work, treating you different. You come home and… they’re not who they used to be. They’ve changed…
Its experimental. It turns you into a guinea pig. You’re left out of the loop… on purpose. You’re their experiment in relationships. Them no longer them, but you no longer you. I call it “self help brain washing”…
A broadcast… from a teevee show. About your personal relationships, thats true. To you… That changes you. And turns your relationship, a thing sacrosanct, into an experiment.
I’m sure that there’s good enough reason for it. I’m sure that there are women out there living deprived, abusive lives. It just wasn’t ours… So… I left her. I left her saying: “How could you do that.”
Oh no william88 it’s not like that, I had that delusion since I was a little kid, 10 years old, TV have nothing to do with it, mostly I grew up with this delusion, that my parents turn evil at night. Maybe TV triggered some hallucinations but this delusion is different. I don’t have it all the time, it only happens when I get psychotic and that doesn’t happen often.
What is there about knowing someone that makes knowing them so sacred? And if they change… then what you had wasn’t as sacred as you thought it was. Was it…
If something is right. If something is true… it doesn’t change.
Oh yes! During one episode all my friends were possessed by demons. They were gone and the demons talked to me. Still can’t shake it and its been like 5 years. My family members often feel like they’ve been replaced by someone from a different reality. Familiar with the memories but act totally different
Thanks for this post! I had no idea it had a name. Very cool. I’ve felt like I was on the Truman Show before (movie with Jim Carrey) and looked online to find that there is a Truman Show psychosis or what have you that drs have seen in patients. For instance they travel to Europe to see if it exists etc. That was the only ‘delusion’ I’ve found to have been named so this is neat to find out. I still think its possible that we are experiencing things others can’t … or maybe even won’t
You’re welcome I was confused as well for most of my life about what was happening to me, but I knew it had a name, and the explanation of that delusion gave it a little shape after chaos, I understand it more, even though not all psychologists know about it, it’s still not famous as it should be…Hey they say it’s very rare delusion, I feel special lol
When I was delusional years ago I believed that my besengi was actually a demon and tied him in the back yard with food and water…I was soon after hospitalized and my room mates let him back in the house…still have remorse over that even though the dog is now passed years ago…
For a short while, maybe 3 months, I was under the impression that a family member had been replaced by a perfect clone, and that the real person, had gone to live somewhere else. It was me during me my most delusional period ever. I dont have that delusion at all anymore, but I believed it back then.
In my episode I believed that giant insects from another planet were masquerading as my parents. It was so long ago that I haven’t thought of it in decades.
I’m glad to hear from someone that has my delusion.