Confused about reality

[Oz67]

I went through many different delusions and because of that, I don't know how to separate fantasies from reality.

 

[tree]

Do you see a therapist on a regular basis?

 

[Oz67]

Do you see a therapist on a regular basis?

I used to, although I am planning on meeting a new therapist.

 

[Fino]

Having someone you can talk to who is objective and kind can be helpful. If you'd like to talk about specific delusions here that you're unsure about, feel free to do so.

 

[Kalinychta]

What sort of delusions?

 

[Oz67]

What sort of delusions?

Due to communication delay, I felt that everyone is the same. Then at age 13-20, I had a delusion that I murdered a child when I was 4 years old. And from age 15, I had a delusion that the military police is after me.

 

[Oz67]

What sort of delusions?

I sometimes still have strong false belief that I murdered a child when I was 4 years old, but only when I am very depressed.

 

[Kalinychta]

Due to communication delay, I felt that everyone is the same. Then at age 13-20, I had a delusion that I murdered a child when I was 4 years old. And from age 15, I had a delusion that the military police is after me.

Oh my goodness, that must be awful. Does medication and therapy help you?

 

[Oz67]

Oh my goodness, that must be awful. Does medication and therapy help you?

Yes, it does, although a scary delusion comes back when I am very depressed.

 

[Kalinychta]

Yes, it does, although a scary delusion comes back when I am very depressed.

That sucks. It’s good at least that you know they’re delusions.

 

[Rodafina]

@Oz67
This sounds really difficult to manage. Have you ever looked into reality testing techniques or talked about this with therapists in the past?

Spoiler: Very Basic Idea of Reality Testing

How to reality test​

The ability to reality test in everyday situations can be learnt, and it is entirely possible to gain a new way of understanding our thought processes.


1) Be objective

See a situation from as many angles as possible

Take time to make a judgement about a situation, avoid rushing in with immediate thoughts

Remember that other people have their own thoughts and feelings regarding situations, and it is entirely possible you have misread the situation

Think and then react

Consider how you emotionally react to a situation

Are you reacting too greatly or not enough?

Think about how much emotion or feeling each situation truly requires.

Notice themes and patterns in your life, and work toward adjusting how you react

2) Seek external perspectives

If a situation occurs, and you are unsure which feeling to attribute to it - ask a friend for their perspective

Take a moment to consider the possible outcomes or meanings before coming to a conclusion

Remember, that you do not need to react right away, and that sometimes silence or time to reflect can be beneficial

From: Reality Testing: Learning to Think Before You React

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Some interesting stuff here:

https://www.neomed.edu/wp-content/uploads/Cognitive-Behavioral-Therapy-for-Psychosis-Intensive-Training-Handouts-Fall-2021-1.pdf

What does psychosis feel like?

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This is a tough question because everyone experiences
psychosis in their own way. Often, there may be experiences such as:
• Feeling like your mind is playing tricks on you
• Things relate to you in a special way – a way that no one else notices
• Hearing people talking or criticizing when you can’t see the person who is
talking (the talking person is nowhere to be found)
• Feeling like certain things are super important in some special way
• Making tenuous connections between things that are not usually connected

How can one begin to manage the symptom includes the following:
• Getting good sleep
• Taking medications prescribed by your doctor
• Avoid use of alcohol and other recreational drugs
• Sticking with a Dr and a therapist and develop a plan for recovery
• Staying active through exercise and social engagement
• Stay in touch with people who support you
• Talking with family or some trusted person in your life about what you are experiencing.

Here is one example of a worksheet that can be used to think about delusions and possible alternative theories to delusions.