Page 71 - Vision Manual

Delusions
Psychotic Symptoms
Sometimes people develop beliefs that are firmly held in spite of contradictory evidence. For example, they might start to believe that the FBI is monitoring their phone calls even if there is no evidence of this, or think that people are talking about them or staring at them. For some people, having this kind of belief, which is called a “delusion”, is an early sign that they are starting to experience a relapse of their mental illness, and that they need to contact their practitioners to discuss an evaluation.
For some people, however, these kinds of beliefs do not go away between episodes of their illness, and unless they get worse than usual, they are not necessarily a sign that an evaluation is needed. If this is your situation, such beliefs can be distressing or distracting, however, and you might try one or more of the following strategies:
 Distract yourself from the disturbing belief by doing something that takes your mental attention, such as doing a puzzle or adding up rows of numbers.
 Check out your beliefs by talking to someone that you trust. For example, you might ask your therapist or psychiatrist to help you evaluate the evidence for and against a belief. If your beliefs cause you to worry for your safety, for example, you might ask “What is the evidence that supports that I am in danger, and what is the evidence that does not support this?
 Distract yourself with a physical activity such as exercise or a hot shower.
If you try the strategies listed above, but still feel distressed or distracted by beliefs, it may be helpful to mention it to someone in your support system. Keep in mind that you should contact your practitioner if you become so convinced of your belief that you are thinking of acting on it. For example, if you become convinced that someone means you harm, you might start thinking of defending yourself, which could possibly lead you to harm someone else. If you can’t reach your practitioner, seek out emergency services under these circumstances.
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