Treatment of erotomania using cognitive behavioural psychotherapy approaches
| Date | 02 March 2012 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20441281211208437 |
| Published date | 02 March 2012 |
| Pages | 76-81 |
| Author | Anne Desnoyers Hurley |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care |
Treatment of erotomania using cognitive
behavioural psychotherapy approaches
Anne Desnoyers Hurley
Abstract
Purpose – This case report seeks to describe successful treatment of erotomania using cognitive
behavioural psychotherapy in concert with community support providers applying similar
psychotherapeutic approaches.
Design/methodology/approach – A case report is presented illustrating successful treatment of an
individual with erotomania and intellectual disability. Pharmacotherapy assessment suggested its
ineffectiveness and medicines were slowly reduced and discontinued. Cogni tive behavioural
psychotherapy provided a venue to discuss personal issues and work on solutions. The community
support system was enlisted to approach the problem using two main psychotherapeutic strategies:
eliminate social attention for the delusion; and increase social relationships.
Findings – Cognitive behavioural psychotherapy working in collaboration with the community support
system resulted in great improvement. Within three years, the individual returned to previous functioning
with no symptoms of the delusional disorder.
Originality/value – This case study illustrates the successful treatment of erotomania using cognitive
behavioural psychotherapy and engaging the community support system in applying directed
psychotherapeutic strategies. Erotomania occurs in people with intellectual disability and must be
recognized and treated. Ineffective pharmacotherapy was successfully reduced and discontinued
within the context of appropriate therapeutic supports.
Keywords Intellectual disability, Psychosis, Delusions, Cognitivetherapy, Depression,
Antipsychotic agents, Health and Medicine, Community care
Paper type Case study
Introduction
Erotomania is a delusional disorder in which the person believes that another loves him or
her although there has been no evidence to encourage this belief. The loved person can be a
public figure, an acquaintance, or a complete stranger. The cause of erotomaniais believed
to be loneliness as it occurs most frequently in socially isolated people. Erotomania can
occur in the context of another psychiatric or neurological disorder. When there is no other
significant illness, it is diagnosed as primary erotomania (Hollender and Callahan, 1975;
Jordan et al., 2006). The true incidence of this delusional disorder is unknown because
people rarely seek treatment unless there is forensic involvement. Further, people typically
maintain their delusion for many years (Kelly, 2005; Kennedy et al., 2002; Mullen and Pathe
´,
1994). Antipsychotic medication is the standard initial treatment and patients often respond
to pharmacotherapy. Therapeutic efforts are aimed at helping the patient develop a social
network. Optimally, family consultation is important as well as improving the patient’s social
skills if necessary. The patient must be encouraged without directly addressing the delusion
as this would cause distress and risk termination of treatment.
In a review of the intellectual disability literature and new case report, Hurley and Moore
(1999) identified nine cases. Most were complex and associated with neurological or mental
PAGE 76
j
ADVANCES IN MENTALHEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
VOL. 6 NO. 2 2012, pp. 76-81, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282 DOI 10.1108/20441281211208437
Anne Desnoyers Hurley is
Research Associate
Professorat the University of
New Hampshire, Institute
on Disability, Durham,
New Hampshire, USA, and
is also at the TuftsUniversity
School of Medicine, Boston,
Massachusetts, USA.
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