Indian Journal of Clinical Psychology
Year : 2019, Volume : 46, Issue : 2
First page : ( 168) Last page : ( 170)
Print ISSN : 0303-2582. Online ISSN : 2249-7889.

Efficacy of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in Management of Delusion

Gireesh Krishnan*

Consultant in Clinical Psychology, HIMHANS, Kerala

*Corresponding Author-krishnan Gireesh, Email: krshnangireesh63@gmail.com

Online published on 24 February, 2020.

Abstract

Delusional beliefs are heterogeneous, common and incapacitating symptom in severe mental disorders. Pharmacological intervention has limited success in controlling delusions. The drug resistant, persistent delusions pose a clinical challenge. Cognitive therapy has recently been used by clinicians and researches in the in the management of unshakable believes. The current study uses cognitive therapy in managing delusional belief. A 25 year old unmarried Christian lady who is a research scholar is presented with the history of illness, diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia with the symptom of delusion of persecution. She continued to believe that she was being observed by someone with an instrument, despite adequate dose of antipsychotic medication. She was seen for 22 sessions of cognitive therapy. Pre and Post intervention assessments were done with Brown Assessment of Belief Scale, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, conviction and pre occupational ordinal scale ratings. The belief conviction and preoccupation decreased with the use of verbal challenge, reality testing and normalising rationale. She could replace the delusional belief with the alternative belief.

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Keywords

Cognitive Therapy, Delusion, Paranoid Schizophrenia.

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