Paraphrenia phantastica. A case report

Abstract

Introduction

Paraphrenia is a classic diagnostic entity characterized by an insidious development of a vivid and exuberant delusional system, more or less systematized, hallucinations and confabulations.

Objectives

Increase knowledge about paraphrenia, a classic diagnosis that no longer appears on international classifications.

Methods

Extensive research on the historical path of the paraphrenia diagnostic entity was carried out. Patient’s data is obtained from medical history and psychiatric interviews done during her hospitalizations.

Results

68 year-old patient attended the hospital emergency service due to a demonic possession delusion that emerged when she was 44 year-old, when she first consulted a psychiatrist because she believed someone introduced the demon inside her body. She described kinesthetic hallucinations as “movements of her brain” and an intense headache, both originated by the demon; as well as other types of hallucinations and confabulations. However, there was no deterioration in her personaliy or her intellectual capacity, as it could have been seen in a case of schizophrenia. This clinical case is considered a paraphrenia phantastica as it presents the typical features raised by the classic authors (mainly Henry Ey): paralogical thought dominance, megalomania, confabulation and integrity of relation with reality.

Conclusions

Current internacional classifications do not consider paraphrenia as a differentiated diagnostic entity, as it also occurs with other classical entities. This causes a loss of important tools that would achieve a better approach to the patient’s condition.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.