INTRODUCTION :

                 If a patient’s delusions (false beliefs) have developed out of a close relationship with another person who had previously similar delusions, the new patient is said to be having an Induced psychotic disorder. Induced Psychotic Disorder is rare, and most commonly involves only two Persons.
Induced psychotic disorder is of three types, type one is in which the patient had the same delusion at the same time coincidentally; type two is in which two persons shared aspect of their delusion with each other ; type three is in which there was one dominant person and second more submissive person who absorbed the more dominant person’s delusion.

Induced psychotic disorder is very rare. It is more common in women than men. It may also be more common in low than in high socioeconomic group. Patients with physical disabilities, such as stroke and deafness, may also be at increased risk because of the dependency relationships that can exist for such people. Over 95% of cases involve husband and wife or mother and child. Two brothers, a brother and a sister and a father and a child have been reported less frequently.

CAUSES :

The cause of this disorder is defined as having a psychological basis. The key ingredients include a dyad of dominant person and a submissive person, a relationship that is closely knit and relatively isolated from the outside world, and mutual gain for both person as. The dominant person has an already established mental disorder with delusion as a symptom. It is hypothesized that the dominant person maintains some contact with the real world` through the submissive one, who then has induced psychotic disorder. The submissive person, in turn, gains the acceptance of the dominant person, whom the submissive person may admire. This admiration for the dominant person may lead to a hatred for that person as well. Such hatred may be turned inward by the submissive person, producing depression and even suicide.

The recipient or passive partner in this psychotic relationship has much in common with the dominant partner because of many shared life experiences, common needs and hopes, and most important, a deep emotional rapport with the partner.

One interpretation of the observation that this disorder affects family members is that there is a genetic basis. A modest amount of data suggests that there is an increased family history of schizophrenia in the relatives of the affected persons.

CLINICAL FEATURES :-

The key symptom is the unquestioning acceptance of the delusion of another person. The delusions themselves are often somewhat in the realm of possibility and usually not as bizarre as in schizophrenia. The content of the delusions is often persecutory (false belief that some one is trying to harm him) or hypochondriac (false belief that he has some physical illness). There may be ideation about suicide or homicide pact, information that must be carefully elicited.

COURSE AND PROGNOSIS :-

Separation of the passive partner with induced psychotic disorder from the dominant one usually results in a rapid and dramatic reduction of symptoms. Recovery rates may be as low as 10 percent. If symptoms continue after separation.

DIAGNOSIS :-

The diagnostic criteria for induced psychotic disorder include the presence of induced delusions that are similar in content to the delusions of the dominant person. The affected person must not have had a psychotic disorder before the inducement of the delusion.

TREATMENT :-

The initial step in treatment is the separation of the affected person from the source of the delusions, the dominant partner. Significant support may be needed by the patient to compensate for the loss of this person. The person with induced psychotic disorder should be observed for remission of the delusional symptoms. Antipsychotic drugs can be used if the delusional symptoms have not abated in one or two weeks. Psychotherapy with nondelusional members of the patient’s family should be under taken, and psychotherapy with both the patient with induced psychotic disorder and the dominant partner may be indicated later in the course of treatment. In addition, the mental disorder of the dominant partner should be treated.