Emedinews:Insights on MEdicolegal Issues:Delusions of grandeur

Also termed as delusion of exaltation • This is a delusion of pleasant belief or feeling. The sufferer remains in a state of feeling of greatness, power and wealth. He may be extravagant in his thinking and action and may commit some crime in such a state of mind or may ruin his money or property. • Erotomania is a type of delusion of grandeur, where the sufferer believes that a person of very high rank or social status loves him/her. The sufferer also believes that the imaginary person communicates his love in some manner or other, by posture or by communication in a secret or symbolic way. • When a person suffering from delusion of grandeur, believes that he will be killed by another person for the huge property he possesses and if as remedial step he kills that person then he will have diminished responsibility for the commission of the act because though in this case there are elements of fear and apprehension about his own life and to safeguard his life he has killed the person, yet he is not fully absolved from the act he has committed because in such a case he could have tried lawful protective steps for his life i.e., he could have sought for the help of the police…