Erotomania
Erotomania, or De Clérambault’s syndrome, is a rare mental health condition that happens when someone is fixated on the idea that another person is intensely in love with them. The other person is usually out of their reach, maybe being a celebrity or a wealthy person of a high social position. This fixation on being loved by the other person is considered delusional because it’s not based in reality. Usually, the person hasn’t even met the person they’re fixated on. Some people with this syndrome may believe that a stranger they’ve just met is in love with them.
The main symptom of erotomania is a person’s false belief that someone is deeply or obsessively in love with them. There’s often no evidence of the other person’s love. The other person may not even be aware of the existence of the person with erotomania. Other common symptoms of a person with this condition include: Talking about the other person excessively. Obsessively consuming media related to the other person if they are a celebrity or public figure. Constantly trying to get in touch with the other person by letters, emails, gifts, phone calls, stalking, etc. Being convinced that the other person is trying to secretly communicate through glances, gestures, or coded messages in the news, television shows, movies, or social media. Creating elaborate but false situations in which the other person is pursuing them, stalking them, or trying to get in touch with them. Feeling jealous due to a belief that the other person may be in contact with other “lovers” or may not be faithful. Harassing the other person in public, sometimes to the point of being reprimanded or arrested by law enforcement. Losing interest in activities other than talking about the other person or doing activities related to them.
Erotomania can happen over a long period of time or only in short episodes known as psychotic breaks. Psychotic breaks are also common in other mental health conditions. They involve an abrupt worsening of delusions or other psychotic features. They may occur in disorders such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder.
A case study from 1980 describes a woman who mistakenly believed that several different men at different times were obsessively in love with her and pursuing her. This woman’s case of erotomania lasted for eight years before being successfully treated. A 2012 story in Psychology Today discusses the case of Robert Hoskins. In 1995, Hoskins obsessively pursued the famous singer Madonna. He believed that she was destined to be his wife. He climbed a wall outside of her home several times. He also violently threatened her before he was tried in court and sent to prison for ten years. In 2016, a married woman in her 50s was checked into a psychiatric clinic because she believed her former boss was in love with her and that her husband was preventing her from getting together with her boss.
Treatment for erotomania usually addresses the psychosis or delusional symptoms. This often involves a combination of therapy and medication. The person’s doctor or therapist may guide them through counseling or psychotherapy before a diagnosis. Typical antipsychotic medications, such as pimozide, are often used successfully. Nontraditional antipsychotics, such as olanzapine, risperidone, and clozapine, have also been used alongside therapy or counseling. If erotomania results from an underlying condition, such as bipolar disorder, treatments for this condition may be used. Erotomania is often associated with bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, drug or alcohol dependence, eating disorders (such as bulimia or anorexia), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Erotomania may only last for a few hours or days, but it can continue for months or years if it’s a result of an underlying mental condition. If one notices symptoms of erotomania, it is best to seek medical help or see a therapist right away. Getting treated for erotomania before showing risky or aggressive behavior towards another person is crucial in preventing this condition from disrupting both the lives of the person with erotomania and the person they’re pursuing.
