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RE: Psychology Writing Contest Reminder, $20 SBD Prize (2 Days Left)

in #psychology7 years ago (edited)

Capgras delusion


The delusion where you think your loved ones have been replaced by identical looking impostors.

You really must be surprised by hearing about this Psychological disorder of the brain, but you will be more surprised to know that it is more common disorder than you might think. Today I will tell you about this disorder by a second hand experience of mine as my Lovely aunt 'Reena' fell a victim to this.

Capgras delusion is a mental disorder where you become perfectly sure that some or all of your loved ones have been replaced by their identical clones and these clones or impostor might be there to harm you. It considered as a type of schizophrenia by might also occur due to heavy injury of the brain.

Let me tell you firstly about my aunt 'Reena'. My uncle died when I was little due to lung cancer, She was left with my cousin brother and sister. It was very hard being a single parent and with all the money spent on uncles treatment they were almost bankrupt, but she worked hard for years as a result my cousin brother is now a successful Mechanical engineer and my sister a very good heart surgeon.

But then 5 years back she fell sick and a high fever and doctors had to put her in induced coma for 12 days, when she woke up we all went to meet her, surprisingly she got scared when she looked at my father and was even horrified when she looked at my cousin brother and sister, she kept screaming, who are they? Where are my kids? It was surprising to know that she remembered all the other members of the family like me, Doctor advised us to keep my dad, brother and sister away from her for now until they diagnose her.

Me and my mom used to stay beside her, one night at the hospital, when I was attending her she called for me, she looked terrified and said to me that is not my son, daughter or my brother, they are some impostor who were sent to kill her and asked me to promise her that I would keep checking on them and not let them kill her. I was so terrified and later told that to the doctor, Later she was diagnosed with Capgras delusion, the doctors said that his might get well with time but with time it got even worse.

She started living alone, she fired all the servants, she refused to see anyone not even me anymore, she was continuously scared that everybody is planning to ill her, 3 years later when the milk men noticed unopened milk bottles for 4 days he reported this to the society guard who then called us when we broke in to the house she was already dead, doctors said she have been dead for 2 days. I never even thought that my Lovely aunt "Reena' would have such a tragic ending.


Now there is nothing you can do for a patient with any mental disorder, but what you can do is love them, love them will all your heart because it is that time when they need you the most. I still regret not doing everything I can when it came to me, and I hope none of you get to have that regret ever.


By @Utfull