Persecutory Delusion

A persecutory delusion, also called a delusion of persecution, is a delusional belief that a persecutor is going to harm the affected person, held despite a clear lack of evidence, and it may target a specific individual or a whole group of people. The content of persecutory delusions is diverse, ranging from the merely improbable to the completely bizarre, and the delusion appears across various disorders, most often the psychotic disorders. It sits at the more severe end of the paranoia spectrum, can lead to complications from anxiety to suicidal ideation, and has a high probability of being acted on, for example a person refusing to leave the house or acting violently; it is more prevalent in men and is generally treatment resistant, managed with cognitive behavioral therapy, antipsychotic medication, or in severe cases hospitalization.