"Internet delusions": the impact of technological developments on the content of psychiatric symptoms.
The inclusion of computers and the Internet in our daily lives has become an increasingly pervasive phenomenon. Naturally, this phenomenon found its reflection in the quick inclusion of these technologies in the content of delusions. There have already been a few reports describing patients with Internet delusions. In this report, we describe two patients and their social background who were without previous psychiatric history and whose first psychosis involved delusions surrounding the Internet. Our opinion is that Internet delusions do not represent a new diagnostic entity, but rather modified delusions of persecution, broadcasting and control.
Lerner
Vladimir
V
Ministry of Health Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel. lernervld@yahoo.com
Libov
Igor
I
Witztum
Eliezer
E
D000328:Adult; D003702:Delusions / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*