what are irls? note these are not my words, this is information from an old carrd that was taken down. warning for mention of reality checking.
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a delusional attachment is a term psychotics have coined as an alternative to the term 'identity delusion', in which someone believes that they are another 'being' than they actually are, whether that be a real person, a fictional character, a nonhuman creature, an object, etc. the term and experience of having a delusional attachment, or for short DA, is exclusive to those who experience psychosis.
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what is psychosis? psychosis is a condition that affects the way one processes information. it causes one to lose touch with reality. one may see, hear or believe things that aren't real. psychosis is a symptom of mental illnesses, not an illness itself.
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what mental health or neurological conditions can cause psychosis?
— any condition on the schizophrenic or psychotic spectrum.
— any condition on the schizotypical or schizoid spectrum.
— severe depression.
— obsessive compulsive disorder.
— bipolar disorder.
— borderline personality disorder and or borderline schizophrenia.
— ptsd.
— autism with comorbid psychotic symptoms.
note: autism does not cause psychosis itself, but psychotic symptoms are found to be a comorbidity along with autism.
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what is reality checking? reality checking in this context consists of telling those with delusional attachments that they are not in fact the subject of their DA. reality checking without consent can lead to damage such as the person having panic attacks.
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how can i help out my friends with delusional attachments?
do not reality check them without their consent. do not tag or refer to anyone else as the subject of their DA, unless they say otherwise.