From: Geraint Rees (g.rees@fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk)
Date: Mon Jan 14 2002 - 23:32:26 MST
On 14/1/02 10:30 pm, "CurtAdams@aol.com" <CurtAdams@aol.com> wrote:
>> On 14/1/02 7:51 pm, "Mike Lorrey" <mlorrey@datamann.com> wrote:
>
>> Is there a recognised condition where a person has delusions but is
>> fully able to differentiate them from reality at all times?
>
> I read somewhere - I think one of Oliver Sach's books - that there
> is a rare condition where the sufferers hallucinate things like gnomes
> and talking cartoon characters but some understand that they are just
> seeing hallucinations.
Yes, there is such a syndrome; but these hallucinations are not *delusions*
(see Mike's original question). Delusions are (by definition) erroneous
beliefs about the world, and may occur independently of hallucinations.
I think you may have read about Charles Bonnet syndrome, which can occur
following serious sight loss. CBS patients experience formed visual
hallucinations (e.g. people, places) and they know that these are indeed
hallucinations. This is quite different phenomenology and symptomatology
from the hallucinations and delusions that individuals with schizophrenia
suffer, and are clinically easy to distinguish.
Best wishes,
Geraint
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