Psychological characteristics of religious delusions →

-SPRINGER (Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology) “We found that religious delusions were more likely to be accompanied by grandiose delusions, and high levels of positive symptomatology, including hallucinations, passivity phenomena, and unusual behaviour. Within a cognitive model of religious delusions, persistence of distress and disability and poorer outcomes may, therefore, be driven by high levels of ongoing evidence for the delusion in the form of anomalous experiences. It is possible, if the experiences have religious significance, that the person engages in particular behaviours to bring these experiences on. The high levels of bizarre behaviour found in our sample would be consistent with this suggestion. Bizarre behaviour may also act to alienate the person and reduce opportunities for social support and potential disconfirmation through social contact; or form a safety behaviour, preventing testing out of concerns. Odd behaviours may also act directly to confirm delusions by generating unusual or adverse reactions from others. High levels of grandiosity may limit the person’s ability to reflect upon, and consider, both their actions, and their explanations of experiences. Grandiose delusions may have positive implications which mean the person is reluctant to change them.”