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A delusion is a firm and fixed belief based on inadequate grounds not amenable to rational argument or evidence to contrary, not in sync with regional, cultural and educational background.

I wonder if there is evidence that talking therapy can help with delusions (which people with schizophrenia often suffer from) - or not.

I assume that it depends on the form and severity of the delusion, and that there are mild forms which can be treated by talking therapy. Other forms may not be treatable by talking therapy.

If there are cases where talking therapy does help, is there evidence and are there (meta-)studies which techniques help best?

  • asking specific questions

  • telling specific things

  • giving explanations

  • contradicting or confirming the patient

  • trying to tangle the patient up in self-experienced contradictions

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  • $\begingroup$ The last bullet-point in my answer at psychology.stackexchange.com/a/17325/7604 may help $\endgroup$ – Chris Rogers Jan 15 at 11:01
  • $\begingroup$ It can help some, but your question is a bit like the one on talking one out of their delusions, which I answered here: psychology.stackexchange.com/a/19331/6151 $\endgroup$ – r0berts Jan 15 at 17:08
  • $\begingroup$ @r0berts: Very much like that question. I have found it only now, so my question is a duplicate obviously, but not knowingly. Thanks anyway for the hint! $\endgroup$ – Hans-Peter Stricker Jan 15 at 17:18
  • $\begingroup$ @Hans-PeterStricker: That is fine, this is a good question, and perhaps is interested more in what is the way to help with delusions, than simply talk out of them. So it could be rephrased accordingly. In my experience delusions - i.e. thoughts are driven not so much by overtly logical processes, but by affects - the fear arising from the unusual phenomena. Your bulletpoint list is missing out on finding the affective contact / epistemic trust with the patient and only then you might be able to influence something. I guess is that is why extended family can be more helpful e.g. in India. $\endgroup$ – r0berts Jan 16 at 13:09

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