Believing something false or being tricked into thinking something that isn't true; suffering from a false belief despite contradicting evidence.
From Latin deludere, 'to mock' or 'to deceive,' from de- (away) + ludere (to play or mock). The word entered English in the 16th century as a description of being deceived or fooled.
Delusions are fascinating to neuroscientists because the brain is genuinely convinced something is true—it's not just lying or pretending. People with delusions often experience them as more real than reality itself, which is why reasoning alone rarely helps.
Deluded is gendered in historical medical and legal discourse, where women's testimonies were systematized as 'hysterical delusion' or psychiatric imposture. Men making the same claims were more often believed or attributed to reasonable error.
Use 'deluded' neutrally for factual error or false belief across genders. Avoid overuse regarding women's testimony or mental states; apply same evidentiary standards to all.
Feminist medical history exposed how psychiatric categories pathologized women's experiences and testimonies, leading to reform in psychiatry and law to center women's credibility.
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