Believing something that is completely false or imagined, especially as a symptom of mental illness.
From 'delusion' (from Latin 'delusio,' from 'deludere' meaning 'to deceive') + '-al' suffix, describing false beliefs held despite evidence to the contrary.
Delusion comes from the Latin word meaning 'to trick'—the idea being that your own mind is deceiving you, which is why it's so serious; the trick is coming from inside your own brain rather than from an outside source.
Historically, women's reports were more readily classified as delusion/hysteria, while men's were taken as fact. This diagnostic bias persists in medical and psychiatric contexts, affecting treatment outcomes.
Use only clinically. Avoid dismissing someone's account as 'delusional' without professional assessment. Recognize that trauma, marginalization, and gender bias affect who gets believed.
["experiencing false beliefs","experiencing altered perception","in need of clinical evaluation"]
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