Delusions
At
last the time has come: the world will end on New Year's
Day.
All
of the signs have come together. There was the hurricane
in Florida and the earthquake in Mexico. Fires are raging
in California. Last night you saw seven stars form a circle
around the moon.
You
can tell that people are worried this year. They watch you
reverently as you pass down the street. They whisper to
each other and burst into tears. They know that you are
a prophet and that their souls are at stake. You predicted
this long ago, and it is there in your diary for everyone
to read. All of the signs have been detailed, year after
year. No one believed you last year, but this year they'll
see. The world really will end.
This
chapter covers the following topics:
- Delusions
- There
Are Several Common Types of Delusions
- Some
Unusual Beliefs Are Not Delusions
- Delusions
Can Occur in Several Illnesses
- How
to Cope with Delusional Beliefs
This
excerpt may not be reproduced without written permission
from the publishers.
Fifty Signs of Mental Illness: A Guide to Understanding
Mental Health
Yale University Press / New Haven and London
Copyright © 2005 by James Whitney Hicks
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