A case of the body snatchers
Current Psychiatry. 2009 August;08(08):56-65
August 1, 2009|Psychiatry
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Mrs. P believes spirits that reside within her are continually replacing her body parts. She demands exorcism, not antipsychotics. How can she be helped?
Other aspects of her psychosis and mania also resolve. She has some residual religious delusions at discharge but feels she has her body back and overall is much improved. Upon discharge Mrs. P is encouraged to follow up with a therapist for CBT, but she feels she does not need therapy and wants only to speak with her priest, even after most of her symptoms resolve. She also declines neuropsychological counseling.
Related resources
- Denes G. Capgras delusion. Neurol Sci. 2007;28:163-164.
- Coltheart M, Langdon R, McKay R. Schizophrenia and monothematic delusions. Schizophr Bull. 2007;33:642-647. https://schizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/33/3/642.
- Fluphenazine • Prolixin
- Haloperidol • Haldol
- Lamotrigine • Lamictal
- Lithium • Eskalith, Lithobid
- Paliperidone • Invega
- Quetiapine • Seroquel
- Risperidone • Risperdal
- Risperidone long-acting injection • Risperdal Consta
- Valproic acid • Depakote
- Ziprasidone • Geodon
The authors report no financial relationship with any company whose products are mentioned in this article or with manufacturers of competing products.
