Question

False beliefs that persist in the absence of reason or evidence indicate severe mental illness. This condition is commonly associated with schizophrenia and also occurs with delirium, dementias, and other psychotic disorders. What is this condition called?

1) Delusions
2) Hallucinations
3) Obsessions
4) Paranoia

Answer 1

Delusions are false beliefs without support from reason or evidence, associated with severe mental illness like schizophrenia and delirium, and the correct term for this condition is option 1.

Step-by-step explanation:

The condition described in the question is called delusions, which is option 1. Delusions are false beliefs that persist despite a lack of evidence or reason, and they are indicative of several mental illnesses, including schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterized, in part, by the inability to distinguish between what is real and what is not, leading to symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. These symptoms often interfere with a person's ability to function in daily life. In addition to schizophrenia, delusions can also occur in conditions like delirium, dementias, and other psychotic disorders. Treatment for schizophrenia and other conditions involving delusions typically involves the use of antipsychotic medications that affect dopamine neurotransmission in the brain.