I’m taking care of a patient who is manic but also seems to be a victim of a catfishing scam, where she believes that she is going to be marrying Johnny Depp, and has been hacked and has been homeless for many years in financial stress. This patient has suffered enormous loss, and her psychotic level of denial is a defense to addess this. I’m curious more generally though, as apparently and unfortunately, this seems to be a very common scam among many vulnerable individuals.
Delusions are hard to treat with antipsychotics, and this patient is psychotic in other ways outside of this sole aspect, but it appears that the rigidity behind this belief is somehow perversely reality based/ it is suggestible for those who are vulnerable. Has anyone else encountered this vulnerability to being scammed/ suggested delusions and rigidity in the belief for romance scams? I’m surprised that I haven’t been able to find anything about it!
Delusions are hard to treat with antipsychotics, and this patient is psychotic in other ways outside of this sole aspect, but it appears that the rigidity behind this belief is somehow perversely reality based/ it is suggestible for those who are vulnerable. Has anyone else encountered this vulnerability to being scammed/ suggested delusions and rigidity in the belief for romance scams? I’m surprised that I haven’t been able to find anything about it!