Read the following Case-Study and answer the questions that follow.
Vijay graduated from college and got a job at a local grocery store. After working for six months he began to hear voices of people hatching a plan to poison him. He stopped eating and drinking anything in the shop as he felt it tasted bitter and looked green in colour. He reported smelling strange odour in the shop. He would take long winding detours on his way home as he felt people were following him. He told his family that the supervisor was against him and would one day burn down the shop in an attempt to kill him. One day he slapped a customer and swore that someone else made him slap him using his hand. No evidence was found to support his allegations.
State the type of delusions experienced by Vijay.
(A) Delusion of persecution
(B) Delusion of reference
(C) Delusion of grandeur
(D) Delusion of control
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → (A) and (D) Only
(A) Delusion of persecution Correct. People with this delusion believe that they are being plotted against, spied on, threatened, attacked or deliberately victimised. Vijay believes people are planning to poison him, that people are following him, and that the supervisor wants to burn the shop down to kill him.
(B) Delusion of reference Incorrect. Here a person attaches special and personal meaning to the actions of others or to objects and events, for example believing that a news report is about her/him. Vijay feels threatened by people, but he does not read hidden personal messages into everyday events.
(C) Delusion of grandeur Incorrect. A person with this delusion believes she/he is a specially empowered person. Vijay sees himself as a victim, not as someone with special powers.
(D) Delusion of control Correct. The person believes that her/his feelings, thoughts and actions are controlled by others. Vijay swore that someone else made him slap the customer using his hand.
NCERT (2025-26): “Symptoms of Schizophrenia … Many people with schizophrenia develop delusions. A delusion is a false belief that is firmly held on inadequate grounds. It is not affected by rational argument, and has no basis in reality. Delusions of persecution are the most common in schizophrenia. People with this delusion believe that they are being plotted against, spied on, slandered, threatened, attacked or deliberately victimised. People with schizophrenia may also experience delusions of reference in which they attach special and personal meaning to the actions of others or to objects and events. In delusions of grandeur, people believe themselves to be specially empowered persons and in delusions of control, they believe that their feelings, thoughts and actions are controlled by others.…” |