Erotomania revisited: thirty-four years later. 2006

Harold W Jordan, and Edna W Lockert, and Marjorie Johnson-Warren, and Courtney Cabell, and Tiffany Cooke, and William Greer, and Gary Howe
Meharry Medical College, 1005 D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd., Nashville, TN 37208, USA.

Erotomania (also known as De Clerambault's syndrome) is usually described as a rare delusional syndrome that characteristically involves a woman who believes that a man, typically of higher social, economic or political status, is in love with her. Two cases are reviewed here that have been followed for over 30 years, making these some of the longest, single-case longitudinal studies yet reported. De Clerambault's syndrome remains a ubiquitous nosological psychiatric entity with uncertain prognosis. In 1980, we reported in this journal one woman diagnosed as having erotomania. At that time, she had been followed for approximately eight years. She has now been studied for over 30 years. In De Clerambault's original work, as reported by Enoch and Trethowan, a woman whose chronic, erotic delusion remained unchanged was followed for 37 years. Despite some psychological advances, our original patient, like De Clerambault's, has remained essentially entrapped by her psychotic thought disorder and erotomania. A thorough review of the literature to date was contained in our 1980 article and so, to avoid repetition, we refer the interested reader to that reference. At this time, the original patient's history will be presented along with the course of her disorder and treatment implications. Secondly, another patient will be presented and her case reviewed. Finally, we will argue that this disorder is not as rare as has been claimed and call for the continued recognition of this syndrome as its own entity despite recent opinions that such use be discontinued.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010259 Paranoid Disorders Chronic mental disorders in which there has been an insidious development of a permanent and unshakeable delusional system (persecutory delusions or delusions of jealousy), accompanied by preservation of clear and orderly thinking. Emotional responses and behavior are consistent with the delusional state. Paranoia,Paranoid Psychoses,Psychoses, Paranoid,Disorder, Paranoid,Disorders, Paranoid,Paranoias,Paranoid Disorder
D011618 Psychotic Disorders Disorders in which there is a loss of ego boundaries or a gross impairment in reality testing with delusions or prominent hallucinations. (From DSM-IV, 1994) Psychoses,Psychosis, Brief Reactive,Schizoaffective Disorder,Schizophreniform Disorders,Psychosis,Brief Reactive Psychoses,Brief Reactive Psychosis,Disorder, Psychotic,Disorder, Schizoaffective,Disorder, Schizophreniform,Disorders, Psychotic,Disorders, Schizoaffective,Disorders, Schizophreniform,Psychoses, Brief Reactive,Psychotic Disorder,Reactive Psychoses, Brief,Reactive Psychosis, Brief,Schizoaffective Disorders,Schizophreniform Disorder
D003702 Delusions A false belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that persists despite the facts, and is not considered tenable by one's associates. Delusion
D004882 Erotica Literary or artistic items having an erotic theme. It refers especially to books treating sexual love in a sensuous or voluptuous manner. (Webster, 3d ed) Pornography,Eroticism
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D013577 Syndrome A characteristic symptom complex. Symptom Cluster,Cluster, Symptom,Clusters, Symptom,Symptom Clusters,Syndromes
D017406 Sexual Harassment A form of discrimination in the workplace which violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Offensive sexual conduct may include unwelcome advances, comments, touching, questions about marital status and sex practices, etc. Both men and women may be aggressors or victims. (Slee and Slee, Health Care Terms, 2d ed, p.404). While civil rights legislation deals with sexual harassment in the workplace, the behavior is not restricted to this; it may take place outside the work environment: in schools, athletics, and other social milieus and activities. Harassment, Sexual,Sexual Harrassment,Harassments, Sexual,Harrassment, Sexual,Harrassments, Sexual,Sexual Harassments,Sexual Harrassments

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