Othello syndrome is a psychotic disorder of a pathological form of jealousy having recurrent thoughts, images, false belief that their partner is unfaithful without any proof.
This rare delusional disorder is referred to by terms- delusional, pathological, morbid, erotic jealousy. The name Othello was first coined in 1954 by Shakespeare in his lead play Othello who kills his wife thinking she is cheating on him. Further research by psychiatrist John Todd publishes “The Othello Syndrome: a study of psychopathology of sexual jealousy” a research paper in 1955.
EFFECTS:
People who suffer from Othello Syndrome have maladaptive behaviors of stalking, cyberstalking, sabotage, violence, aggression, irritation, homicide, suicide, or crimes. Research says men are more likely to suffer from Othello Syndrome than women. The person suffering from this syndrome makes daily false accusations and events to back up their claims. For instance, a forty-two-year-old man diagnosed with Othello Syndrome develops delusions (false belief) that his wife is unfaithful. He reports images of fruits on his wife’s social media page. Fruits are a sign for him to indicate that his wife is unfaithful to him. He begins to place apples everywhere to demonstrate his discovery. He shows signs of delusional jealousy without any evidence. Othello syndrome is likely to occur with Personality Disorders, Substance-Related Disorders, Neurological Disorders, and medical illnesses.
MANAGEMENT:
This syndrome has a risk of harming oneself, others, and children. It’s important to note this syndrome needs professional help. Pharmacological interventions are successful in the short-term management of the disorder. Dialectic Behaviour Therapy (DBT) or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps modify the maladaptive behavior and thoughts into healthy patterns for the long-term management of the disorder. Family therapy and couple therapy is helpful to understand and build healthy relations.
CONCLUSION:
Othello Syndrome is a delusional disorder needing professional help. Both pharmacological and psychotherapy are necessary to treat this disorder. If you are interested to know more about this syndrome, you can read the book ‘Living with Othello Syndrome- A modern-day tragedy’ by Debbiwood.
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
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About the Author.
Carmiline Rebello is a counselor at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.