From calling yourself “delulu” to saying you’re in a “delusion”, the word delusion has become an important part of cultural slang. But I’m not sure it should be. With these terms being thrown around so casually on social media, it feels like the true meaning behind the rant has been lost.

Delusions or fixed beliefs in something that is untrue can be a symptom of a number of mental health conditions. And using the phrase unkindly can inadvertently perpetuate negative stereotypes about mental health. So how did the word delirium enter the mainstream lexicon in the first place, and what should you say instead?

Experts featured in this article:

Leon GarberLMHC, is a psychotherapist in New York.

Emily GreenPsyD, is a psychologist based in Washington DC.

Stephanie FreitagPhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist in NY, NJ, CT, GA, and FL and an adjunct professor at Emory School of Medicine.

What is an illusion?

The DSM-V defines a delusion as a firm, fixed false belief that cannot be changed in the light of conflicting evidence. “Clinically, someone who is delusional carries (at least) one of these false, immutable beliefs,” says Emily Green, PsyD, a psychologist based in Washington DC. Beyond this, delirium is usually associated with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia or severe bipolar disorder.

“Delusions are beliefs about self, others, and the world that are normally extreme and held primarily to cope with difficult realities and resulting feelings,” explains psychotherapist Leon Garber. They can provide hope, meaning, comfort, clarity and self-esteem when a person can’t find another way to access those states, and people experiencing delusions can be very resistant to change, he adds. “Illyrians significantly influence an individual’s life in extremely negative waysimpacting relationships and reputation,” he says. “No amount of factual evidence seems to change them, and the individual, through an intense fear of losing them, looks for more reasons to support them.”

“Illusions can also vary quite a bit, from what we call ‘bizarre’ delusions (believing things that are impossible, such as the ability to control other people’s minds) to ‘non-bizarre’ delusions, things that it might actually occur in reality, but it’s not true, like thinking you’re the president,” says Dr. Green. Garber notes that there are also delusions of persecution—false beliefs that others are conspiring to harm you—as well as delusions of grandeur, when one believes they are more important than they really are.

It is important to note that lack of understanding is inherent when it comes to illusions. If the person can recognize that the belief is foolish or improbable, it is not a delusion.

Why are illusions problematic?

Delusions can become problematic when they interfere with a person’s ability to empathize with the perspectives of others, turn skepticism into a severe distrust of the world, and/or isolate a person from the larger community. Some illusions may be relatively harmless, but the real impact is reflected in how much they affect functionality (eg, not getting a job because you think you’re president) or unsafe behavior (trying to climb the White House fence).

“While some people may have fixed, false beliefs that do not influence their lives in a significant way, when we think about the clinical presentation of delusion, we are probably talking about someone whose inflexible attachment to this false belief makes them difficult. to function and relate to others. It can trigger harmful behavior and be associated with other mood instability, confusion, and agitation, especially when their delusions are challenged,” explains Garber.

At the same time, clinical psychologist Stephanie Freitag, PhD says that paranoia is usually synonymous with delusions. For example, when people exhibit paranoid delusions, they may believe that others want to directly hurt them in some way, even though there is no intention. A harmless event such as a stranger walking nearby could be interpreted as dangerous. “There’s also the very interesting concept of erotomaniac delusion where a person becomes convinced that another individual is in love with them, often involving a famous person,” she says. This has even led to criminal behaviors such as stalking.

All this to say, there is a wide range of how delusional thoughts and behaviors can manifest and how problematic they can be. However, treatment can be challenging. “Illyrias can be difficult for the therapist to deal with when they lead to disengagement or mistrust in the therapeutic relationship,” says Dr. Freitag.

So why is the slang trending “delusional”?

Being delusional has become a pejorative term, similar to how people say they are “OCD” when being meticulous or “bipolar” when they feel moody – both are problematic uses of the term. “Psychological terms are often adopted into the popular lexicon because we want to make sense of life experiences that feel uncomfortable and that we can’t always verbalize for ourselves,” says Freitag. “Slang allows us to feel less alone in a challenging experience.”

According to Dr. Green, the proliferation of “pop psychology” terms oversimplifies and often misrepresents the meaning of the original term and stems from people’s desire to describe behavior with language that doesn’t yet exist. As for “delulu”, it seems to capture the behavior or beliefs of a person who chooses to see the world in a way that benefits them.

She is also quick to note that the clinical standard of “delusion” is not met in pop psychology references; these beliefs are almost exclusively non-bizarre and more amenable to logic. “The person probably has the ability to recognize that this belief may not be true, but that it benefits them anyway to believe it,” she says. Also of note: the actual delusional disorder only impacts 0.05% to 0.1% of adultsso it’s statistically very unlikely that everyone calling themselves “delulu” on social media is actually delusional.

The problem with saying you’re delusional – when you’re not

“Delulu” behavior may have some superficially similar elements to the clinical definition of the condition, but ultimately the implications are completely different and the two cannot be conflated. Dr. Green says the slang is problematic because it undermines the seriousness and complexity of the condition. “When it’s used clinically, it’s descriptive. Calling someone a ‘delulu’ is often not a neutral descriptor of their behavior or presentation, but rather a judgment or a negative one,” she points out.

By making light of certain experiences, we might also try to reduce our own cognitive dissonance or discomfort, but that’s usually just a Bandaid, notes Freitag. “In my opinion, (slang) generally reflects poor mental health literacy combined with discomfort with sitting with a full range of emotions, especially ones that aren’t so fun to feel.”

Still, it makes sense that the term is trending; we are constantly bombarded and overwhelmed with information and stimuli in the modern world, making it difficult to feel grounded. Perhaps the concept of delirium encapsulates a collective sense of being disconnected from the world around us—our bodies, our communities, our future—at a time when there is so much uncertainty in everyday life, Freitag says.

Finally, “being delusional” has nothing to do with being clinically delusional, which is far from funny. Of course, it’s normal for everyone to feel uncomfortable at times and try to make light of the situation. But it’s important to be cautious about using terms that can perpetuate additional stigmas and cause more confusion about what these real psychological conditions are—and what they aren’t.

Sarah Radin is a writer and publicist based in Philadelphia. Her writing on internet trends, style, youth culture, mental health, wellness culture and identity has been published by The New York Times, Glamour, Self, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, Allure, PS and many others.