[Icare dixit]

Ever shared your delusion with a spouse, (girl/boy)friend or co-conspirator or peer?

Can be of course with more than one person.

[Ocean Swimmer]

I'm not exactly sure where expectations end and delusions begin.

[Keegan2015]

I have obnoxiously ranted about my "groundbreaking" "world changing" business and artistic ideas to close friends at one time or another. Does that count?

[BlueInanna]

I have a few times tried to share with bf what's going on in my mind, and explain some stuff about the creation of the universe, parallel universes, how i'm pretty sure i've jumped between parallel universes, and how other me's have died in other parallel universes and i feel it in this existence.

Pretty blank stare, but he was nice about it. It was just totally unsatisfying though because he had no idea what to say, could not relate.

But still maybe delusion maybe not. What if my "delusions" cannot be disproved.

[Nammu]

Since I fully believe my delusional thoughts I have no qualms about sharing them. I have convinced people that my delusions were real...that's scary, the thought that there are such gullible people out there.....but then one only has to watch the USA elections to know there's a ton of people willing to be deceived...purposely or not.

[Icare dixit]

Oops! I thought this might happen.

I wasn't very clear about what kind of sharing. I meant literally having someone believe what you believe, be it with the same feeling of importance attached to it or less so.

In my experience the uncontrollable urge to, as talking about, your grandiose/self-transcending delusions is a distinguishing feature of BP, distinguishing it from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. I can relate to that: everyone must know and must know now! Maybe less so for paranoid delusions, but it might make you find allies to face the threat or find someone you do trust to save you.

Some more bizarre delusions may be not relevant/important for others to know or they are and should remain secret.

Most of you I seem to have confused. Sorry about that. Interesting all the same.

It does make me question whether you could share a delusion without talking about it, which might be delusional itself, but I think not.

I don't see expectations as delusional. It implies room for doubt.

[BlueInanna]

Haha! i just read your post again because i stopped to wonder why "a deux"? And realized what you are asking! Duh I took 4 years of French in school.
What a fascinating fun thing! I have a special best friend from childhood, we sometimes text, rarely get to see each other anymore. He sometimes drops out of contact for a long time, I worry he has bp also. But he is someone I can tell anything to and he will just get it and be so into and tell me I'm magical.
It does take a special friend to stick by when we get grandiose.

[cashart10]

Originally Posted by Nammu

Since I fully believe my delusional thoughts I have no qualms about sharing them. I have convinced people that my delusions were real...that's scary, the thought that there are such gullible people out there.....but then one only has to watch the USA elections to know there's a ton of people willing to be deceived...purposely or not.

Likewise, I told my husband that God was talking to me. Granted, before my psychotic break I was an ordinary housewife and he knew nothing of my bipolar or even what it was but, he actually asked me what it was like to have God talk to me.

Now that he knows, he wants to lock me up for anything that resembles psychotic symptoms. For instance he was on the phone last night and I asked who was talking in the background. He said no one and became all worried that I am hearing voices again.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by BlueInanna

Haha! i just read your post again because i stopped to wonder why "a deux"? And realized what you are asking! Duh I took 4 years of French in school.
What a fascinating fun thing! I have a special best friend from childhood, we sometimes text, rarely get to see each other anymore. He sometimes drops out of contact for a long time, I worry he has bp also. But he is someone I can tell anything to and he will just get it and be so into and tell me I'm magical.
It does take a special friend to stick by when we get grandiose.

At least you have one who'd never get alienated/estranged because of your actions, experiences and beliefs. Cherish that person. Great story!

[Icare dixit]

I once had people believe with me that many people, pretty much everyone around us must definitely be police informers or plain-clothes police or intelligence officers plotting to neutralise us non-conformists, because we were a huge threat. I told them all the reasons they were and they believed it.

Truth be told, this took some uncommon circumstances, but not those would warrant such beliefs. The induced beliefs were so strong that some told other people in all earnest and with a gravitas that matched my own.

Disciples, spread the word! Maybe needless to say, made my grandiose delusions skyrocket!

Not being in any way psychosis-prone just by anxiety, excitement or stress, after the episode they felt more alienated from themselves and embarrassed than I was. Which frankly, is great because now they know some of what I feel.

Luckily for them, they weren't as prone to depression. Pretty much blaming me for the ideas (I hate some people do that: really, I was insane, you are the sane one, if I can take responsibility, you certainly should! What do you think all this guilt is for I am now feeling: for me it is a story of a lifetime and you blame me!?)

My mother (same genetic load) and some friends may also at times believe pretty much anything as long as it is brought with some suppression of crazy. Especially when I wasn't yet diagnosed.