Delulu and Beyond - Understanding the Nature of Delusions - by Meli G

What causes a person to go “delulu?”

The slang term delulu - short for delusional - first took off in 2014 in the K-Pop community (K-pop = Korean pop music). By 2023, “delulu” had a starring role on social media. The term had an optimistic flair though. It was more like “dream big” and “fake it til you make it.”

Actual psychotic delusions, on the other hand, are sometimes cause for a lifelong diagnosis and heavy-duty medication. Especially in the U.S.

There are several psychiatric disorders that list delusions as a symptom, which include: bipolar disorder (I'm diagnosed bipolar 1), schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorders, schizophreniform disorder, postpartum psychosis, and substance-induced psychotic disorder.

That’s an awful lot of disorders. More on that to follow.

So what constitutes a “delusion?”

According to a 2026 article from WebMD, which is used by ¼ of Americans to research health info, the most common types of delusions include:

> Grandiose delusions. This is when a person believes that they have a great talent, have made a great discovery, or are an extremely important person. They may also believe they have a great amount of power or knowledge or are in close communication with a deity.

> Delusional jealousy. A person with this type of delusion believes that their sexual partner is unfaithful, even when it's impossible.

> Paranoid or persecutory delusions. This is when a person believes that they are being conspired against, attacked, harassed, harmed, or obstructed in their pursuit of some goal.

> Somatic delusions. This is when a person believes that they have something wrong with a part of their body, a part of their body is missing, or that they can feel strange things in their body.

> Reference delusions. This is when a person believes that they can pick up on other people's thoughts or that another person's actions are directed against them. They may also believe that they are receiving special messages from the TV or radio.

> Bizarre delusions. This happens when a person believes in a phenomenon that is impossible, not understandable, or unrelated to normal life.

> Erotomaniac delusions. The affected person believes that another person, usually someone famous or of high status, is in love with them.

> Misidentification syndrome. In this case, a person believes that someone they know has been replaced by someone else who looks exactly like them.

> Mixed delusions. These arise when a person has delusions that don't follow one theme but seem to have two or more themes.

I don’t mean to be flippant - because psychosis can be so debilitating (I know this firsthand) - but many of these delusions don’t seem that abnormal. I’m not even sure if “normal” human behavior exists, especially in our rapidly-changing world.

I would argue that all human behavior is normal if it exists, but that we have a common set of human reactions to extraordinary life situations, chronic stress, high levels of societal mistrust, and deep unresolved trauma and grief.

Another delusion that wasn’t listed on WebMD, but is fairly common, is the Truman Show delusion. Named after the movie starring the fabulous Jim Carrey, this delusion involves the belief that a person’s life is being secretly filmed for a TV show, film, or the entertainment of others. They may also believe that people in their lives are actors in this scripted world. It might sound completely zany, but I experienced this and it feels real when it’s happening. I believe certain delusions try to capture feelings or unresolved fears, like legitimate fears of mass surveillance (more on this below).

Delusions may also help to boost our sense of self-esteem and self-worth, in cases where we feel like a failure or a person’s ego is losing “control” during awakening. Some delusions can also represent the feeling of being seen/watched by an omnipresent God or even being studied by intergalactic beings. This may sound far out, but people believe all sorts of things, including that our reality may be a digital "simulation" or like a virtual reality game. Some people believe we create our reality as we go through life - like it unfolds as we observe/perceive it.

Reality isn’t fixed for any of us - and scientists/researchers are always making new discoveries about the nature of reality. Sometimes science actually catches up to ideas that mystics and indigenous cultures have known for centuries.

Delusions are actually fairly common and can also occur during altered states of consciousness, mystical states, and while under the influence of psychedelics and DMT (& many plant medicines).

Other causes of delusions include the following: many types of recreational and illegal drugs, nutritional deficiencies, toxicity from a host of environmental/food/water toxins and heavy metals, and a plethora of metabolic and neurological conditions, such as:

> Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia

> Parkinson’s Disease

> Epilepsy

> Brain tumors

> Strokes

> Infections

> Autoimmune disorders like Lupus

> High and low blood pressure

> Hypo- and hyper- thyroidism

> Cushing's Syndrome

> Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

> And lastly, medications that alter neurotransmitters (esp dopamine) can cause delusions, along with those used for ADHD and nearly every psychiatric medication, including antipsychotics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs used for depression and anxiety), Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs), and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs). In addition, dopaminergic medications used for conditions like Parkinson’s can also cause delusions. Anticholinergic drugs (antihistamines) like Bendadryl, can also trigger delusions and delirium. Along with opioid pain relievers, corticosteroids, and certain antibiotics and antivirals.

Imagine if anyone who ever had a delusion was diagnosed with a psychotic disorder? I shudder to consider this. There are, of course, a few more factors on the psychosis diagnostic checklist before someone is terminally labeled as having a “lifelong” disorder like bipolar or schizophrenia. The diagnostic list of criteria isn’t that long though.

The primary symptoms of psychotic disorders include delusions, hallucinations, disordered thinking/speech/behavior, movement dysregulation, and factors like social withdrawal and depressive symptoms. The criteria is different depending on the disorder (and there’s a fair amount of overlap), but these are the main symptoms. And a person doesn’t have to have all the symptoms, usually just a few.

It also seems as though the fields of psychiatry and pharmaceuticals are casting an ever-widening net to label people as disordered.

We absolutely have a mental health crisis in the U.S., undoubtedly, and many factors are at play. But we’ve spent decades creating new diagnoses, disorders, and loads of new “wonder drugs” - meanwhile mental health outcomes have been declining in recent decades and suicides are up by a tragic 32% since 2000 (there were nearly 50,000 suicides in 2024 according to the CDC). Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth. Moreover, the use of SSRIs has increased by 500% since the 1990s. One fifth of all Americans are on psych meds.

So what good has all this labeling and meds done for patients?

Furthermore, where’s the “walk for the cure” for psychosis? Or schizophrenia? Or bipolar disorder? Why are outcomes so poor for mental health? For more info, check out my piece "Where's the 'Search for the Cure' for Psychosis? Exploring Psychosis on the Awakening Path."

There are movements to raise awareness about mental health and to reduce the stigma, which I totally support in one sense. But the overarching goal seems to be focused on getting more people evaluated, diagnosed, and treated with medication. Again, the outcomes aren’t showing improvements. Many psychiatrists are pointing this out as well.

If delusions (and hallucinations) are so incredibly common amongst humans - and have been happening since humans have been around - how can we have made such little progress to help people who are suffering from them?

I don’t mean to be so cynical, but the reality is that billions of dollars are made from mental illness in this country. There are tons of amazing and well-meaning people working in these fields. People who are trying their hardest to help people within crumbling systems (and are helping many people).

But the primary incentive for healthcare industries is pretty straightforward: to get more customers. To show a profit for shareholders. Etc.

Industries that profit from sickness and “incurable” patients with “lifelong mental disorders” include, but aren’t limited to, hospitals, insurance companies, doctor’s offices, psychiatric wards, state hospitals, jails, and prisons (esp private prisons that need to fill cells) - and of course - the trillion dollar pharmaceutical industry. Many books have been written about the pharmaceutical industry, so you don't have to take my word for it ;)

I believe in capitalism (although it’s definitely rigged). And it’s understandable to want to make money, for ourselves and our families. But let’s also keep it real. This is big business. And corruption is rampant across industries and governments - across the world. We all have our shadow as well, myself included.

Thankfully there are many pioneering psychiatrists and researchers who’ve tried to better understand delusions and their causes - and explore more holistic therapeutic options (along with meds when needed).

To me, a multi-disciplinary and holistic approach seems to be the best. We can also learn a lot from indigenous cultures in this arena. Furthermore, research has revealed that “less-developed” countries have better mental health outcomes than the West. Countries that fare better actually use far less medication - and they’re less inclined to apply lifelong and stigmatizing labels to conditions that may be temporary.

That’s not to say that medication isn’t helpful sometimes. It can definitely help some people, especially in the acute phase. But psych meds have a long list of side effects, and even withdrawal from these drugs can be agonizing.

Researchers in other academic disciplines have been able to shed light on delusions, like those in the fields of philosophy, literature, art, spirituality, religion, and even quantum physics.

I’m not a doctor nor a scientist. I’m simply a person who’s endured psychosis and manic delusions. I desperately wanted to get better and learn how to prevent a future episode, as much as I possibly could. So I’ve spent months researching psychosis, including delusions and their causes - and what evolutionary benefit they might hold.

So what do we know about delusions?

Delusions seem to primarily serve as a way for the person to comprehend what they’re experiencing (esp if the mind is overwhelmed). Delusions can be a creative way to make sense of a continuum of experiences and emotions - from profound and blissful spiritual experiences - to the feeling of alienation from families/society - to help us face the agonizing trauma/fears that are surfacing for healing - to experiencing other realms, like the spirit realm or even higher dimensions.

This may sound wild to some, but not for those who’ve had delusions or even psychedelic trips or mystical experiences. These experiences can be hard to put into words. The mind can sometimes scramble to articulate these deeper reflections about ourselves and the expansive world around us. Sometimes delusions can represent metaphysical truths on some level (like thought broadcasting which can be partly be explained by telepathy or theories about quantum entanglement).

Sometimes these “delusional” explanations are also cloaked in metaphor, archetypes, symbols, and images - which are considered by many as the language of the unconscious. Psychosis is like an altered state of consciousness, where the veil is thin between the unconscious mind and the conscious mind. Check out my piece "The Unconscious Mind, Mysticism & Madness."

Many factors can help explain the causes of delusions - and can even highlight some potential evolutionary benefits of delusions.

Consider the following contributing factors and explanations about delusions. These explanations don’t apply to everyone, certainly, and everyone is unique. I’m also not going to delve too far into each bullet point - this post is getting long enough as it is :) But I encourage readers to learn more about specific factors if they resonate!

Medical and physiological factors:

> With psychosis and even altered states of consciousness, the following systems are generally impacted: the “salience network”, which can create “aberrant salience” or over-importance/meaning, “sense gating,” and the default mode network (DMN). Other systems are involved, like the HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis), but these are the main ones.

> Neurotransmitters, especially elevated dopamine, can stamp events and stimuli as overly important - and meaningful. Antipsychotics block dopamine receptors, which can stabilize someone who’s acutely manic or psychotic. But it can also dampen meaning/reward/pleasure etc from their experience as well. Depression can certainly be common post-psychosis (bc psychosis is often so disruptive & even transformative), but depression is also heightened by antipsychotics that significantly alter neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters serve so many important functions in the body, including functions related to movement and the fascial network.

> Hyper-sensitivity to external stimuli and heightened senses for those experiencing mania.

Psychological and psychoanalytical factors:

> People who experience delusions and psychosis are more traumatized on average, esp in the first years of a person’s life. And if someone’s had PTSD, they have 6X greater chance of experiencing delusions. It’s 18X higher for victims of rape.

> Sometimes delusions are related to actual unresolved trauma, ie fear of being poisoned, even by loving family members or friends. It may sound totally irrational, but the mind may be trying to address an old trauma where a person accidentally imbibed something that made them very sick, especially in early childhood (& may be unaware of the memories that are stored in our sub/unconscious minds & bodies). Feeling followed may also sound paranoid, and sometimes it is, but many women and men have actually been followed, harassed, and/or stalked. The mind can definitely over-exaggerate this threat (due to some of the factors above), but if we can understand the feelings at the heart of these delusions, we can better heal these underlying wounds and possibly prevent future episodes. I recently heard a phrase that "what we don't process internally will show externally."

> Porous boundaries - between self and others and the environment AND thinning veil between unconscious and conscious mind. People can feel flooded with external energies from others and the environment.

> Sense-making and meaning-making when a person’s life is falling apart - or if their ego is losing its grip during a spiritual awakening (more on this below). Sometimes delusions help us feel less alone if we're seemingly famous or being monitored (even if it's negative). They can also help us feel special or significant (perfectly understandable & part of our human needs). We're ALL special and miraculous, but we forget this and are rarely told this (we need to remind ourselves :)

> Loss of self and merging with the collective.

> Ego dissolution and “ego death,” although the ego never dies and serves important functions in life. Delusions can make someone feel like a hero/savior/saint/star etc and/or the worst person on Earth. Talk about experiencing a range and "bi-polarity" of human emotions & archetypes! I experienced nearly every major type of delusion that’s known to humankind.

> Surfacing trauma and unconscious material eruption. This can be immensely therapeutic if professionals take the time to explore themes with patients (although it’s ultimately incumbent upon each of us to heal).

> Psychological complexes like the Messiah Complex.

> Perceiving trends or veiled agendas or secret gov't programs etc that many people in the collective aren’t yet aware of.

> Heightened perception and pattern recognition, which can become exaggerated and/or over-personalized.

> Elevated awareness of synchronicities, which can become all-consuming and sometimes distorted.

> Shadow projection - projecting traits onto people/experiences that are unhealed within ourselves.

Social factors:

> For some: feelings of isolation, alienation, rejection, failure, and lack of meaning/purpose. I’ve had all of these feelings and then some. Thankfully I’ve done loads of healing since then.

> For some: mistrust in ourselves, the Universe, God, and our government and institutions (these last 2 are pretty understandable, right?)

> Mass surveillance, which is hard for many to comprehend. Feeling watched and listened to - by our devices & CCTV etc - gives us little to no privacy. I understand how surveillance can be helpful. But we need much more transparency about the ways it’s being used and ways to deal with it - and actual privacy as well. It’s our human right.

> And of course the lived realities of millions of people at every “level” of society (including the billionaire class) that have been heavily surveilled, harassed, stalked, targeted, censored, de-monetized, de-banked, psychologically tortured, or worse.

If you don’t know this is happening, you’re lucky in a sense. It’s happening daily, especially to some who are challenging power in any significant or public way, particularly: activists, whistleblowers, journalists, researchers, scientists, former government officials, and so on. Not to mention all the psy-ops, false flags, and mass disclosure of myriad ops that implicate numerous world leaders and very influential people (just the tip of the iceberg). I’m not stating this to heighten paranoia - it’s to emphasize that paranoia is understandable in many cases. And most people in the U.S. are aware this is happening. Paranoia can absolutely be overcome, but it’s also part of human existence, especially in the modern world with exponentially-growing technology. It boggles the mind.

Spiritual factors:

> Overwhelming spiritual experiences, which can be amazing, but can also turn lives upside down. I believe it’s our purpose in life to awaken - but it ain’t easy!

> Spiritual awakenings and kundalini awakenings can rock a person to their core and their whole lives can change - which can be blissful and also completely unstabilizing for many before integration occurs (and esp if they have a lot of trauma to heal).

> Spiritual and cosmic/solar/consciousness downloads and upgrades, which can be too much for the mind to comprehend in the present moment. Many believe we’re also receiving upgrades from intergalactic beings and our star families etc.

> 3rd eye chakra opening, which can be an exhilarating gift, and also incredibly disorienting to some. Definitely explore this more if it hits home.

> Some people have noted that psychosis and severe mental health crises are common among people who become shamans, or healers. Shamanic practioners enter altered states of consciousness, often through drumming, to channel healing wisdom from nature and the realm of spirit (including the Upper World, Middle World, and Underworld) in order to heal themselves and their communities. Many believe that "psychotic" episodes are like initiations, in which a person goes through the proverbial fire and is essentially reborn. Shamanism is one of the the oldest healing traditions on the planet and is practiced globally.

> Many people seem to experience other “realities,” like the spirit world and higher dimensions.

> People’s expanded awareness into other realms/dimensions can be hard to fathom. We can experience more beautiful oneness and interconnection, but the oneness can also feel deeply confusing (ie feeling safe/grounded in oneself but also connected to the all).

> People can feel watched by spirits (light & dark spirits) and God. Spirits can follow people or attach to them. Haunt them. Uplift them. Talk to them. Create thoughts in their minds. This is a big topic unto itself. Interaction with the spirit world can feel wonderful and sometimes terrifying. People can also feel judged. People like mystics, mediums, shamans, psychics, energy healers, priests who perform exorcisms, and deliverance ministers also operate in this territory.

> And lastly, spiritual warfare, dark or demonic entities, bewitchment, sorcery, black magic, archons, negative egregores, targeting/harassment/gangstalking, satanism, and curses/hexes/spells. This has been reported by people for millenia and across the globe.

These activities are practiced by some people in the highest echelons of society (& some other societies if ya know what I mean). It’s also practiced by some drug cartels, some organized crime operations, some cults, some occultists (many positive aspects to the occult as well), some people in corporate industries & government agencies, and some gangs. This is just a partial list. If you don’t believe me, there’s loads of information and testimonies available online.

Spiritual warfare - and belief in angels/demons/spirits/jinn etc - has been experienced by people since humans have existed. Belief in spirits is widespread across cultures and across continents. Meanwhile in the fields of mainstream psychiatry, psychology, science, healthcare, and mainstream media - the spiritual aspect of our reality is almost completely denied and sometimes mocked (again by design).

I don’t know what’s true about the nature of God or spirituality or the Universe. I’ve also been agnostic and I understand skepticism. But to constantly deny this aspect of people’s lives is doing a huge disservice to humanity. I’ve also had my own spiritual experiences and my faith is very strong these days.

Side note about one topic in particular: Gang violence goes almost completely unaddressed in this country (again by design). We need more support and rites of passage for youth so they can help avoid these traps. I’ve experienced gang violence directly, on many levels. My heart goes out to any person who’s been in a gang (& their families) and anyone who’s been hurt by them. Gang members themselves experience high levels of PTSD and even psychosis, because of the trauma they endure.

As you can see from this list, delusions have myriad causes and contributing factors. And they can be experienced by all types of people.

I was so ashamed of my delusions after experiencing psychosis, and was therefore eager to find answers about their purpose. I found it so curious that tons of people have many of the same delusions. I figured there has to be a reason for that.

And like any challenge that’s presented in our lives, there must be a way to transmute and alchemize the experience - for the expansion of ourselves and the collective. It turns out, our delusions can be vitally transformative for our lives!

Please reach out if this information resonates or if I missed anything major (as I surely did :)

Thank you so much for reading this far - and much love and blessings to us all! :)

Photos in order of appearance: Prayatna Maharjan, Noe Barreto, also Prayatna Maharjan, Valentin Ivantsov, Mikhail Nilov, Anna Shvets, Leyla Həsənli, Arturo Añez, Charl Durand, Sara Free, Robert Clark, Pegah Sharifi, Giant Asparagus, Pramod Tiwari, Ahmet Yılmaz, and 李 亿 鑫.