Pathological jealousy, also known as morbid jealousy, Othello syndrome or delusional jealousy, is a psychological disorder in which a person is preoccupied with the thought that their spouse or sexual partner is being unfaithful without having any real proof, along with socially unacceptable or abnormal behaviour ...
Delusional jealousy (also known as morbid jealousy) is one type of delusional disorder, and as the name implies people with jealous delusions are completely convinced that their spouses or romantic partners have been unfaithful.
Othello syndrome: The delusion of infidelity of a spouse or partner. The Othello syndrome affects males and, less often, females. It is characterized by recurrent accusations of infidelity, searches for evidence, repeated interrogation of the partner, tests of their partner's fidelity, and sometime stalking.
There is no known cause for such a disorder. However, a possible explanation for it could be childhood trauma, where the person with the disorder has had an unstable relationship with their caregivers as a child, or they had familial issues where one parent was unfaithful to the other.
Othello syndrome (OS) is a type of paranoid delusional jealousy, characterized by the false absolute certainty of the infidelity of a partner, leading to preoccupation with a partner's sexual unfaithfulness based on unfounded evidence (4).
Delusional jealousy is a psychotic disorder and should be treated mainly with antipsychotics, while obsessive jealousy resembles obsessive-compulsive disorder and should be treated with SSRIs and cognitive-behavioural therapy.
Measures of jealousy
As we described above, delusional jealousy is a psychiatric phenomenon in which an individual has a delusional belief that their spouse (or sexual partner) is being unfaithful [6]. It is also known as morbid jealousy, pathological jealousy, conjugal paranoia, or Othello syndrome [6].
A low-dose antipsychotic agent is the first line of pharmacological treatment, especially when a level of psychosis has been assessed. Pimozide 2 mg daily for several weeks is specifically indicated for monosymptomatic delusional states such as paranoid jealousy ideations and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
One striking feature in morbid jealousy (also known as Othello's Syndrome, by the way) is the need the jealous person feels to prove their partner's infidelity. Instead of being afraid of finding such proof, they actively seek it.
Othello syndrome, also known as morbid jealousy, pathological jealousy, and conjugal paranoia, is a rare delusional disorder related to partner's infidelity.
Some of the most common signs of Othello syndrome are: Repeated accusations that their romantic partner has been unfaithful without the ability to prove these claims. Attempts to exercise excessive control over their romantic partner, such as monitoring their online behaviors or controlling their daily schedule.
Pathological jealousy, also known as morbid jealousy, Othello syndrome or delusional jealousy, is a psychological disorder in which a person is preoccupied with the thought that their spouse or sexual partner is being unfaithful without having any real proof, along with socially unacceptable or abnormal behaviour ...
In popular usage, morbid jealousy has been dubbed the 'Othello syndrome', with reference to the irrational jealousy of Shakespeare's Othello (Reference Todd and DewhurstTodd & Dewhurst, 1955).
It's also a symptom of mental health conditions and commonly occurs in the presence of bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and other personality disorders.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has long been believed to be a disorder that produces the most intense emotional pain and distress in those who have this condition. Studies have shown that borderline patients experience chronic and significant emotional suffering and mental agony.
People who experience Morbid Jealousy are often very preoccupied with their thoughts, experience obsessions; repeat their thoughts to others constantly, sexual dysfunction, paranoia and difficulties forming relationships. They may also experience delusions.
Jealousy is said to be one of two types: reactive jealousy, which occurs at the awareness of an actual threat to the relationship, or suspicious jealousy, which can occur without any indications that the relationship is being threatened (Bringle & Buunk, 1991).
In any case, it is clear that the narcissistic quality most evident in Othello is that of intense jealousy.
Cotard's syndrome, also known as Cotard's delusion or walking corpse syndrome, is a rare mental disorder in which the affected person holds the delusional belief that they are dead, do not exist, are putrefying, or have lost their blood or internal organs.
Psychotherapy is often an effective treatment for jealousy. A person who experiences jealousy might benefit from working with a therapist to process painful emotions and reframe negative, damaging thoughts that affect their behavior.
Jealousy is a normal and human emotion. However, the manner in which a person acts on the emotion may speak to his or her narcissistic tendencies. A person who recognizes the emotion and attempts to understand it may be able to act upon the feeling constructively.
Jealousy is often rooted in insecurities and fears that a person may not even realize they have. These could include fear of oversimplification, fear of inadequacy, fear of abandonment, fear of being replaced, and fear of being judged.
Consistent with this definition, Buunk (1997) distinguished between three qualitatively different types of jealousy: reactive, anxious and preventive jealousy.