["Folie a deux" in the age of lasers].

Abstract

We report on a 59-year-old teacher suffering for approximately 5 years from multiple dermatological changes, some of which are artificially induced and some of which are imaginary. The patient believes these manifestations are the result of neighbors shooting at her with lasers. Her husband is also convinced of the veracity of these impressions. We interpret her notion of almost daily laser attacks to a skin-related paranoid/hallucinatory psychosis with the involvement of her husband in a "folie à deux".

• Authors: C Raulin, J Rauh, B Tögel
• Journal: Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift für Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete (Hautarzt) Vol. 52 Issue 12 Pg. 1094-7 (Dec 2001) ISSN: 0017-8470 [Print] Germany
• Vernacular Title: "Folie à deux" im Laserzeitalter.
• PMID: 11910859 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Delusions (diagnosis, psychology)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Factitious Disorders (diagnosis, psychology)
• Female
• Humans
• Lasers (adverse effects)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Paranoid Disorders (diagnosis, psychology)
• Shared Paranoid Disorder (diagnosis, psychology)
• Skin (injuries)
• Spouses (psychology)