Stompe and colleagues (2006) found that grandiose delusions appeared more commonly in patients with bipolar disorder (59%) than in patients with schizophrenia (49%), followed by presence in substance misuse disorder patients (30%) and depressed patients (21%).
A relationship has been claimed between the age of onset of bipolar disorder and the occurrence of GDs. According to Carlson et al. (2000), grandiose delusions appeared in 74% of the patients who were 21 or lower at the time of the onset, while they occurred only in 40% of individuals 30 years or older at the time of the onset.
According to the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for delusional disorder, grandiose type symptoms include grossly exaggerated belief of: * self-worth * power * knowledge * identity * Or exceptional relationship to a divinity or famous person.
For example, a person may believe they are God, an important politician, a rock star, a scientist etc. and will believe that they hold strong authority or power on the people around them and sometimes even entire countries [e.g. they believe they are the president of a country.]
Delusions of grandeur can be a symptom of a number of different psychological conditions. It is also referred to as megalomania and