Which term refers to false beliefs about bodily dysfunction?

• A. Somatic delusions
• B. Persecutory delusions
• C. Delusions
• D. Insight

Answer: (A)

False beliefs about bodily dysfunction are somatic delusions. This term refers to a delusional conviction centered on the body—believing one’s organs are failing, there’s a severe disease despite normal medical findings, or that the body is infested by parasites, even in the face of evidence to the contrary. Somatic delusions are a subtype of delusions, which are fixed, false beliefs not shared by others and not aligned with cultural norms. The broad term delusions would include many different themes, but the bodily-focus aspect is captured specifically by somatic delusions. Persecutory delusions involve beliefs of being harmed or plotted against, not about the body itself. Insight refers to awareness of one’s own mental condition, not a belief content.