How to change human behavior through Cognitive dissonance theory?

Cognitive dissonance theory is a prominent social influence theory that was developed by Leon Festinger. It is used in behavioral modification such as in preventing alcohol abuse.

According to this theory, there is a drive towards cognitive consistency in humans. These cognitives are attitudes, behavior, and facts. When there is a inconsistency between two cognitions, the person experiences an internal discomfort. This makes the individual to remove that discrepancy and bring the cognitions into harmony.

For an example, we can ask a person who is abusing alcohol to join an anti alcohol public campaign. We can motivate him to do this by saying that it is not such a big deal and you can make new friends. In addition, if he is not willing to stop alcohol then we can say that he can continue drinking in other times and the participation is just a another event.

However, active participation in an anti alcohol campaign creates a cognitive dissonance in a person who abuse alcohol and it causes discomfort.

Image via Wikipedia

Most people will remove that discomfort by changing their attitude against alcohol. which will ultimately result in stopping the alcohol taking behavior. It is because changing the line of action that is already undertaken create more discomfort and it introduces the idea that the initial judgment to participate in the event is wrong. It is usually against one’s generally favorable view of oneself.

Actually anti alcohol campaigns are not much of a help to general public. However, they are effective in controlling alcohol intake in the people who actively participating in such programs.

Pathological Alcohol intoxication (mania a potu)

This is a type of abnormal state associated with alcoholism. Pathological alcohol intoxication is an extraordinary severe response to alcohol, especially to small amounts marked by apparently senseless violent behavior, usually followed by exhaustion, sleep and amnesia for the episode.
















However it is a rare phenomenon. In addition it is important to note that it is used by criminals to form a legal defense against their criminal activities. e.g. I killed that person because I took quarter of glass beer and I am having pathological intoxication. But most experts can differentiate real pathological intoxication from a fake one.

But some doctors think that there is no entity called pathological intoxication and there is no evidence based data to back it up.

In addition, this condition is not associated with bipolar mania (as the name suggests). You can read my blog post on relationship between alcohol and bipolar mania here

How Pathological intoxication differs from usual intoxication?

In usual alcohol intoxication person usually takes significant amount of alcohol. In addition he/she has physical features of alcohol intoxication such as slow reaction time and impaired coordination. Here behavior can become violent, but sometimes not.

In pathological state, behavior is always violent. After the violent episode the person complain lack of memory of the behavior. Usually in pathological intoxication behavior is more organized than the common alcohol intoxication. In addition in pathological intoxication, the person is not addicted to the alcohol. He/she usually takes alcohol occasionally and gets a severe reaction to it, then stops taking alcohol for a while.

How to differentiate pathological intoxication from delirium tremens

It should be distinguished from delirium tremens which is associated with alcohol withdrawal. Delirium tremens is a state that follows after a reduction in amount of alcohol taken by an alcohol dependent person. Person who abuses alcohol for some time may take less than the usual amount of alcohol and then he/she may go into develop delirium tremens. 

Here person sees abnormal things and hears voices/sounds that are not real. In addition in delirium the person can becomes violent, but usually due to the wrong interpretation of surroundings and people. Organized criminal activity is extremely rare in delirium tremens and if not treated it can become life threatening. However pathological intoxication is never a life threatening condition.

Relationship to the Movie : Final analysis

The movie "Final Analysis" directed by Phil Joanou and acted by Richard gere, Kim bassinger and Uma Thurman depicts pathological alcohol intoxication. In fact, it is quite accurate in terms of scientific perspective. Here you can see a trailer of this 1992 movie. 

Summary

Pathological intoxication is a rare abnormally violent response to minute amounts of alcohol. Pathological intoxication per se is not life threatening. It can be differentiated from the common alcohol intoxication. In addition it can used in legal defense.   

Further reading on alcohol related issues

Why is alcohol so addictive ?

A case history of Pathological alcohol intoxication - PsycNET - American psychological association

Pathological intoxication, Is there such an entity (Pubmed abstract)

Librium for alcohol withdrawal

Uses and side effects of Nodict tablets : A medication prescribed for alcohol relapse prevention.

Sources

Symptoms of mind by Andrew Sims

What is Delusion of Love (Erotomania) ?

Love and being loved are common human emotions. Delusional variety of this emotion is called delusion of love, Erotomania or de Clérambault's syndrome. It is quite different from nymphomania or satyriasis, which are disorders of excessive sexual activity. Erotomania is much commoner in women.

What is delusion of love?
Here, typically a woman believes a man who is in higher social status and older, is in love with her. Although the person has done nothing to deserve her attention and he may even be unaware of her existence. Often reasons given by her for being in love is illogical. For an example a women who is saying that her school headmaster is in love with her may say that it is because he enters into the lecture hall in the direction she was seated at.



In addition, sometimes this delusion can have a persecutory tinge. For an example, the deluded person may say that the love letters send by her school headmaster were stolen by her friends.
Most of the time the man is a well known public figure, singer or patients employer. Sometimes patient may even believe that he (victim) is the father of her children.

Who gets it?
Usually it is seen in delusional disorders. Here the patient does not have any other delusions and her life is revolved around a delusion. But it is common in other psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder.
In popular culture
It is said that, Michael Jackson’s popular song Billie Jean is based on an incident where delusion of love is involved. Lyrics of Billie jean.

Sources
1. Symptoms of mind by Andrew sims
2. Wikipedia Billie jean page

Delusional perception

Delusional perception is a first rank symptom of schizophrenia. That means presence of delusional perception alone is enough to diagnose schizophrenia.

In Delusional perception, Person attaches an abnormal significance to a real and normal perception. It occurs without any cause that is understandable in rational or emotional terms. It is usually self referent, momentous, urgent and has overwhelming personal significance. 

Example

A person suddenly become convinced that he has AIDS, because traffic lights turned to red.
Traffic lights becoming red is a normal phenomenon, however the person attaches abnormal and tremendous personal significance to it. No one can understand the connection between traffic lights becoming red and having himself AIDS.