Memories are revised and reinterpreted and the partner's present actions are misinterpreted to produce an absolute conviction of repeated betrayal ( Reference MullenMullen, 1991).ДЄffective disorders complete the functional illnesses associated with delusions of infidelity. The delusions are expressed coherently and are elaborated thoughtfully and plausibly, in contrast to the bizarre associations characteristically made in schizophrenia. In these cases, delusions of infidelity exist without any other psychopathology and may be considered to be morbid jealousy in its вЂpurestвЂ™ form. Delusional jealousy is a subtype of delusional disorder as described by DSMвЂ“IV ( American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and ICDвЂ“10 ( World Health Organization, 1992). Reference BhugraBhugra (1993) suggests that there are societies less prone to jealousy because they place no value on the exclusive ownership of a partner.Д«ox 1 Characteristics of delusions in morbid jealousyДelusions of infidelity may be the initial presentation of schizophrenia, or appear as new features within an established psychosis. Statistics on geographical prevalence and ethnicity are not available, although scientific papers dealing with morbid jealousy have been published by European, North American and Australasian authors. The ethnicity of the sample reflected the ethnicity of the population, so that no correlation between ethnicity and delusional jealousy was observed. Eighty per cent of the sample were married and living with their spouses. In a sample of 20 cases of delusional jealousy studied in California, Reference Silva, Ferrari and LeongSilva et al(1998) found that the average age at onset of psychosis was 28 years and that delusional jealousy began an average of 10 years later. They may miss cases that present with other dominating psychopathologies and will never see those cases that do not result in psychiatric referral. It has been regarded as a rare entity ( Reference Enoch and TrethowanEnoch & Trethowan, 1979), but most practising clinicians encounter it not uncommonly. The prevalence of morbid jealousy is unknown, as no community survey exists. Demonstrably, this is not the case, and morbid jealousy should be considered to be a descriptive term for the result of a number of psychopathologies within separate psychiatric diagnoses ( Reference ShepherdShepherd, 1961).

This is misleading, as it suggests that morbid jealousy is a unitary syndrome. In popular usage, morbid jealousy has been dubbed the вЂOthello syndromeвЂ™, with reference to the irrational jealousy of Shakespeare's Othello ( Reference Todd and DewhurstTodd & Dewhurst, 1955). In contrast, morbidly jealous individuals interpret conclusive evidence of infidelity from irrelevant occurrences, refuse to change their beliefs even in the face of conflicting information, and tend to accuse the partner of infidelity with many others ( Reference VauhkonenVauhkonen, 1968). Healthy people become jealous only in response to firm evidence, are prepared to modify their beliefs and reactions as new information becomes available, and perceive a single rival. It is noteworthy that individuals may suffer from morbid jealousy even when their partner is being unfaithful, provided that the evidence that they cite for unfaithfulness is incorrect and the response to such evidence on the part of the accuser is excessive or irrational. Morbid jealousy describes a range of irrational thoughts and emotions, together with associated unacceptable or extreme behaviour, in which the dominant theme is a preoccupation with a partner's sexual unfaithfulness based on unfounded evidence ( Reference CobbCobb, 1979). However, when the belief in rivalry is mistaken, much time and effort may be wasted in attempting to eliminate a false threat. Jealousy within a sexual relationship has clear advantages in evolutionary terms: behaviour that ensures the absolute sole possession of a partner allows the propagation of one's own genes at the expense of those of a true rival ( Reference Daly, Wilson and WeghornDaly et al, 1982). This definition indicates that it is the belief in the presence of rivalry that is the key issue, and that whether or not such a rivalry truly exists is less important. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word jealous as вЂfeeling or showing resentment towards a person one thinks of as a rivalвЂ™.

Jealousy is a common, complex, вЂnormalвЂ™ emotion.

Sims 4 no jealousy