Erotomania revisited: from Kraepelin to DSM-III-R

Erotomania, the persistent delusion of being loved from afar by another person, has defied easy categorization for years. Kraepelin and de Clérambault both discussed the syndrome in detail, but it has recently appeared officially for the first time, in DSM-III-R, as a subtype of delusional (paranoid) disorder, in a return to the original Kraepelinian formulation. The author reviews the history, theories of etiology, course, and treatment of erotomania. He concludes that the DSM-III-R classification is correct and that neuroleptics and enforced separation, although only moderately effective, are the best treatments for troublesome cases.