Psychiatrists in West Bengal, India, have documented the first known case of shared delusional disorder among online gamers. Three men, who played together daily for over three years, gradually developed a shared belief that artificial intelligence was monitoring them through the game.
The delusion, according to clinicians, originated from one participant and spread to the others through intense virtual contact — a phenomenon known as folie à trois. The case offers rare insight into how sustained digital interaction can amplify suggestibility and shared anxiety.
After diagnosis, all three received antipsychotic treatment and cognitive therapy. The report underscores the mental health implications of immersive online environments when human connection blurs into algorithmic dependence.
Sources Nikkei Asia, The Hindu, Indian Journal of Psychiatry, Lancet Psychiatry
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