"My Wife is Cheating" Husband's Endless Suspicion... Turns Out It Was Due to a Fatal 'This' [Health Talk]

[Financial News] It was revealed that the reason for suspecting his wife of cheating for over two years was due to delusions of persecution caused by a 'brain tumor'.

On the 25th, according to the British daily The Sun, Andy Hampton (55) suffered from headaches, memory decline, depression, and even developed paranoia.

Hampton continuously suspected his wife of cheating, leading to severe conflicts and a divorce crisis. However, after visiting the hospital due to severe headaches and undergoing a detailed examination, he was diagnosed with a malignant tumor about 8cm in diameter in his brain.

He underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, but his symptoms worsened. After increased brain pressure, neurological changes, and repeated seizures, he passed away at home with his family last May.




Delusions of persecution are the most common type of delusion in various mental illnesses. It is a false belief that one is being harassed, deceived, or harmed by someone. Patients with delusions of persecution believe as if it were true that 'someone is following me, someone poisoned my food to kill me, someone is watching me, someone is using special machines to reduce my abilities'. 

Such delusions of persecution often arise when one's own defects, hostility, and dissatisfaction are projected onto others, making it seem as if others are going to harm them. Delusions of persecution are also commonly observed in people with pathological tendencies to take legal actions such as reporting or suing due to imagined abuse or disadvantages.

According to Seoul National University Hospital, sometimes delusions are connected with their own logic to form a system, making it feel like it's not a delusion unless observed closely, which is called a systemized delusion.

In such cases, if only the basic premise is wrong, and there is no problem with the subsequent logical development, the listener may not realize that the premise itself is delusional, and thus may not recognize the entire delusion.

The most common disorder showing delusions of persecution as a symptom is schizophrenia, but it also appears in bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, delusional disorder, various dementias, and organic mental disorders caused by brain damage or disease.

Delusions of persecution are very difficult for the person to recognize, and it is usually family, friends, and colleagues who notice it first. If delusions of persecution are suspected, it is necessary to consult a psychiatrist as soon as possible to determine if the wrong thoughts are indeed delusions and to identify the underlying mental illness that caused the delusions for treatment.

If psychiatric treatment is not received, symptoms usually worsen. If symptoms worsen, there may be accompanying behavioral problems with risks of self-harm or harm to others.

Especially due to the nature of delusions of persecution, no matter how much those around explain and persuade that it is a wrong thought, it cannot be corrected, and it does not help in treatment, so it is necessary to avoid arguing over the content of the delusion.




Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults. This tumor is difficult to completely resect because it spreads without clear boundaries, and the recurrence rate is also high. The average survival period is only 12-18 months, and the 5-year survival rate is less than 5%.

Typical early symptoms include chronic headaches, cognitive decline, personality changes, depression, and seizures. Due to the non-specific nature of the symptoms, it is often mistaken for simple stress or mental illness.

Initially, many patients mistakenly visit psychiatry first, thinking it is depression or anxiety disorder. Because the symptoms are not clear, and the patient does not recognize the abnormal symptoms, diagnosis can be delayed.

Experts emphasize that even if symptoms are vague, if they persist, a neurological diagnosis including imaging tests should be conducted. Sudden mood swings, delusions, and memory decline in adults aged 40-60 can be early signs of a brain tumor.

moon@fnnews.com Moon Youngjin Reporter