Time and Effort to Establish Therapeutic Rapport With Delusional Patients: Comment on “Delusional Infestation, Including Delusions of Parasitosis ”

Up to 90% of patients with delusions of parasitosis (DOP) seek help from dermatologists.¹ It would be ideal for patients with DOP to be treated in conjunction with psychiatrists or other mental health professionals. However, patients with DOP often refuse a referral to see a mental health professional because they are unable to recognize the underlying psychiatric cause of their condition. Thus, dermatologists are faced with the challenge of how to effectively treat patients with DOP.²