When someone you care about is struggling with delusions, it can feel like walking a tightrope. On one side is the desire to be supportive. On the other is the need to avoid reinforcing distorted thinking. Striking that balance is not just difficult, it’s critical—for their stability and your integrity.
Understand What a Delusion Is
A delusion is a strongly held belief that contradicts reality or evidence, and it typically does not shift even when shown contradictory information. These beliefs are often symptoms of underlying mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression. They are not just odd opinions or bad takes. They are persistent, deeply convincing, and emotionally charged for the person experiencing them.
Validate the Feeling, Not the False Belief
It’s important to validate the person’s emotional state without validating the untrue belief. For example, if someone believes they’re being watched through their phone, you can respond with, “That sounds really scary. I’m sorry you’re feeling this way,” instead of agreeing that the phone is being tapped. This allows you to connect with their emotional reality without reinforcing the delusion itself.
Avoid Arguing About Reality
You won’t debate someone out of a delusion. Trying to prove them wrong may cause them to withdraw, feel attacked, or become defensive. Instead of focusing on what’s true or false, focus on what’s helpful and safe. Ask questions that bring them gently toward practical action, such as “What would help you feel safer right now?” or “How can I support you today?”
Set Clear Boundaries Around Harmful Behavior
Being supportive does not mean enabling actions that harm themselves or others. If their delusion is driving them to risky behavior—refusing medication, harming themselves, or accusing others—you need to calmly and firmly intervene. That may mean involving professionals, stepping back when needed, or insisting on certain conditions for continued contact. Boundaries aren’t rejection. They are care structured in a way that protects everyone.
Encourage Professional Help, Repeatedly but Respectfully
Gently and consistently encourage the person to speak to a therapist, doctor, or mental health professional. Avoid ultimatums and frame help as a form of strength and courage. “You deserve support for what you’re going through” can land better than “You need help.” Often, people in delusional states feel misunderstood. Helping them access neutral, compassionate expertise is often more effective than trying to take on the burden yourself.
Offer Consistent Grounding
You don’t need to match their version of reality to be present. Stay consistent. Be a calm, stable reference point. Don’t lie to them or play along, but don’t shame or confront harshly either. Over time, your stable presence can help rebuild their trust in what is real, even if they’re not ready yet.
Protect Your Own Well-being
Supporting someone with delusions can be exhausting and emotionally taxing. You need your own support system. Therapy, trusted friends, and rest are not luxuries. They are the foundation that allows you to be effective and compassionate long term.
In the end, being there for someone doesn’t mean agreeing with everything they say. It means offering patience, boundaries, emotional presence, and repeated reminders that they are not alone—even when they are seeing the world differently.
Walking the Wire is about the emotional balance required to love and support someone struggling with delusional thinking. It captures the tension between empathy and truth, expressing the heartbreak of wanting to protect someone while not losing yourself in their altered reality. The song’s tone blends warmth with restraint, showing that love is not just about belief but about steadfast presence. It speaks to patience, compassion, and the quiet heroism of those who stay grounded while holding space for another’s chaos.
