Movies about erotomania- Mental Health Related Films

Human lives and behaviour are far more nuanced and emotive than any psychiatric diagnostic system or symptom checklist can ever portray.

Most people recognise aspects of themselves in at least a few psychiatric diagnostic categories. The difference between normal and disorder is not straightforward and often has more to do with degree rather than kind, i.e. does it cause big problems?

While movies are not perfect depictions of reality, they often present themes in relatable, enriching, usefully challenging, and thought-provoking ways.

We invite you to explore mental health through movies that raise awareness, open dialogue, present complexity, entertain, and/or normalise experiences.

Click to see the Ultimate List of Mental Health Movies index

What is Erotomania?

Erotomania is a subtype of a delusional disorder characterised by a person’s false belief that another person, usually a celebrity or of a high social position, is deeply in love with the individual (I wish).

In psychiatry, erotomania is defined in the DSM-5 (diagnostic manual) as follows…

Delusional Disorder 297.1 (F22)

A. The presence of one (or more) delusions with a duration of 1 month or longer.

B. Criterion A for schizophrenia has never been met.

Note: Hallucinations, if present, are not prominent and are related to the delusional

theme (e.g., the sensation of being infested with insects associated with delusions of infestation).

C. Apart from the impact of the delusion(s) or its ramifications, functioning is not markedly impaired, and behaviour is not obviously bizarre or odd.

D. If manic or major depressive episodes have occurred, these have been brief relative to the duration of the delusional periods.

E. The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition and is not better explained by another mental disorder, such as body dysmorphic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Specify whether:

Erotomanic type: This subtype applies when the central theme of the delusion is that another person is in love with the individual.

Movies about Erotomania

If we missed an essential film about erotomania, please let us know. We would love to include it.

Note: Movies may trigger painful memories and emotions. Please use your judgement and ensure support is available if need be.

Movie Title: Sicosexual

Release: 2022

Rated: 4.5

Cast: Andrea Esquivel, María Andrea Gomez, Miguel González

Storyline: After finding her boyfriend cheating on her, a woman becomes delusional and obsessed with a YouTuber to the point that she thinks he's the perfect man for her.

Movie Title: Obsessed - Watch now on Prime

Release: 2009

Rated: 5.0

Cast: Beyoncé, Idris Elba, Ali Larter

Storyline: A successful asset manager finds his life and career threatened when a delusional temp worker becomes infatuated with him and begins stalking him, jeopardizing everything he has worked for.

Movie Title: Erotomaniac - Watch now on Prime

Release: 2022

Rated: 7.2

Cast: Salar Ahmad, Aaron Berjohn, Mandysa Brock

Storyline: Carli, a shy young woman who loves to play dress up, is caught in the grip of erotomania. Consumed by the delusion of being loved by a man named Mike, she becomes increasingly obsessed and resorts to extreme measures in her relentless pursuit of his affection.

Movie Title: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (French) - Watch now on Prime

Release: 2002

Rated: 7.2

Cast: Audrey Tautou, Samuel Le Bihan, Isabelle Carré

Storyline: An art student has a disorder called erotomania. She is passionately in love with a doctor and believes that he loves her too. The truth causes her to fall into clinical depression.

Movie Title: Enduring Love - Watch now on Prime

Release: 2004

Rated: 6.4

Cast: Rhys Ifans, Daniel Craig, Samantha Morton

Storyline: A young couple witness an accident. He cannot move on from what happened that day but what bothers him more is the fellow rescuer with erotomania.

Movie Title: Anna M.

Release: 2007

Rated: 6.7

Cast: Isabelle Carré, Gaëlle Bona, Geneviève Mnich

Storyline: A young girl is in the grip of erotomania. She convinces herself that the doctor overseeing her physiotherapy is in love with her.

References and Links

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

More on erotomania: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-erotomania#1

Erotomania according to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erotomania

Acknowledgements

The above article was written under my close direction and supervision. However, much credit goes to Charlene Poliquit (my right-hand man) and Andri Eigenberger (my beloved aunt) for their huge efforts in bringing this task to life.

Vincenzo Sinisi