Have you heard the term ‘Delulu is the Solulu’ or ‘Being Delulu can make your dreams Trululu’? After quiet quitting and bare minimum Mondays, delulu is today’s generation’s trendy word. Apparently, these words can boost anyone’s mood and relieve stress for a short duration.

However, the concern remains whether there is any risk of becoming a daydream believer and accepting the mindset of faking it till you make it?

In other words, is being delulu a good thing?

MyndStories talked to Sanyukta Agrawal, a Clinical Psychologist for her valuable insights. 

What is ‘delulu is the solulu’? 

What does the term ‘delulu is the solulu’ mean for Gen-Z? To understand it better, let’s first see the individual meaning of each word.

• Delulu – the word derived from the word ‘delusional,’ which means one who holds unrealistic beliefs
• Solulu – solution

Thus, the phrase delulu is the solulu means being delusional is the only feasible solution to life’s problems. This term was made popular by the K-pop fan community around 2014 on TikTok. 

Individuals use this slang to describe those with unrealistic hopes or dreams, like ending up with one’s favorite celebrity idol. 

Some other examples of delulu include: 

• Dreaming of traveling the world even when one’s pockets are empty. 
• A strong belief in marrying one’s crush even when they don’t show any interest.
• Being overconfident in getting a high-paying job even when one is underqualified or inexperienced.
• A belief that there is no limit to what one can achieve or how great one can be in life.

Among the many real life examples of being delulu, according to the Bulletin of Integrative Psychiatry, a 48-year-old female patient firmly believed she was not only a member of the royal family of Monaco but also connected to the ruling dynasty. These delusions affected her daily life as well as interpersonal relationships, where her family members found it difficult to communicate with her properly. 

However, according to science, being delusional is considered an erotomanic disorder where people believe a person of higher status is in love with them and are sure they will end up together soon. 

Sanyukta says, “I feel that this phrase suggests a contradictory idea which implies that distortion of reality is the new solution to all people’s problems. The playfulness of this phrase suggests a nuanced approach to issues like reality, solutions, and commitment.”

Why is this concept popular amongst Gen-Z?

‘Delulu is the only solulu’ is gaining traction because most people find it similar to the manifestation process. It helps them increase their self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth. 

Apart from this, it helps them:

• be incredibly positive
• set audacious goals 
• rewire their mind to be extremely confident

Thus, when used positively, being delulu can help you consciously shift your thoughts to manifest your goals, such as career, relationships, health, and mental well-being. 

While being delulu can help in small ways, thinking that delusion is the only answer to all the problems in the world can lead to being ‘too delusional’ and become a sign of psychological disorder. 

The psychology behind delusion

For most people, being ‘too delusional’ or always being in the delulu mindset makes them incredibly proud. 

Thus, these individuals have overconfidence in their abilities, knowledge, wealth, talent, and power even when no signs prove their worth. In psychological terms, this attitude can be a sign of a cognitive disorder known as delusions of grandeur.

Apart from this, the following are the disorders explaining the psychology behind delusion. 

Belief perseverance

Belief perseverance is the tendency of a person to cling to their initial beliefs even after they receive new information that contradicts the basis of that belief. 

Cognitive bias

Cognitive bias is a systematic error in the thinking of a person, affecting how they process the information, perceive others, and make decisions. It can lead to irrational thoughts or judgments, often based on their perceptions, memories, or individual and societal beliefs. 

Selective perception

Selective perception is the unconscious process by which people tend to screen, select, and notice objects in their environment. During this process, they tend to selectively perceive the information in ways that align with their existing attitudes, beliefs, and goals. 

Thus, the psychology behind delusion shows having a delulu mindset is like building castles in the air. 

How does social media influence delusional beliefs?

Have you ever noticed that when you scroll through social media, you repeatedly come across the same content you’ve liked, commented on, or shared with others? If you’ve experienced this, you might be familiar with echo chambers and filter bubbles. 

The online platform you’re using shows you the content of your interest and the accounts of like-minded people you can follow. 

But the downside of this algorithm is you’re prevented from coming across new ideas and perspectives when you look for any particular information online. Due to this, when a person comes across a particular thought or idea again and again, it reinforces their belief system, which might be hard to change later. 

Apart from this, people can be influenced by inaccurate online information, which can impact their decision-making ability and mental health. 

It can lead to various issues such as:

• Using the word delulu without understanding its true meaning, which can lead to misunderstanding, miscommunication, and misinformation.

• Oversimplifying the term delusional, which can prevent many people from having a deeper understanding of this psychological disorder.

• Using social media to look for solutions for mental health challenges and cognitive issues. When they see psychological terms used carelessly, they can be triggered and might find it difficult to seek professional help.

• Using these terms casually, which  can further enhance the stigma around mental health issues. 

Impact on personal relationships

When a psychological term like delusion is used casually, it can bring a myriad of problems in personal relationships, as follows. 

Unrealistic expectations or beliefs about partner

If you believe your partner is perfect and loves you wholeheartedly even when they show red flags like:

• cheating on the person
• behaving rudely and disrespectfully
• spending less time in the relationship

Then, understand you’re having unrealistic expectations or beliefs about your partner. In other words, you’re being delulu in your relationship. 

Lack of communication

Another drawback of being delulu in a relationship is expecting your partner to be a mind reader, or jumping to conclusions without actively listening to what they say, or unrealistic expectations or assumptions that can lead to misunderstanding and conflicts. 

The delulu mindset can, in this way, cloud your thinking and communicating abilities, thus affecting your relationship with your partner. You need to be transparent to have trust to make your relations work. 

Is being delulu a good thing?

Most people believe you must be a bit delusional to achieve anything in life. They believe you won’t get any opportunities in life if you don’t think you’re good. However, these individuals also emphasize that being delulu means you also need to take the right actions at the right time and have realistic belief in your dreams. 

Besides, a bit of a delulu mindset can help set the fire within you to take the desired actions. Also, it can act as a powerful tool for self-belief, which can lead to the path of success. Therefore, if you can cultivate this positive mindset, then being delulu can be a good thing for you. 

As Sanyukta says, “Not all deviations are pathological. There obviously are situations where maintaining a positive outlook even in the face of hard realities can be psychologically beneficial.”

When being delulu is not considered good?

Being a little delulu could benefit you as a motivational tool. However, if you’re always in a state of delusion, you need to step away from carrying this dreamer’s disease. 

Sanyukta says, “Delusions are considered as symptoms of various mental health disorders such as depression or bipolar disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, major neurocognitive disorder, and schizophrenia. When these delusions start to harm the person in terms of coping, positive thinking, and pursuits, you need to stop taking the delulu mindset lightly. In such a case, taking help from a mental health professional will be beneficial.” 

Coping strategies for a delusional mindset

A comprehensive approach of psychotherapy and alternative therapies can help a person to stop being intensely delusional. 

Cognitive-Behavioral therapy

CBT helps in modifying irrational beliefs and adaptive thinking. Techniques include journaling, role-playing, engaging in relaxation strategies, and using mental distractions.

Art therapy

Art therapy can be a potential complementary tool to help you express your thoughts and emotions through non-verbal activities. Some of the activities that will help you understand your thoughts deeply, challenge distorted beliefs, and gain fresh perspectives on their delusions include:

• painting
• sculpting
• finger painting
• doodling and scribbling
• clay art 
• collage work

Music therapy

Music therapy can help develop coping mechanisms, interpersonal communication, and emotional regulation with activities such as:

• listening
• singing 
• playing instruments
• and producing music  
• certain breathing methods, rhythmic and auditory grounding
• musical relaxation

In this way, psychotherapy and alternative treatment modalities, along with a supportive environment, can help an individual cope with a delulu mindset. 

Being delulu is beneficial only if you aren’t chasing rainbows or looking at things through rose-tinted glasses. If a little delusional mindset can help you achieve your dreams, you can shoot for the stars. But do remember that dreams come true only if you take action. If that’s proving difficult, a little guidance from mental professionals can help you.