This sounds like the timeless story of lovers ripped from each other and working towards a reunion doesn't it? Well, it's not. The woman above is an extremely troubled soul. We often grow up thinking everyone in the world thinks as we do. This is often the basis for misinformation and misunderstandings. The truth is, not all humans operate under the same rules of reality. Troubled people veer from the beaten path for a variety of reasons. Sometimes mental illness is inherited, other times it is brought on by life experience, and sometimes the cause is unknown. The Internet has brought into focus some of these disorders and they are probably lurking in a chat room or on a message board near you. Many of these disorders aren't new; they have simply found a new outlet. One type of disorder that has found a new home on the Internet is Erotomania. This disorder is also called Clerambault Syndrome.

What is Erotomania?

This disorder is a form of stalking. The erotomaniac will not stalk just anyone. They focus their attention on someone in high social or financial standing. Quite often the object of the erotomaniac's obsession is a celebrity. Erotomania can be described as an imaginary and obsessive romantic interest in a stranger. In most cases they have never even met the victim. Thoughts of the victim tend to fill the daily thoughts of the affected. This goes far beyond normal daydreams and fantasies. Their mind spends a lot of time fabricating a relationship in great detail that simply does not exist. This type of person will justify just about any behavior they find themselves acting out. They often believe their victim to be stuck in a loveless relationship and they need to be rescued. This is not just a fantasy to the erotomaniac; it is their reality.

Erotomania often occurs on message boards and in chat rooms that are hosted by celebrities. They may spend endless hours waiting for the celebrity to post a message. The erotomaniac believes that their intended is sending them secret messages through posts on these message boards or showing up in the chat rooms under assumed names just to get the chance to speak with them. They feel this is their link to the celebrity and they begin to center their life around it.

Belief System

A person suffering from erotomania lives by the belief that they and the object of their affection will be united one day. There is no middle ground to this thought. They truly believe it will happen. Quite often the erotomaniac will see any rejection as interference by a different party. They cannot believe their victim is really rejecting them. There must be someone else manipulating and controlling the victim's life choices. This could be a wife, husband, sister, brother, friend or co-worker. In some cases the erotomaniac will take their frustrations out on the imagined manipulator. They see them as someone who is standing in the way of their ultimate happiness.

The erotomaniac also functions under the belief that they are saving their victim from a dull and loveless existence. They will use every opportunity to make their victim "see the light". They are often convinced that their victim is disconnected from their emotions and don't yet realize that they are in love.

Why?

What happens in a person's mind that makes them cross the line? What turns affection or admiration into obsession? Feelings of affection can turn into feelings of rage, frustration, and in extreme cases, violence. The erotomaniac has quite literally lost touch with reality and refuses to accept rejection. A person afflicted with erotomania will often exhibit signs of schizophrenia or borderline personality disorders. Most often they hide these symptoms well and tell no one of their obsession simply because they see nothing wrong with it. People with this disorder often feel unloved and extremely unhappy in their daily lives. They combat these feelings by inventing a relationship with someone that they feel will give them the life they could have or feel they should have. They often feel the object of their affection is their perfect spiritual match or what would be considered the perfect and truest love.

What type of Person?

Some of the traits of an erotomaniac are easy to spot but can be easily dismissed as someone who is depressed or having a rough time. They are often irritable, impulsive, obsessive, paranoid and prone to psychotic episodes. Though this disorder is seen mostly in women there are plenty of men that are affected. A person with this disorder tends to be lonely and socially inept. They often feel that they are unattractive and they have poorly paying jobs. These people are quite often awkward in social situations but feel free and unrestricted through the Internet. Though erotomaniacs do not often become violent, it is usually the men that do so.

Signs and Symptoms

If someone is trying desperately to get the attention of their victim they will not give up. They will post message after message on a message board in hopes of getting a direct reply from the target. When the celebrity in question is a traveler, the erotomaniac will venture from their home to try to make contact. Repeated and sometimes exhaustive attempts are made by the erotomaniac to gain access to the victim. These shy and socially inept people suddenly find the courage to pester bus drivers, security guards, and even hotel staff in an attempt to locate the celebrity in the flesh.

The victim may have symptoms too. They are not having symptoms of being an erotomaniac; they have symptoms of being the victim. Quite often the victim will feel depressed, anxious, fearful, and totally out of control of their life. They will also begin to feel vulnerable in the presence of their stalker if they are able to get near. Erotomaniacs do not respect the personal space of their intended. To them, love is totally and completely without any personal boundaries. They may even try to force themselves into sexual situations with the victim. Even in cases where the erotomaniac can get nowhere near them, the victim will live in fear that they will run into them just around the next corner.

How to Deal

The victim should follow their instincts and gut feelings. Somewhere in childhood we are taught to think with our heads instead of listening to our hearts or our instincts. If something feels incredibly wrong, the victim should acknowledge that feeling and be on guard. The victim can ask the person to stop pursuing them, however this should only be done one time. If the victim repeatedly contacts the stalker, they are giving them the attention they crave. The person can be banned from participation on a particular message board or chat room, but this often fails to deter them. They simply make up a new username and carry on until they are detected yet again.

Restraining orders rarely work but one should be sought if the victim feels that they, their friends or their family are in any sort of danger. Quite often these roadblocks are seen as manipulations by outsiders rather then a clear statement by the victim. Friends and family should be reminded to be wary of any strangers. The very best thing the victim can do to get rid of this type of stalker is to ignore them completely. The erotomaniac should not be acknowledged in any manner or form. The victim's best hope is that the stalker will eventually lose interest and move on with their lives.