The Delusion of Doubles: When Familiar Faces Become Strangers Capgras Syndrome and its Clinical Implications

Capgras syndrome is a rare neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by the delusional belief that a person or place has been replaced by an identical duplicate. We present a case of a 35-year-old male with schizophrenia who developed Capgras syndrome, believing that his wife was an imposter. The patient was treated with a combination of antipsychotic medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy, which led to significant improvement in his symptoms. This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of Capgras syndrome, particularly in patients with schizophrenia. Experts describe Capgras syndrome as a delusion of doubles. Delusions are an intense belief in something untrue. People with this syndrome think an identical duplicate (or double) replaced someone or something they love — including animals. They recognize the face but don’t feel emotionally attached; so, they assume that the person (or animal) is an imposter. They usually think the imposter has bad motives, which can cause someone with Capgras syndrome to get angry or even violent.