Directory of Physicians and Dentists

The erotic jealousy syndrome is delusion of infidelity of a spouse or partner. It affects males and, less often, females. It is characterized by recurrent accusations of infidelity, searches for evidence, repeated interrogation of the partner, tests of their partner's fidelity, and sometime stalking. The syndrome may appear by itself or in the course of paranoid schizophrenia, alcoholism, or cocaine addiction. As in Othello, the play by Shakespeare, the syndrome can be highly dangerous and result in disruption of a marriage, homicide and suicide. The erotic jealousy syndrome was first named the Othello syndrome by the English psychiatrist John Todd (1914-1987) in a paper he published with K. Dewhurst entitled "The Othello Syndrome: a study in the psychopathology of sexual jealousy" (Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorder, 1955, 122: 367). The erotic jealousy syndrome is also known as the Othello syndrome, delusional jealousy, erotic jealousy syndrome, morbid jealousy, Othello psychosis, and sexual jealousy.