When someone is sure that someone means them harm...

[Chummers]

In this case, the window cleaner

Now, I read on forums about a few examples of this, where you can re-position the sufferer at various times of day (parking on busy streets, lots of people walking by etc). The other day my mum had to call a doctor for a quick house visit as my dad was convinced there was someone outside trying to do him harm...

As per my previous

 

[karaokePete]

I suppose one could put this down to an expression of a generalised anxiety that can’t otherwise be expressed. Perhaps the inability to explain this feeling to themselves results in the delusion/confabulation.

Maybe a few questions about what may be worrying the person would elicit enough detail about the true concern to enable reassurance.

 

[canary]

Does he think that an actual person (eg one of the neighbours) wants to harm him, that he sees someone (who might be a hallucination), or that its a vague "person"? One thing that comes to mind is that he might be seeing a reflection of himself in a window and thinks it is someone outside, so closing all the curtains at dusk might solve it - as might covering up all the mirrors. If its not that, some medication to reduce anxiety might help.

 

[Chummers]

Sorry, yes, may not have made that clear. It was a window cleaner who turned up. An actual person, not a memory / hallucination. He's OK with mirrors at the moment.

 

[canary]

Oh dear, delusions are hard to cope with. Could he possibly have mixed him up in his mind with something he saw on telly?
I think you can only reassure him that you have sent the window cleaner away and he is gone

 

[jenniferpa]

Actually, when you think about it, a window cleaner would be scary if you didn't know/couldn't remember who they were: a person up a ladder in front of your windows - it wouldn't be unreasonable to be scared of them. I can only suggest that in future you try to make sure that the window cleaner comes when he and your mother are out.

 

[Sirena]

I agree with Jennifer, it's entirely reasonable to think a window cleaner might be intending to hurt you. It's someone standing right by your window and making noise and motions 'as if to get in', and the PWD has no idea what they are actually doing. If you don't know what a window cleaner is, it is not at all illogical to be scared of them.