Quickbite: Overvalued ideas: a lost concept?

The concept of the overvalued idea has been debated by European psychopathologists for more than a century. There is very little research on the topic itself. Therefore the concept remains understudied and underutilised.

In this module we will look at the historical development of the concept and outline the various theories proposed about this concept. We will then apply these theories specifically to two different but related disorders – body dysmorphic disorder and olfactory reference syndrome. By the end of the module we hope you will have a better understanding of an overvalued idea, and be able to take different perspectives into account when diagnosing and treating your patients.