There was a Discussion here back some time ago on Feeding into a Patient's Delusion in order to decrease anxiety or de-esculate a Behavior. Although not Texbook, many Nurses have utilized this Technique successfully.
Take, for example, a Geriatric Patient who wakes in the Night, is Anxious, and wants to know "Where's my Mother?!" The Patient is informed that her Mother is "taken care of". This Perceptual Statement of Fact decreases the Patient's anxiety and allows her to go back to sleep.
Reality Orientation, for example, by telling the Patient that her Mother passed away long ago, would only serve to increase her Confusion and Anxiety. And, it would not be an Untruth to inform the Patient that her Mother is taken care of, for wherever her Mother may be, she is being taken care of.
At a Mandatory Inservice recently, a Co-Worker and I were in a Group together from our Gero-Psych Unit. All the Groups where asked to list Alternative Methods to Mechanical Restraints. Among other Techniques, I named "Feed into the Patient's Delusion". My Co-Worker asked me to Rephrase the Concept, so I said, "Reinforce the Patient's Perception of Reality". The Concept was Generally Accepted by those present.
Recently, on a MN Shift, I experienced yet another Situation to implement this Concept. A Patient would wake up, get out of her bed, stand at her door, and loudly Sling Insults. "You are Stupid!" she would shout. "I could be smarter", I replied. "You don't know your *** from a hole in the ground!" she said. "I have to admit, I don't", I said. You are a liar!" she accused. "I do tend to embellish and have been told I have a Gift for Fiction", I admitted. You are dirt!" she said. "I am less than dirt", I replied.
This approach gave the Patient no Defensive Comebacks, so the most she could do was to insult me until she ran out of Fuel. And run out of fuel she did. Her Behavior occurred at least Three Times that night and never esculated.
