What psychological phenomenon involves a patient believing they have merged with the universe?

The psychological phenomenon where a patient believes they have merged with the universe is known as cosmic identity. This concept refers to an individual's perception of an existential connection with the vastness of the universe, often characterized by feelings of unity with all existence, nature, or the cosmos. It may arise in various psychological contexts, including spiritual experiences or altered states of consciousness.

In contrast, ideas of reference involve the belief that common elements of the environment (such as gestures, comments, or events) are directly related to oneself. Delusions of identity pertain to a more specific and distorted sense of self related to identity, often due to psychiatric conditions. Paranoid delusions, on the other hand, involve erroneous beliefs that one is being persecuted or harmed by others. Each of these alternatives diverges from the broader existential and universal connotations that embody cosmic identity.