Self-induced illusion

I nearly jumped from my seat today, I read in New York Press, a weekly newspaper in New York City. I couldn't believe she or anyone would 1. write on him and 2. win an award for it. Whew. She writes, "I’ve never in my life, my odd life, had a stronger feeling of the actual presence of the character—like a self-induced delusion, you know, ..." Uh, actually I don't know and I'm not sure I want to know. Thanks.