According to the All-Russian Labor Safety Week conference, more than 40% of Russians suffer from stress at work. European studies say 36%. A International organization Labor states that every 15 seconds, 1 person in the world dies from workplace stress.

Asthenic neurosis- The most common disease caused by stress. The general characteristic of the disease is imbalance and exhaustion of the nervous system. Symptoms of asthenic neurosis include increased excitability and fatigue, sleep disturbances and headaches.

Occurs against a background of prolonged physical or mental stress. How long the disorder lasts depends on the form and stage. We will talk about this in the article.

What causes the disorder

High workload

Physical and emotional. A person’s involvement in different circles besides studying is good. But you need to know when to stop. Adults should also be able to refuse to work overtime. After all, with every extra hour of overexertion, asthenic neurosis can threaten.

Emotional turmoil

From this point of view, great joy is no better than great grief - both “shatter” nervous system.

Duration of irritant

Misunderstanding in the team, tension, fear of error or punishment - all factors seem to fall on the person. Doctors are also called provocateurs hormonal disorders, somatic diseases, infections and intoxication. It is believed that the neurasthenic was initially genetically predisposed to the disease. Great importance also affects the condition of the mother during pregnancy.

Forms of neurosis

In neurology, there are three forms of the syndrome. They are also stages of the disease.

Hypertensive

This is where asthenic blues begins. A person in this stage is very irritable. He doesn't like everything, and everything makes him nervous. A person loses attention span - cannot concentrate, absent-mindedness appears. With such neurosis, difficulties with sleep appear: waking up often in the middle of the night is the norm for a neurotic person. Gradually, a “neurotic helmet” forms – pain that “embraces” the head.

Irritable weakness

The next step is increased excitability and fatigue. Intolerance to irritating things increases significantly. Sleep becomes even worse, heartburn appears, and appetite disappears. A person may suffer from constipation.

Hyposthenic

The most difficult stage. If the disease is not treated, a pronounced pathological neurosis appears. The patient is greatly bothered by physical pain. He chronically does not get enough sleep and is extremely tired. Melancholy or anxiety becomes a faithful companion.

How can you diagnose

Diagnosis of the syndrome is carried out similarly in children and adults. Only the manifestations that the doctor pays attention to are different.

If symptoms of neurasthenia are detected, you should consult a neurologist.

He will prescribe treatment based on:

1. Patient's complaint. Standard procedure survey.
2. History. Means the study of medical history, living conditions and hereditary tendencies.
3. Inspection. An attempt by the doctor to verify the correspondence of complaints to physical manifestations.
4. Consultations with related specialists. Asthenic neurosis requires complex treatment Therefore, consultation with medical colleagues is necessary.

During the examination, the neurologist may prescribe:

• Computer tomography of the brain;
• X-ray;
• Electroencephalography;

Treatment methods

First, the provoking factor is determined, then it is eliminated. Two methods are used together:

Medication

To relieve irritability - daytime tranquilizers, to suppress headaches - muscle relaxants, to activate the brain and general condition– nootropics and vitamins.

Psychotherapeutic

Used to encourage the patient to rethink irritants. Psychoanalysis and psychotherapy are carried out. During the sessions, the specialist helps the patient resolve internal conflict.

IN big cities with their daily intense physical and mental stress, it is extremely difficult to maintain optimal mental balance. Therefore, it is the urbanized population that is most susceptible to the occurrence of symptoms of the so-called chronic fatigue or neurasthenia - an alternative name for a mental disorder such as asthenic neurosis.

This is a violation mental functions It occurs in people of both sexes, but men get it much more often. At the same time, its manifestations in women are more dramatic and massive.

Asthenic syndrome, which is characterized by fatigue and loss of strength, is not specific to neurasthenia and can form the basis of many other mental illnesses, ranging from depression to schizophrenia, therefore in itself as an independent diagnostic sign this syndrome is not considered, and to diagnose neurasthenia it is necessary to compare it with other patient complaints. Differential diagnosis requires extensive knowledge and experience from the specialist.

In a general sense, neurasthenia is a neurosis characterized by easily occurring irritability and fatigue, as well as decreased productivity in everyday work due to a drop in mental tone.

The reasons causing this condition may be:

• acute or chronic traumatic situation;
• tense brainwork in combination with physiological deprivation (for example, lack of sleep);
• intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts;
• infectious diseases;
• chronic intoxication (including alcoholism);
• endocrine disorders;
• malnutrition.

The neurasthenic process is heterogeneous and occurs in stages. The first manifestations of asthenic neurosis are moderately expressed, they do not lead to significant maladjustment, and, if such initial stage by taking adequate therapeutic measures, aggravation of symptoms can be avoided at subsequent stages of the disease.

There are three main stages of asthenic neurosis:

• hypersthenic form of neurasthenia;
• irritable weakness;
• hyposthenic form.

At the first, hypersthenic stage, unreasonable irritability and increased excitability arise. A person begins to react painfully to the most insignificant stimuli, for example, the sound of the TV or the sound of rain outside the window.

Those around them, surprised by such a person’s loss of self-control, easily fall under the hot hand. It becomes difficult for the patient to cope with professional duties, but not due to fatigue or exhaustion, but due to distracted attention and distractibility from a task, inability to concentrate on it. A person has difficulty falling asleep, often wakes up, and does not feel the usual vigor in the morning. During this period, there are frequent complaints of weakness, fatigue, constant headache, loss of strength, various discomfort in the body and rapid heartbeat.

At the second stage, the stage of irritable weakness, much more pronounced exhaustion and fatigue are added to excitability and irritability. Reactions of irritation become violent and numerous, and the reasons for this become more insignificant. Cognitive impairments, in particular attention deficits, become obvious to the person himself.

Concentration drops critically, work falls out of hand. The patient still complains of somatic illness - bad dream, pain in various parts of the body. In some cases, depression may develop or libido may decrease, leading to impotence in men. If treatment of the disease is not undertaken at this stage, it progresses to the final hyposthenic form.

At the hyposthenic stage of neurasthenia, the manifestations of the disease reach their maximum. Patients experience increasing apathy, impotent weakness, explosive irritability, they are completely absorbed in their unpleasant sensations. Mobilization to carry out everyday tasks is unthinkable for them, since persistent fatigue makes them inactive and passive.

All this gives rise to intense hypochondriacal complaints, of which there is no shortage. The depressive mood background is visible to the naked eye. Anxiety may appear, and in some cases patients become tearful.

Appeal for psychiatric help necessary for such manifestations of asthenic neurosis, since a chronic course with periodic exacerbations can lead to the development of cyclothymia.

What are the common symptoms and signs of neurasthenia?

Regardless of the stage of the pathology, asthenic neurosis is characterized by:

• asthenic-hypochondriacal and depressive-hypochondriacal complaints;
• sleep disturbances with superficiality, difficulty falling asleep or frequent awakenings;
• increased tendon reflexes, eyelid tremor and some other neurological signs;
• increased sensitivity (hyperesthesia) of the skin;
• sexual dysfunction in the form of decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, impotence, vaginismus, etc.;
• patient-perceived cognitive decline.

Despite the abundance of complaints from patients with neurasthenia, their subjective painful perception of their illness as extremely severe, which is caused by a depressive mood, it is extremely important to convey to them the understanding that asthenia of this type responds well to therapy and can pass without a trace, leaving no changes in the psyche and human personality.

Diagnosis of asthenic disorders

Being a mental illness of the neurotic spectrum, neurasthenia is diagnosed by a specialized specialist. In this case, the psychiatrist must, based on a face-to-face conversation with the patient and his medical history, distinguish the pathology from other related diseases that occur with asthenic syndrome. Such differential diagnosis will allow you to select an adequate therapeutic regimen.

Many people suffering from manifestations of neurasthenia for a long time they try to cope with it in other ways, but if the pathology has gone far and requires drug intervention, then such efforts will not bring results.

How is neurasthenia treated and what can you do yourself?

Treatment of asthenic neurosis is complex and involves the application of known efforts by the patient himself, since the first recommendation of therapy is to eliminate the causes that provoked the disease. It is in this matter that, in addition to drug support, you can do a lot on your own.

So, everyone can identify the cause of physical or mental fatigue, irritability and nervousness. If the patient is busy with an overwhelming job with constant pressure and hassle, it is worth simply changing it to a simpler and calmer one, which requires vacation and mandatory weekends for proper rest.

If a person falls ill due to constant conflicts and turmoil in the family, it is worth reviewing and adjusting the style of relationships between its members in order to create comfortable conditions at home that are conducive to recovery.

Mental exhaustion due to insufficient and malnutrition (for example, as a result of a special tendency to varied diets) can be well treated by establishing a balanced diet of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements.

Acupuncture and similar alternative medicine methods also sometimes work if the patient believes that it will help him get better. You can resort to massage, therapy with pleasant aromas and music.

In each specific case, it is better to begin treatment of asthenic neurosis immediately; it is reversed, first of all, by changing the patient’s lifestyle with the elimination of all factors that provoke an exacerbation, be it intense intellectual stress or a morally suppressive boss.

In the case of an infectious nature of neurasthenia, it is worth starting with treatment of the underlying disease, and if the genesis is intoxication, it is necessary to exclude the effect of toxic substances on the body.

Regardless of the causes of the origin of asthenic neurosis, it is indicated Spa treatment, in which balneotherapy will be an advantage.

Drug therapy and psychotherapeutic assistance

As for psychotherapy, designed to help a sick person eliminate the cause of his condition, it is effective both as individual conversations with a specialist and as group and family therapy.

A psychiatrist, based on the clinical picture of a particular patient, may prescribe:

• benzodiazepine tranquilizers, which will have a sedative (calming) effect, including reducing excitability and anxiety;
• small doses of antipsychotics (in extreme cases);
• antidepressants (if depression develops as a result of the disease).

Of course, during psychotropic therapy, side effects, so selecting a suitable scheme may take some time. IN severe cases it is carried out in stationary conditions.

Besides psychotropic drugs It is advisable to take general strengthening vitamins and mineral complexes, and in case of apathy - activating herbal tinctures with psychoactive properties, for example, Eleutherococcus or Chinese Schisandra.

Prognosis and prevention of the disorder

If all recommendations are followed, the prognosis for asthenic neurosis is positive and full recovery occurs with high probability. When do they provoke chronic factors continue to influence the patient and cause further crises, the disorder can last for decades and significantly affect the quality of life, therefore, when its first symptoms appear, the necessary measures should be taken immediately.

The best prevention is social and psychohygienic measures - the creation of favorable living and working conditions, rational career guidance, avoidance of emotional overload and occupational hazards.

Asthenic neurosis, or neurasthenia, is a fairly common disorder that consists of severe fatigue, excessive irritability and loss of ability to perform mental or physical work During a long time. Typically, asthenic neurosis affects young or middle-aged people, and the proportion of women among them is higher than men. Besides the reasons psychological nature, the development of neurasthenia is promoted by poisoning and chronic diseases.

The main cause of asthenic neurosis is mental or physical overexertion. IN modern society a person constantly lacks sleep, eats poorly and has bad habits that lead to neurasthenia. It can also be caused by psychological trauma and shock - for example, the death of a relative, loss of a job, etc.

Children are less susceptible to neurasthenia, but doctors often give them this diagnosis. In children, asthenic neurosis usually appears due to overwork caused by inflated expectations of parents. Not wanting to upset them, and sometimes under pressure from their parents, children try to simultaneously master the entire school course, visit a tutor and go to training. Naturally, such a load leads to exhaustion, decreased results and parental dissatisfaction. The child begins to get even more nervous, which ultimately leads to neurasthenia.

Signs of asthenic neurosis

Many nervous system disorders affect work internal organs and other body systems. With asthenic neurosis, a person experiences periodic signs of headache and dizziness. The cardiovascular system “responds” to neurasthenia by increasing heart rate and blood pressure. More rarely problems occur with gastrointestinal tract and the genitourinary system. In men, for example, premature termination of sexual intercourse is possible. All these symptoms are not systematic and occur only with physical fatigue or after a person becomes nervous. After returning to a calm state and a little rest, these symptoms disappear.

In addition to complications in the functioning of internal organs, with asthenic neurosis there is a sharp change in states of excitement and fatigue. A person can “explode” even at the slightest provocation, but after a few minutes does not respond to serious stimuli. Doctors note that such patients are not able to control their emotions. They react painfully to literally everything - loud conversations, bright lights, the behavior of other people, etc. A severe form of asthenic neurosis, on the contrary, is characterized by an indifferent attitude to everything that happens around.

Classification of asthenic neuroses

There are three stages of neurasthenia in total. In the absence of treatment for asthenic neurosis, they consistently
transform into one another, however, given certain characteristics of a person’s character, they can develop independently.

• Hypersthenic form

This stage of neurasthenia occurs most often, as it is initial form asthenic neurosis. Treatment in this case almost always gives a 100% result if it was started on time.

A feature of hypersthenic neurasthenia is increased excitability and irritability of the patient. It is very easy to anger such people by talking to them louder or quieter than usual. They also can't stand loud sounds and they hate it when things don’t work out for them. It costs them nothing to shout or insult a relative, colleague or friend, but they quickly waste their emotional strength and lose the ability to work and mental activity.

People with the hypersthenic form of asthenic neurosis work ineffectively, as they are constantly distracted by conversations, rest and any other reasons not related to work. Absent-mindedness, inattention and lack of concentration lead to the fact that by the end of the working day such employees do not have time to complete even half of the tasks assigned to them.

In everyday life, patients experience problems with sleep, when a person has nightmares or cannot sleep at all. It is clear that in the morning such a person gets up tired and irritable, and in this state goes to work. After this, everything starts all over again and only goes away by the weekend, when after rest the headaches subside a little and strength returns.

• Irritability and weakness

If neurasthenia is not cured in its hypertensive form, it can develop into next stage. People with a pronounced temperament and a strong nervous system are especially susceptible to it. They react even more strongly to external stimuli, but the outbreak of emotions quickly turns into a state of devastation and powerlessness, which is often accompanied by crying. However, a reverse change of state is also possible - the main feature of this stage is precisely the unpredictability of mood changes.

Such jumps immediately affect the general condition of the body: a person quickly “runs out of steam” both morally and physically. It is very difficult for him to start work, and if he does start something, he soon gives up. When trying to continue working through force, internal tension increases more and more, which ultimately leads to severe headaches. After resting for a while, the patient can try to start working again, but the strength gained does not last long. Moreover, short breaks do not contribute to improving a person’s general condition, but only aggravate the situation. With absence timely treatment asthenic neurosis leads to the fact that the patient loses the ability to perform any adequate activity at all.

• Hyposthenic stage

Unlike the previous form of neurasthenia, which is characteristic mainly of choleric people, the hyposthenic stage is observed in weak-willed, inactive and suspicious people. Explosive manifestations of emotions in such patients are extremely rare, but the condition constant drowsiness and lethargy is constantly present. The picture of the disease is complemented by depression of mood, constant anxiety and bouts of crying. There can be no talk of any work, since the person is not able to concentrate on any task. In addition, there is increased suspiciousness and a tendency to detect various diseases, which in reality do not exist.

Any form of asthenic neurosis can be successfully treated, especially if the disorder is detected in advance. If treatment was not started on time, attacks of neurasthenia will become more frequent, and their duration will increase each time. This condition is dangerous because even after completing the course of treatment, attacks of asthenic neurosis can recur after a long period of time. This phenomenon is called periodic neurasthenia and requires great effort by the doctor and the patient himself during treatment.

Diagnosis of asthenic neurosis

Asthenic neurosis is diagnosed by a neurologist after examining the patient, listening to his complaints and studying medical card. In some cases, for accurate diagnosis You may need to take a special test. Since the symptoms of asthenic neurosis are similar to the signs of many somatic diseases, primarily brain pathologies, the doctor may prescribe computed tomography, MRI, ultrasound, x-ray, ECG and other studies. These procedures and additional tests will help ensure that headaches and other symptoms are not caused by any diseases, but are a consequence of asthenic neurosis. Treatment is prescribed after examination; if the doctor does not have sufficient information to do this, he may refer the patient to other specialists.

Treatment of asthenic neurosis

As with any other disease, when treating neurasthenia it is necessary to identify the cause of its occurrence. In addition, the patient should be provided with a comfortable psychological environment and relieved of excessive physical activity. In these cases, long sleep is required, as well as hiking, outdoor recreation and restorative diet.

The patient is also given an appointment medicines. Since each organism has its own characteristics, the doctor selects individual medications and their dosage for each patient. Usually this complex includes general strengthening vitamins and medications to normalize work of cardio-vascular system. To restore sleep, doctors prescribe sleeping pills, and antidepressants are used to reduce the load on the nervous system.

Depending on the form of asthenic neurosis, for its treatment may also be prescribed various drugs, which raise the tone or, conversely, belong to the class sedatives. For example, with the hyposthenic form of the disease, it is recommended to take Eleutherococcus or drink strong tea with lemon and coffee. If a person is diagnosed with the hypersthenic stage of neurasthenia, the doctor may prescribe tranquilizers and other drugs with similar effects.

In addition to drug treatment, asthenic neurosis is treated using psychotherapy and physiotherapy. Conversations with a doctor and completion of the course physical exercise reduce the load on the nervous system and promote restoration of strength. As a rule, during treatment, doctors prescribe a whole range of procedures, including medications, psychotherapy sessions, massage, electrosleep, etc.

Prevention of asthenic neurosis

To prevent the development of neurasthenia, a person should monitor their daily routine, highlighting sufficient quantity for relax. Sports and outdoor recreation promote rapid recovery after working day and charge the body with energy. It is also important proper nutrition.

Doctors note that asthenic neurosis is most easily treated if detected in a timely manner. However, if you delay in seeing a doctor, the disease may develop into chronic form, which will be much more difficult to treat.

Information materials

Currently, more and more city residents are officially diagnosed with “neurasthenia.” The symptoms of this condition are very diverse, and therefore doctors are not always able to accurately and quickly determine the reasons why their patient constantly feels unwell. Moreover, analyzes and studies can show only slight deviations from the norm, which cannot in any way be correlated with the suffering experienced by a person with neurasthenia.

What is neurasthenia? This condition belongs to the group of neuroses; its other names are astheno-neurotic syndrome, asthenic neurosis. The ICD-10 code is F48.0.

Unlike others mental disorders, neuroses are reversible conditions. This means that when adequate therapy a person is able to completely get rid of the symptoms of the disease and return to normal life. At the same time, neurotic disorders can be extremely persistent (including due to the peculiarities of the worldview of the people who suffer from them), and if the patient does not consult a doctor, then the same neurasthenia can last for years and even decades. It is believed that many neuroses disappear after 50 years, although this does not always happen.

Experts distinguish three stages or forms of neurasthenia:

• hypersthenic form;
• irritable weakness;
• hyposthenic form.

Hypersthenic form

The disease usually begins at this stage. Manifests this form increased excitability, irritability. Patients often show intemperance and aggressiveness towards others. They can be irritated by sounds, smells, people's movements, and crowded companies.

At the same time, absent-mindedness appears, the patient cannot concentrate, and work efficiency decreases. During times of mental stress, a person constantly wants to “switch”, unable to perform routine tasks for a long time, but then finds it difficult to return to his work.

Very often problems with sleep begin. Difficulty falling asleep frequent awakenings, disturbing and even nightmares. Sometimes the patient wakes up at 4-6 o'clock in the morning and can no longer fall asleep before the alarm clock. After such a “sleep,” a person gets up broken and tired, which provokes another wave of disgust for the entire world around him.

This stage is characterized by headaches of a girdling nature (“neurotic helmet”), unpleasant sensations in different parts body, numbness, heaviness in the head, general weakness.

Irritable weakness

The second stage of the disease is characterized by a combination of increased irritability and fatigue. Intolerance to external stimuli (smells, sounds, movements) becomes painful. Absent-mindedness, difficulty concentrating and remembering progresses. The patient's mood is depressed, unstable, with outbursts of aggression and periods of apathy. Sleep disturbances worsen, problems with appetite, constipation, heartburn, and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach (most often not associated with food intake) appear. The headache may be accompanied by attacks of tachycardia, sensations of “fading heart”, periods of weakness, and sexual dysfunction.

Hyposthenic form

The third stage of the disease, the most difficult for the patient. Irritability fades into the background, and the main state becomes apathy, indifference to the environment, and fatigue. Since at this stage the number of bodily symptoms is very significant, the patient is often worried about his condition and undergoes various examinations that do not reveal anything life-threatening. The main emotion experienced by a person with the hyposthenic form of neurasthenia is melancholy; periods of complete emotional decline are possible. But at the same time this state is not “real” depression.

Symptoms and signs of neurasthenia

According to statistics, neurasthenia most often affects young men aged 20 to 40 years, but this condition also occurs in women, and quite often. In some cases, this disorder also occurs in adolescents, as well as in young children - it usually affects impressionable, vulnerable, sensitive children in families where one of the relatives also suffers from neuroses.

How does neurasthenia manifest in adults and children? Clinical picture This disorder can be very diverse, so you should not try to diagnose yourself. But if you notice some of these symptoms in yourself or your child, it is a good idea to consult a doctor.

In addition to the symptoms described above (headaches, sleep disturbances, etc.), neurasthenia can manifest itself:

• noise and ringing in the ears.
• dizziness.
• muscle spasms.
• pain in the heart area.
• hand tremors
• increase or decrease in pressure.
• frequent urge to urinate.

In children, this disorder may manifest as constant fatigue, depressed mood. Sleep disturbances and decreased performance in school due to difficulty concentrating are also observed. The child may complain of headaches, digestive disorders, and loss of appetite.

A striking symptom of neurasthenia in adults is a disorder of sexual desire. In this case, men may experience situational impotence or premature ejaculation. Both of these phenomena are not associated with somatic disorders in the body and go away on their own when neurasthenia is eliminated.

Treatment of neurasthenia

Psychiatrists and psychotherapists are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. Asthenic neurosis is mental illness, so turning to a neurologist or therapist for help will be completely useless. They can only refer the patient to a specialized specialist and give general recommendations how to establish a work and rest schedule.

The most common causes of neurasthenia are chronic overwork, a person’s constant presence in conditions of stress and the so-called “internal conflict”, which is not realized by the patient, but leads him to a state of persistent anxiety. All these factors require a lot of stress, which eventually begins to manifest itself in physical symptoms, nervousness and a feeling of fatigue. How to treat this condition and is it possible to get rid of it at home?

The first thing a person who suspects he has neurasthenia or has received a preliminary diagnosis from general practitioners needs to do is undergo a diagnosis. This can be done in a regular IPH, but if the patient for some reason is afraid to go there, then put accurate diagnosis maybe an experienced psychotherapist or psychiatrist in a private center. The fact is that asthenia itself can be a symptom of other diseases ( anxiety disorder, depression, and so on), so the doctor, using special tests and during a personal conversation, must differentiate this condition from all others. It is almost impossible to do this on your own.

What can the patient do?

For neurasthenia, treatment at home is possible with early stages diseases and only after professional diagnosis, which was mentioned above. The second and third phases of the disease require specialized assistance, which can still be “supported” with folk remedies.

The first thing that is important to do is to establish a routine. Quality rest will not get rid of asthenia completely, but will help the patient recover. In this case, sleep should be at least 8 hours a day, in complete darkness. You need to go to bed no later than 10 pm, as you suffer from falling asleep late brain activity and symptoms get worse.

The patient should also review their diet and take vitamins. You can buy sedatives or light ones at the pharmacy sedatives. Quitting alcohol and other bad habits. In no case should you “lean” on coffee (even natural) or tonic drinks - they all excite the nervous system, which is already working at its limit.

It’s trite, but true – those with neurasthenia are advised to play sports. You can start with regular charging, since at first even this will require noticeable effort. As you recover, you can add more complex exercises, start going to the pool, cycling or hiking.

It has long been noted that communication with nature helps with such disorders. Combination fresh air, physical activity, “disconnecting” a person from all pressing problems significantly weakens the symptoms of neurasthenia. Of course, you shouldn’t immediately go on a difficult mountain hike, but a weekend in nature in pleasant company will provide a surge of strength if the asthenic syndrome is not yet too advanced.

Psychotherapy for astheno-neurotic syndrome

Part complex therapy neurosis necessarily includes working with a psychotherapist. Even without her drug treatment will not be effective enough, and folk remedies will not help at all.

Psychotherapy can also be done at home, as many specialists now work via Skype. But in some cases, the best result will be from working in a group - this point needs to be agreed with the attending physician.

As already mentioned, among the reasons for the development of neurasthenia, the main ones are the presence of chronic stress and internal conflict. In the first case, the psychotherapist teaches the client methods of relaxation, as well as rationalization - the ability to look at life objectively, without inflating small conflicts and troubles to the size of a huge problem. This helps reduce tension, both mental and physical.

Internal conflict with neurasthenia is, as a rule, the inability to make a decision in any situation. For example, a patient long years cannot choose between his family and his beloved woman, being torn “into two houses.” Or suffers from indecision when it is necessary to change a job in which he does not feel comfortable the right specialist. There may be many examples, but how to get rid of this “bifurcation”? Psychotherapy will also help here, during which the specialist will help the client make a final decision and gently experience the negative aspects associated with this choice.

In adolescents and children, psychotherapy for neuroses has its own characteristics. For example, it is extremely important for children to feel comfortable in their family and to feel the love of their parents. If the attention of the elders in the family is directed to another child, then the child “deprived” of warmth and care may show signs of asthenia. The same applies to high demands, as well as restrictions and strictness in the family.

If problems of this nature are identified in a child, then not only the little patient (a child psychologist will work with him) is sent for psychotherapy, but also his parents.

Complex therapy

It is the most effective way fight against neurasthenia. To the question “how to cure this syndrome?” psychiatry gives a clear answer: such disorders are best treated by lifestyle changes in combination with psychotherapy and medication support.

Only a doctor should prescribe drugs for neurasthenia! The patient will not be able to correctly choose the medicine needed in each specific situation. Uncontrolled reception medications (especially stimulating ones) can quickly and significantly aggravate the symptoms of the disease and bring the patient to treatment in a neurosis clinic.

Physiotherapy also gives good results: massage, baths, electrophoresis, electrosleep. There are many resorts and sanatoriums specializing in the treatment nervous diseases, where treatment is carried out, including physiotherapeutic methods, and the very change of environment, a clear regimen and the absence of chronic stress help patients feel much better.

Clinical psychologist Veronika Stepanova talks about what neurasthenia is: symptoms, forms of neurasthenia and methods of treatment.

Prevention of neurasthenia

Have you ever thought about why top officials of the state, show business stars and other people whose work is connected with great nervous tension and the need to always “be in shape”, do they rarely suffer from such disorders? There are, of course, exceptions, but for the most part, responsible people understand that it is much easier not to push themselves into nervous exhaustion than to treat its consequences later.

1. The most important thing is not to push yourself. Work must alternate with rest, including during the day. Legal leave is a must, since you can’t get everything done, and your body can’t work for years at a stressful pace.
2. Periodic visits to a psychotherapist are very useful for prevention, even if nothing particularly bothers you.
3. A healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition are not just fashion, but a necessity. Attempts to relieve tension with alcohol and other unhealthy habits lead to addiction, but do not save you from burnout and neurasthenia.
4. Every person should undergo medical examinations from time to time. This will help identify how physical illness, and psychosomatic.

Conclusion

Any neurotic disorder in our time, it is possible to cure if you approach treatment comprehensively and have a great desire to return to healthy life. The patient’s mood plays a very important role - often people refuse to change anything in their lives, “drowning out” bodily symptoms and anxiety with a variety of drugs. This can only lead to further deterioration of the condition.

If you have neurasthenia or signs of another neurosis, start treatment on time and as advised by your doctor. No sedative will help you cope with asthenia if you ignore all other advice. Your health is in your hands!

Neurasthenia (or asthenic neurosis) is a type of neurosis caused by prolonged physical or psycho-emotional exhaustion; asthenic syndrome plays a leading role in its symptoms. People of the asthenic type are most susceptible to it - those who tire easily, are emotionally unstable, and hypersensitive.

Nowadays, due to the acceleration of the pace of life and the growth of information load, the number of people susceptible to this disease is rapidly increasing. Signs of neurasthenia are expressed as follows: increased fatigue, decreased mood (even depression), inappropriately high sensitivity to any external factor(light, sound, noise, temperature changes), mood swings, decreased performance.

Signs and development of the disease

Asthenic neurosis, at the beginning of the disease, manifests itself through the following symptoms: a person becomes impatient and irritable, constantly strives to do something, even experiencing extreme fatigue, cannot “switch” to rest.

Gradually, these symptoms of increased irritability are replaced by weakness and rapid exhaustion. It becomes difficult for the patient to concentrate, he becomes whiny and touchy, anxious, dissatisfied with himself and others. At work, such a person begins to experience incredible difficulties: he cannot concentrate on his work, he is distracted by the slightest sounds, the light hurts his eyes, etc.

In addition, asthenic neurosis is accompanied by physiological symptoms: headaches, sleep disturbances (insomnia or excessive sleepiness), autonomic disorders(digestive and genitourinary system disorders, tachycardia, heavy sweating, weather dependence).

Sometimes, a person begins to focus too much attention on his well-being, “gets fixated” on the fact that he is seriously ill, etc. In this case, hypochondria is added to the main disease (asthenic neurosis).

If you are diagnosed with neurasthenia, treatment should begin as soon as possible. If the disease is advanced, the disorders become chronic and it will be much more difficult to treat this disease in the future.

Diagnosis and treatment

Before treating neurasthenia, it is necessary to completely medical examination sick. Neurasthenic symptoms may be concomitant with other serious illnesses(neurological, mental, endocrine). The disease can also be caused by infectious diseases. If other doctors have ruled out diseases of their profile, then a psychotherapist will treat asthenic neurosis.

In each specific case, psychotherapeutic treatment is carried out according to individual program, considering personal characteristics and the medical history of this particular patient. There is no standard program for how to treat and what set of measures to apply for this diagnosis.

When a diagnosis of “neurasthenia” is made, the therapist begins to treat the patient only after joint development optimal mode day, diet. For the first time, you need to completely eliminate any stress - physical and mental. The therapist will help you master some independent mental hygiene skills and suggest ways to improve your health and strengthen your nervous system.

As additional measures, a psychotherapist may recommend a course of relaxing massage, acupuncture, or reflexology. In the usual case, the combination of all of the above measures and the elimination of the traumatic situation itself is enough to successfully treat neurasthenia.