Exogenously caused neurosis symptoms and treatment. Neurosis. Symptoms, causes, types, treatment and prevention of neurosis. Somatic symptoms of neuroses

In today's rapidly changing world human body exposed to stress, everyday problems, and conflict situations every day. Such a clash of opposing goals, interests and opinions can lead to the development of special functional states– neuroses.

The term “neurosis” includes a whole group of neuropsychic disorders that have a conflict-related origin. They are formed as the consequences of a person’s changed attitude to the world around him, negative perception, non-recognition of personal positions and views.

Neuroses and neurosis-like conditions are reversible, but the lack of correction, as well as the inadequacy and untimeliness of its implementation, can lead to long years maintain the clinical manifestations of the pathology and significantly reduce the patient’s quality of life.

Causes

Neurotic disorders are classified as diseases whose etiology is represented by multifactorial components. Such disorders are based on complex psychological, biological and social mechanisms of pathogenesis. A psychotraumatic situation serves only as a reason for their initiation.

Neuropsychiatric disorders are formed under conditions of exposure to prolonged or severe stress, mainly in individuals predisposed to their development. Persons with excessive dominance of certain character traits are susceptible to neuroses. Such features cause a decrease in a person’s resistance to psychogenic influences and complicate adaptation in a number of situations. Similar aspects of character are laid down in childhood if he suffers educational process(there is overprotection, protectiveness, intimidation, suppression of independence, deprivation of one’s own initiative, contradictory demands, and so on). Under the influence of a psychotraumatic situation, the patient experiences a psychological conflict that he is unable to resolve, and the adaptive abilities of the brain are disrupted.

The essence of pathogenesis comes down to disturbances in the processes of inhibition and excitation in the nervous tissue, resulting in disorders of higher nervous activity. In addition, dysfunction of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex system is important. Interhemispheric relationships and suprasegmental parts of the autonomic system suffer nervous system. Additionally, neurotransmitter disorders are diagnosed (the exchange of catecholamines and dopamine changes).

Clinical features

Neurotic personality disorder has its own clear characteristics that make it possible to differentiate it from pathology that has an organic nature. Typical for neuroses is:

reversibility of disorders, independent of their duration;
psychogenic nature of the disease\
the predominance of emotional-affective and vegetative-somatic disorders in the clinic.

Also, neurotic disorders are characterized by a high percentage of the spread of the disease among women, as well as persons with predisposing accentuated character traits. The peak incidence occurs in young working age from 15 to 25 years.

Classification

The main clinical forms of neurotic disorders allow a more complete assessment of the typical mechanisms of pathological perception and analysis of external conflict-generating influences. In addition, the system for distinguishing psychogenic diseases guides the doctor on how to treat neurosis.

Traditionally, the following types of neuroses are distinguished:

neurasthenia;
hysteria;
obsessive-compulsive neurosis.

In addition, the group of general neuroses separately includes depressive and hypochondriacal neurosis, as well as anorexia nervosa.

The basis for the classification of neurotic disorders according to systemic feature basic functional systems, involved in clinical picture diseases, and, accordingly, how psychogenic pathology manifests itself. According to this distribution, neurotic disorders can manifest themselves in the form of stuttering, neurotic tics, enuresis and encopresis. Characterological neuroses can arise on the basis of accentuated personality traits and form pathocharacterological reactions and behavioral disorders.

Neurasthenia

The most common neurotic disorder, characterized by increased irritability, pathological fatigue and exhaustion. In most cases, the disease is the result of nervous or mental stress at work. A typical manifestation of neurosis is an excessive response to surrounding events with unrestrained emotions combined with asthenization of the body as a whole. Patients cannot control their emotions and are prone to sobbing. They experience feelings of melancholy and hopelessness, constant dissatisfaction with themselves, and become exhausted extremely quickly. In addition, neurasthenics are characterized by symptoms of damage to the autonomic nervous system (tachycardia, instability of blood pressure, and temperature during neurosis may be noted).

The psychological basis of neurasthenia is the contradiction between the individual’s potential and the patient’s inflated demands on himself.

Hysterical neurosis

Hysteria is a consequence mental trauma. Clinical manifestations of neurosis include both neurological and mental symptom complexes. Acute hysterical neurosis is manifested by the following neurological signs:

movement disorders (hysterical hyperkinesis, gait disturbances, paralysis, hysterical paroxysms);
sensory disturbances (hysterical anesthesia and pain syndromes, as well as hysterical deafness and blindness);
speech disorders (hysterical aphonia, mutism, stuttering, chanting).

Mental manifestations of the disease are more complex behavioral in nature. These include:

hysterical stupefaction - a transient state of disorientation in time, space and one’s own personality with a lack of reaction to others;
hysterical fugue - a sudden and aimless flight from home, work or other place;
pseudodementia – ridiculous behavior and answers to adequate questions;
puerilism - imitation of the behavior of children (talking in a thin voice, distorting words, hysterical apraxia);
hysterical depression - demonstrativeness of suffering and experiences.

In addition, there may be somatic symptoms of hysteria, reminiscent of manifestations of a variety of diseases that a person does not actually suffer from. However, neurosis must necessarily be a diagnosis of exclusion. It is legitimate to establish the presence of hysteria only in the absence of signs of organic pathology.

Hysterical neurosis develops against the background of an individual’s unreasonably high demands on others, along with a lack of criticism of his own behavior and state as a whole.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

The most rare type of neurosis. Neurotic syndromes consist of obsessive fears, concerns, doubts, memories and actions. This disease affects people with pronounced anxious and suspicious character traits. Even a minor psychotraumatic factor for them can become a reason for the formation of psychogenic symptoms.

Obsessions manifest themselves in the form of:

obsessive fears (phobias);
obsessive thoughts(obsessions);
obsessive actions (compulsions).

Phobias are not a protective emotional reaction of the body. Their formation has successive stages and proceeds gradually. Initially, obsessive fear occurs when certain circumstances occur that act as a psychological trauma for a person. Subsequently, this reaction is consolidated in response to similar situations and then appears at the mere thought of what happened. The most common types of phobias include:

Fear of space (open - agoraphobia, closed - claustrophobia);
Nosophobia (fear of disease);
Zoophobia (fear of animals, birds, insects);
Social phobias (fear of loneliness, society, public speaking, judgment of others, and so on).

As a rule, a person suffering from obsessive-compulsive neurosis has one subtype of phobia.

Obsessive thoughts are painful for the patient and arise against his will. Despite attempts to resist them, they constantly return to the patient in a stereotypical form. Most often, obsessive thoughts manifest themselves in the form of unmotivated desires and doubts. A person feels the need to perform some rituals (for example, to stand only on his left foot or to count all the windows in brick houses for no reason), and is also constantly preoccupied with thoughts about whether he did the right thing, whether he did everything.

Obsessions give rise to obsessive actions - repeated stereotypical behaviors. They can take on the form of protective rituals, which, according to patients, protect him and loved ones from dangerous situations.

The common features of all obsessions are stability, systematicity and the inability to get rid of them. The patient is critical of the manifestations of the disease and recognizes obsessions as a painful condition for himself. However, phobias, obsessions and compulsions arise in addition to the desire of the neurotic to resist them.

Diagnosis and treatment

Identifying neuroses presents some difficulties due to the presence of subtle forms of the disease and symptoms similar to a number of other diseases. It must be remembered that neurosis is a diagnosis of exclusion! Therefore, any neurotic reactions require thorough examination patient to exclude organic neurological and/or somatic pathology. Diagnosis of neuroses comes down to a conversation between the patient and the doctor, as well as passing a series of neuropsychological tests.

Treatment of neuroses involves determining the primary role of neutralizing the causes of the disease. For this purpose, home and work routines are normalized, physical and mental stress is reduced, and psychotherapy is used. All this is aimed at the psychological adaptation of a person and allows one to purposefully influence the psychogenic factor and actively resist it.

One of the main criteria for rational psychotherapy for neuroses is the validity of presenting the essence of the disease to the patient. A psychotherapist or neurologist should accessible form Explain to the patient and his loved ones what neurosis is and how to cure it. A clear understanding of one’s own condition reliably increases the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic correction.

TO medicinal correction resort to extreme cases, when systematic long-term and complex psychotherapy for neuroses did not give results. When choosing a drug treatment strategy, it is necessary to remember that clinical symptoms and treatment of neuroses are directly related to each other. However, the selection of drugs, frequency and duration of administration are carried out only according to the recommendations of the attending physician. The most commonly used pharmacological agents are neuroleptics, tranquilizers, sedatives or stimulants, and vegetative correctors.

Neuroses, as one of the variants of diseases of civilization, are increasingly found among the population due to increasing urbanization, information overload and an increasing number of stressful situations. Its widespread prevalence among young people of working age places neuroses among a number of medical and social problems. Working with individuals who have character traits predisposing them to the development of neuroses is the basis for effective prevention neurotic disorders. Difficulties in diagnosis and the specificity of methods for correcting borderline pathology determine the importance of further study of the definition and treatment of the disease.

Associated with problems, but not with delusions or hallucinations, in which behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or This term essentially describes invisible traumas and their consequences. The neurosis clinic contains collective information for a group of functional reversible disorders of a psychogenic nature, which tend to be protracted. Signs of neurosis are characterized by obsessive hysterical and asthenic manifestations. They are characterized by a temporary decrease in physical and mental performance.

The term neurosis was coined by Scottish physician William Cullen in 1769 to mean “a disorder of feeling and movement caused by a general affection of the nervous system.” He described various nervous disorders and symptoms that could not be explained physiologically. The word comes from the Greek word neurosis, which means nerve. In all cases, the psychogenic factor is conflicts (internal or external), causing prolonged overstrain of intellectual and emotional spheres mental health or psychological trauma. The term has been revised many times throughout history, and today there is no unambiguous interpretation of it. It should also be noted that today in medicine and biology neurosis is not the same name. functional disorders, and the signs of neurosis in these areas are different.

There are many different specific forms of fear, obsessive-compulsive disorder, hysteria (in which anxiety can be relieved by physical symptoms), and an almost endless variety of phobias, as well as pyromania. The main signs of neurosis manifest themselves in the form mental symptoms. This is also, often without visible reasons, emotional distress. Communication problems and indecisiveness. Inadequate or underestimated. Frequent experiences of anxiety, fear, phobia are possible panic disorders and Characterized by uncertainty or inconsistency of life desires, value systems, preferences, ideas about others, about life and about oneself. Cynicism can often be observed.

Signs of neurosis are characterized by instability of mood, its frequent and sharp variability, and irritability. There is a high sensitivity to stress: a person reacts to a minor event with aggression or despair. Tearfulness, vulnerability, touchiness, anxiety, fixation on situations of a traumatic nature. and memory loss during work. Weakened thinking abilities and attention. Increased sensitivity to temperature changes, bright light, loud sounds. There is a sleep disorder: often a person cannot fall asleep due to an overexcited state. The dream is disturbing and superficial, it does not bring relief. Drowsiness is often observed in the morning.

Diagnosis of these neurotic disorders begins with a thorough medical examination, the purpose of which is to determine whether neurosis is occurring. Signs of it begin to be established by studying history, then a full medical checkup And special testing. Tests are designed to rule out hyperthyroidism or mitral valve prolapse (MVP), as both conditions have symptoms that can be alarming. Evaluation by a psychiatrist or other licensed mental health professional is often necessary in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases called neuroses or neurotic disorders.

The most important causes of neuroses are problems and traumas that have their roots in early childhood. They are usually caused by disturbances in the relationship between parents. Emotional, physical and mental stress play a big role. They are the result of internal tension and weak defense personal interests from various external aggressions.

Prolonged and chronic disorders of the human nervous system, which are characterized by a change in psycho-emotional state, are called neurosis. The disease is caused by a decrease in both mental and physical ability, as well as the appearance of obsessive thoughts, hysteria and asthenic manifestations. Neuroses belong to a group of diseases that have a protracted course. This disease affects people who are characterized by constant overwork, lack of sleep, anxiety, grief, etc.

The fact that such neurosis has become known since 1776, thanks to the research of the Scottish physician William Cullen. More detailed research The Russian scientist I.P. Pavlov studied this disease and its types.

A variety of neuroses

In medicine, there are four main types of mental neuroses, which have continued to be researched and studied for many centuries. These species have the following names:

Depressive. Characteristic signs of a decadent mood and inhibition of intellectual development.
Hysterical neurosis caused by low self-esteem of a person among others. There is a feeling of lack of attention, which leads to pretentious behavior and a complete reassessment of the personality. Hysterical neurosis often begins in childhood.
Asthenic or neurasthenia. Characteristic factors of the disease: fatigue, mood instability and a state of complete depression.
Anxious. The name says that this disease is based on the appearance of factors of fear, increased anxiety, and depression.
Bulimic neurosis. Refers to mental disorders and is characterized by the manifestation of uncontrollable eating of high-calorie foods. Bulimic neurosis is more common among men (about 60%), less common among women.

These neuroses have their own individual causes, as well as symptoms, so it is worth paying special attention to each type.

Causes of neuroses

The main factors for the onset of a disease based on mental disorders include physical and psychological effects. Experienced doctors stand out following reasons emergence mental disabilities in people:

Heavy loads on the brain or serious emotional experiences. Mental stress is typical for children, while reasons such as unwanted dismissal, divorce, dissatisfaction with life are typical for adults.
Lack of ability to solve various problems. The main cause of mental disorder is considered to be various types of pressure from other people. For example, loans of money that eventually need to be repaid, but when they are not there, there is nothing to repay. In such a situation, the person who borrowed begins to put pressure on the borrower in every possible way, which causes the occurrence of a neurotic disorder in the second one.
Characteristic signs of forgetfulness that ultimately lead to serious consequences(death of people, damage to property, illness). These consequences settle in a person’s soul and do not provide the opportunity for a normal existence. A state of self-blame and doubt arises.
Deviations in the development of the central nervous system come down to the fact that a person is incapable of prolonged physical and mental stress. These reasons contribute to the development of asthenic neurosis.
Diseases that cause complete or partial depletion of the body. Characteristic diseases this kind is considered, etc. An important reason that tends to provoke neuroses is a person’s addiction to alcohol, tobacco products or narcotic substances.

Currently, neuroses have entered everyday human life unnoticed, and it is almost difficult to say how many people do not know this disease. For some people, this disorder is considered a normal condition, but for others it is suffering, the way out of which a person finds not in medications, but in alcohol, religion, and work. Thus, trying to get away from the main primary sources of mental disorders.

There is an opinion that neuroses are protective factors of the brain, providing protection from unfavorable social and psychological influences. These influences include: aggressive attitude of parents towards the child or, conversely, too much care, isolation or humiliation, neglect. A genetic predisposition cannot be ruled out, which may ultimately manifest itself both in older age and in children. When a child’s parents allow everything, he gets used to it, and when he enters kindergarten or school, the attitude of his peers and teachers towards him will be correspondingly different. In this case, children experience conflict situations, which affects primarily the child’s psyche.

From this it turns out that even from an early age, the cause of subsequent neurosis in children develops.

Thus, the psychological reasons for provoking neurosis include:

features of educational methods;
the level of parents' aspirations for the child;
human relationships in the social sphere;
characteristics of personality development.

Biological causes causing neuroses are characterized by:

functional failure;
deviations due to congenital pathologies;
physical injuries;
injuries in women during difficult childbirth or through abortion.

Based on the causes of the disease, corresponding symptoms appear in a person.

Symptoms

Knowing now what neurosis is and the causes of its occurrence, it is worth paying special attention to the symptoms. Symptoms of the disease in adults and children differ in their forms of expression, so let’s look at them in more detail.

Symptoms of the disease are divided into two forms of manifestation: somatic and mental.

Somatic symptoms neurosis characterized by the manifestation pain, such as:

The occurrence of headaches, characterized by duration and suddenness of appearance. Pain in the heart and abdomen, muscles and joints, which is the root cause of the malaise. Also characteristic is the appearance of hand tremors and frequent urination, not necessarily supported by diseases of the kidneys and genital organs.
It is common for a person to get tired quickly, even if he has not done anything. At the same time, fatigue is both physical and mental. There is no desire to do any work, and there is a decrease in performance. A person with symptoms of neurosis becomes sleepy and gloomy.
Darkening in the eyes, disorientation in the area, dizziness and even fainting - all these are symptoms of the disease.
It is common for a person to experience sweating, which is characterized by the frequency of its occurrence. This sweating does not arise from hot weather, but from constant fear, anxiety, and nervousness. Sweat is especially active at night, when a person sleeps and discovers a damp pillow the next morning.
Mental disorders affect the decrease in potency and can ultimately develop a disease such as prostatitis.
The vestibular apparatus is damaged. Signs of this disorder are frequent dizziness, especially when tilting your head back. These dizziness are rare in the initial stages, but as the disease progresses they intensify and cause discomfort when performing physical work.
Dietary disorder. Psychological view causes disturbance of appetite in a person, and this can be either undernutrition or overeating. Overeating or excessive consumption of fatty foods indicates that a person has bulimic neurosis. Against the background of mental disorders, a person finds solace in eating food, which causes another problem - obesity. Frequent meals also do not solve the problem of neurosis, so therapeutic measures will be required.
The occurrence of insomnia or a constant desire to sleep. Depending on the person and the reason for provoking neurosis, one or another symptom may be inherent. Occurs during sleep frequent awakenings caused by nightmares.
Health problems that affect the human psyche. He worries about his health, about what to do next, what to do.

Mental symptoms of the disease:

Emotional stress that arises due to the absence of visible reasons.
Reaction to stressful situations in patients with neurosis it manifests itself in the form of isolation and fixation on one thing. A person constantly worries about something, thinks, but does nothing useful. Often, “withdrawal” can cause phobias, which must be suppressed through treatment.
Symptoms of the disease manifest themselves in the form of weakened memory, a person becomes forgetful, and complains of a variety of thoughts in his head.
Sensitivity of the body to sudden changes in temperature. Bright lights and loud sounds also cause pain. The patient wants privacy and silence.
Inferiority complex in communication. A patient with neurosis can be characterized by either high self-esteem or low self-esteem.
Symptoms of the disease are also characterized by uncertainty and inconsistency. It is common for people to incorrectly define preferences and set household priorities.
A person becomes irritable over trifles, difficult to predict and sensitive to little things addressed to him.

All these symptoms can develop into chronic malaise, and this is a more complex form of neurosis.

Signs of neurosis in the fair sex have their own characteristics that are worth mentioning. First of all, women are characterized by asthenic neurosis (neurasthenia), which is caused by irritability, loss of mental and physical ability, and also leads to problems in sexual life.

In women, there are three forms of asthenic neurosis, which are characterized by the following symptoms:

Hypersthenic form characterized by the initial stage of neurosis and is caused by the manifestation of irritability and mild agitation. Women in this state react negatively to noise, conversation, and bright light. They feel discomfort when surrounded by people. They behave carelessly and emotionally in the family circle, especially in relation to children. The night for women with neurosis turns into a nightmarish rest.
Irritable form is caused by an increase in excitability, but at the same time an increase in symptoms of fatigue. As a result of exposure to noise, uncontrollable self-control is common. Women in the second stage become more aggressive, distracted, depressed and dangerous.
Hyposthenic form refers to the final stage, which is very difficult to treat. Even in the absence of problems and worries, a woman with neurosis tends to display aggression towards others, and at the same time depression and exhaustion. Signs of stage three neurosis in women are characterized by a constant desire to rest or sleep. Women often resort to reducing pain through alcohol.

Children's symptoms of neurosis

In children, the symptoms of the disease are provoked through improper upbringing of the child, or, more precisely, the practical absence of it. In this case, the following picture of symptoms of the disease can often be observed in children:

decreased appetite and sleep sensitivity. Anxiety arises through nightmares, as a result of which the child wakes up and cries;
cold sweat during sleep, as well as when feeling the limbs, they feel cold;
the occurrence of headaches in children, which in the initial stages of neurosis the child tries to hide from their parents;
painful effects of bright light and loud sounds which cause headaches and fussiness;
instability of behavior, as a result of which the child may cry at any time.

Children also tend to exhibit a mental disorder called hysterical neurosis. However, its symptoms include manifestations hysterical fits. These seizures have next view manifestations: for no reason the child falls to the floor and begins to sob, while beating with his arms and legs and complaining.

For children, neurosis is more dangerous disease, since it is very difficult for a fairly young, unformed brain to deal with the signs of neurosis, so the disease progresses quite quickly and can lead to complete mental decomposition.

To prevent the progression of the disease, it is worth getting diagnosed and starting appropriate treatment.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of neuroses includes correct assessment symptoms. First of all, it is necessary to exclude other diseases that are similar in somatic symptoms to neuroses. These are diseases internal organs person.

Diagnosis of neurosis is quite difficult due to the lack of objective and practical indicators that would describe the picture of the disease. The doctor cannot prescribe tests, since neuroses cannot be diagnosed through examinations using special medical equipment.

The disease is diagnosed using a color technique. All colors take part in the technique, and a neurosis-like syndrome manifests itself when choosing and repeating purple, gray, black and brown colors. Hysterical neurosis is characterized by the choice of only two colors: red and purple, which 99% indicates the patient’s low self-esteem.

To diagnose neurosis, you will need an experienced doctor who will interview the patient and make a final conclusion. To exclude diseases of internal organs, examination in a hospital is allowed.

“How to cure neurosis if it is a mental disorder and not a physical manifestation?” - a question quite common among users who have symptoms of the disease both in themselves and in their children.

Treatment

There are many methods and techniques known about how to treat neurosis if it is characterized by a mental disorder. Let's consider treatment methods through psychotherapy, medication and home treatment.

Treatment of neuroses through psychotherapy involves influencing the patient’s psyche, persuading him, and realizing reality. It is also necessary to identify the root cause of the development of the disease, and if it is embedded in the genes or originates from early childhood, then treatment through psychotherapy alone will be ineffective and will not bring the desired result.

Drug treatment involves taking appropriate medications, the action of which is aimed at restoring processes occurring in the brain. These processes include inhibition and excitation. Bromine is used to stimulate inhibition, and caffeine is responsible for stimulation.

At acute attacks neurosis, doctors prescribe the following drugs:

Sibazon;
Relanium;
Seduxen;
Elenium.

These drugs are fast-acting and are determined by the effectiveness of the treatment. The principle of the influence of drugs is based on a calming effect on the central nervous system, resulting in a decrease in the symptoms of the disease.

For your information! Do not forget that all medications must be prescribed by a doctor!

There is another common remedy - Amizil. It has a therapeutic effect in neurotic disorders and acts as a corrector of neuroleptic therapy. It should also not be forgotten that all of the above medical supplies are determined by the presence side effects, therefore, at the first signs, you should stop taking it and consult your doctor.

Home treatment

Treatment of neurosis at home is the most common method, since this disease requires a revision of one’s thoughts and a way out of this state. The first home treatment is to engage in sports. It doesn’t matter what sport (gymnastics, running) you choose, the main thing is to start developing physically. Treating neurosis at home with physical activity has a positive effect on the heart and the body as a whole, enriching it with fresh oxygen. You should devote no more than 15 minutes a day to exercise and within a week the results will be noticeable.

At home, treatment of acute and chronic neuroses is carried out using proper nutrition, which includes vitamins and minerals stimulating brain function.

Color therapy treatment involves wearing clothes exclusively in warm and light colors. You can relieve tension by looking at pictures or walking through a green garden, from which you will get a double effect - both relaxation and enrichment with fresh oxygen.

At home, treatment of acute neuroses can be carried out using music therapy. To calm you down, select an appropriate melody or song that you should listen to for 30 minutes every day (preferably before bed). Give yourself the opportunity to rest more and not think about bad things, not worry about trifles and not take various grievances to heart.

Now that you know the answer to the question of how to treat neurosis, you can take the first steps to counteract it in order to prevent the progression and worsening of the situation.

Mental neurosis, the symptoms of which will be described below, occurs quite often. This disease is characterized by protracted and chronic disorders of the nervous system, in which psycho-emotional changes in mood occur.

In the moment acute stage neurosis decreases both mental and physical state person, hysteria, obsessive thoughts and asthenic syndrome occur. Neuroses can occur long time. The disease must be treated correctly, and for this you need to know some of its features.

The disease overtakes those people who constantly lack sleep, worry about the slightest thing, get upset or are overtired. The disease neurosis was first described back in 1776 by the Scottish scientist and medical practitioner William Cullen. Later, academician I.P. studied neurosis in more detail. Pavlov.

Types of neuroses

Medicine divided mental neuroses into 4 varieties, which to this day have not been fully studied and continue to be researched.

Depressive. With this type, a person experiences a constant decline in mood, and mental retardation appears.
. It manifests itself in the form of low self-esteem and feelings of being unloved. Often this type of neurosis manifests itself in childhood. Children's behavior becomes feigned, and there is a complete reassessment of personality.
Asthenic appearance or neurasthenia. A person gets tired quickly, his mood can change frequently, and he is in a state of complete depression.
Anxiety neurosis. The person is depressed, anxious, oppressed.
Bulimic type of neurosis. In this case, a mental disorder occurs, expressed in a constant craving for food. This type of disorder is most common among men.

Each type of neurosis has its own causes and clinical manifestations.

The main causes of neuroses:

Mental stress or due to various problems.
Mental experiences related to personal life, relationships in the family, at work, and so on.
Physical tendency to get tired easily.
Bad habits: alcohol, nicotine, drugs.
Some types of diseases that lead to depletion of the body.

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Mental symptoms of neurosis

Mental neurosis, the symptoms of which are characterized by rapid mood swings and impulsiveness, is a disease that can affect anyone. Changeability of mood is observed in almost everything: in family life, at work, in set goals, in sexual relationships, and so on. People with this diagnosis are very impulsive, sometimes they do not think about the consequences of their actions. It is dangerous when this impulsiveness causes harm to a person, for example, it can be expressed in unprotected sexual relations or in taking psychotropic drugs.

A person is unable to control his impulses. If he hears criticism directed at himself, then his actions can be threatening. He cannot plan his life for the future because he does not have self-control. Outbursts of anger lead to violent actions towards others and other types of extreme behavior.

In stressful situations, a sick person can completely lose self-control. With a calm course of life events, tension subsides and the person can behave as usual, that is, symptoms nervous disorder disappear. This behavior is more common in women than in men.

Mood instability causes depression, which can lead to suicide attempts. Such states can constantly replace each other; moments of euphoria can alternate with prolonged anxiety.

There is also a manifestation of neurosis in the form of reckless impulsiveness. This leads to negative consequences. For example it could be overuse alcohol, uncontrolled sex, driving fast or overeating. This behavior can be influenced various factors: parental education, social environment, genetic predisposition. Neuroses manifest themselves especially acutely at the moment life difficulties and stressful situations. The next manifestation neurosis is an emotional imbalance that serves main reason uncontrolled behavior of a sick person.

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Somatic symptoms of neuroses

A person cannot calculate the amount of work performed and the moment when fatigue sets in. Sometimes even a small load leads to rapid fatigue.
Regular dizziness appears, and vegetative-vascular dystonia develops.
Unreasonable pain in the head, around the heart or in the abdominal cavity.
Heavy sweating.
A person may experience a sharp decrease in sexual desire for no apparent reason.
Food addiction changes and appears a sharp decline or, conversely, increased appetite.
Also changing night sleep. It can be very deep or, on the contrary, a person cannot sleep and nightmares arise.

Having similar symptoms It must be remembered that there are a number of diseases with similar symptoms. Therefore, treatment should be carried out by a competent psychiatrist. It provides both a medicinal and non-medicinal method. Also during the rehabilitation period, resort and sanatorium therapy is indicated. If you start treatment on time, you can preserve the patient’s opportunity to remain a full member of society and not lose good relationships with family, relatives, friends and colleagues.

Neuroses name a group of diseases that arise in a person due to exposure to mental trauma. As a rule, they are accompanied by a deterioration in a person’s well-being, mood swings and manifestations of somato-vegetative manifestations.

Neurosis can manifest itself in every person, but still the nature of this disease, as well as its form, depend on many determining factors. Thus, neurosis can develop as a result of certain characteristics of a person’s personality, hereditary factors that determine resistance to stress, and adaptive capabilities.

Also, the type of mental trauma directly influences the occurrence of neurosis. Such an injury can be immediate (such as, for example, death loved one), acute or long-term unpleasant circumstances (conflicts in personal and professional life). But the main determining factor is the emotional significance of such a situation for a person: it must be of some kind to him. life value. Signs of neurosis are especially common in those who have experienced significant mental trauma in childhood, in people who grew up in dysfunctional families, and in those who are susceptible to somatic illnesses.

Types of neuroses

Neurosis is functional disorder reversible. This condition disappears after some time on its own or can be completely cured with certain therapy. In this state, the patient understands that he has a mental disorder and is able to adequately assess his illness.

In Russian psychiatry, it is customary to distinguish three main types of neuroses. This neurasthenia , obsessive-compulsive disorder , hysterical neurosis . If we consider the types of neuroses according to International classification, then in in this case it is customary to highlight neurotic depression , anxiety neurosis , phobic And hypochondriacal neuroses and other conditions.

Symptoms of neurasthenia

At neurasthenia a person experiences a state of irritable weakness. This condition is characterized by high excitability and irritability, while the person gets tired and exhausted very quickly.

The first stage of the disease is characterized by a predominance of severe irritability. A person in this state tolerates physical and emotional stress very poorly and reacts inadequately to external stimuli. Symptoms of this form of neurosis also manifest themselves in the fact that the patient perceives sharp sounds, bright light, loud speech, and temperature fluctuations very poorly. A person often exhibits a variety of autonomic reactions: strong heartbeat, coldness in the extremities, sweating. The patient sleeps poorly and has difficulty falling asleep. At the same time, very common signs of neurosis are sensations of noise or pulsation in the head. These features prevent a person from conducting full mental activity. Over time, irritability is replaced by a very strong feeling of weakness and fatigue, and rapid exhaustion. It is especially difficult for a person to concentrate his own attention in this state; he is constantly distracted from his main work. Due to these features, the patient experiences dissatisfaction, becomes touchy and whiny. Trying to force himself to carry out a certain action, a person constantly feels weak and complains of feeling unwell. As a rule, during the day a person suffering from neurasthenia feels, and at night he is overcome by insomnia . If signs of nervousness predominate autonomic symptoms, then patients often listen to the work of their own organs, constantly fearing the emergence of various diseases.

As a rule, the outcome of neurasthenia is favorable. Often, healing is facilitated by resolving the situation that provoked emotional stress. Helps too good rest. However, in some cases, neurasthenia must be treated using drug therapy.

Symptoms of hysterical neurosis

This form of neurosis has polymorphic symptoms , which appears nearby somatic , neurological And mental disorders. The occurrence of all disorders is directly related to the high level of suggestion and self-hypnosis of a person. In view of this, the symptoms of neurosis of this form of the disease may be similar to the signs of other diseases. As a rule, manifestations of hysterical neurosis occur especially often in those who have a hysterical character.

As symptoms of this type of neurosis, it is necessary to highlight the presence of convulsive hysterical seizures, in which a certain narrowing of consciousness is observed. As a rule, such seizures occur where people are present, and the patient first chooses a place where he cannot harm himself. Sometimes during a seizure the patient’s body may arch, and movements become chaotic. If a seizure begins in a person who is lying down, then his arms and legs may stretch out, his fingers may cramp. Seizures can also manifest themselves in the form of cardiac, hypertensive crises, tremors, and a person may cry for a long time. Most often, this condition occurs in women. A person with signs of hysterical neurosis tries to demonstrate the symptoms of the disease to others. Often they try to tell everyone how serious and terrible their illness is. However, they do not try to get rid of the disease, therefore, neurosis is “desirable” for them. This is a kind of protective reaction of the body.

Hysterical disorders can be both long-term and short-term, and exacerbations of the disease often occur.

Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive neurosis

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a disease characterized by the occurrence of obsessive ideas and thoughts. A person is overcome by fears that he cannot get rid of. In such a condition, the patient often exhibits phobias (this form of neurosis is also called phobic neurosis ). The cause of obsessive-compulsive neurosis is mental trauma, the reaction to which is initially the emergence of anxiety, as well as discomfort in the stomach, heart.

Symptoms of neurosis of this form manifest themselves as follows: a person feels fear, which manifests itself with repeated unpleasant incidents. For example, if a patient faints on the street, then in the same place the next time he will be haunted by obsessive fear. Over time, a person develops a fear of death, incurable diseases, dangerous infections. Consequently, he tries to protect himself, for example, by washing his hands many times, disinfecting his clothes, and avoiding public places.

Sometimes other fears are formed - fear of heights, closed and open spaces, fear of sharp objects and other obsessive fears. It is also noted neurosis obsessive movements . These are constant obsessive movements of the head and hands. The patient may blink and twitch. With obsessive movement neurosis, patients may try to restrain such movements, but due to the need to strain greatly for this, they cannot do this for a long period. Obsessive-compulsive neurosis lasts for a much longer time than other types of neuroses.

Symptoms of depressive neurosis

With this type of neurosis, a person experiences psychogenically arising depressive state, which is characterized by low mood and somatic disorders (mainly). This form of neurosis, as a rule, manifests itself in people who are straightforward and uncompromising.

With depressive neurosis, a person experiences a constant depressed mood, tearfulness, and fatigue in the morning. However, in relation to the future, patients do not show any signs of pessimism. In this case, the patient, even in a depressed mood, actively works and takes initiative.

Symptoms of hypochondriacal neurosis

This pathological condition is characterized by too much attention to own health. The person is convinced that he has - serious disease which is incurable. This form of neurosis may arise from other forms of neurosis. A person gradually begins to think about the presence of a certain illness. He obsesses over it. Doctors do not find evidence of the presence of the disease during research, but the patient seeks further consultations. As a result, thoughts about illness become obsessive, and visiting doctors becomes the main thing in a person’s life.

Neurosis of the heart, neurosis of the stomach

is a condition characterized by impaired cardiovascular activity. As a rule, the causes of cardiac neurosis are prolonged mental stress, the presence of mental trauma, and intoxication (abuse of tobacco, alcohol, coffee). Heart neurosis is a complex expression of psychoneurosis, autonomic and endocrine disorders. Sometimes the only symptom of cardiac neurosis is pain in the heart area. However, the pain may be different intensity. Often the patient experiences a feeling of heart compression. It may appear interruptions , , bradycardia , extrasystole . Bradycardia is often accompanied by prolonged pain in the heart area, a general loss of strength and hypotension . For cardiac neurosis pathological changes not observed in the heart.

To determine how to treat neurosis of this type, the specialist conducts research and, as a rule, prescribes complex therapy aimed at strengthening and regulating the functioning of the nervous system.

In some cases, neuroses of other internal organs may be observed. So, stomach neurosis provoke stressful situations, mental stress, poor nutrition. Gastric neurosis is directly related to the depletion of the autonomic nervous system. With gastric neurosis, the patient experiences stomach cramps, sweating, irritability, hypotension and other symptoms. This disease is quite common in people engaged in heavy mental work. The disease is usually treatable with.

Neuroses in children

Quite often today, neuroses appear in children. In this case, a disturbance in attitude and behavior occurs, while there are no organic changes in the nervous system. Neuroses in children, as in adults, usually arise as a result of mental trauma. Experiences associated with such trauma are reflected in the child’s fears, behavioral characteristics, and dreams. Very often, neurosis in children heals on its own due to the smoothing out of mental trauma. But if the situation that caused mental trauma is repeated, neurosis in children can become chronic.

The main symptoms of neurosis in a child are decreased sleep, sleep disturbances and decreased mood. Asthenic neurosis in children it often appears after infectious diseases. Often found in school-age children who have overwhelming mental stress and suffer from.

Hysterical neurosis – the result of acute mental trauma in a child. In this case, the child may lose coordination of movements, and his sensitivity decreases. However, such symptoms are often demonstrative. Often this form neurosis manifests itself at an early age.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder - the result of chronic mental trauma. It manifests itself in suspicious and insecure children. Symptoms of this condition are obsessive experiences that the child strives to get rid of on his own.

Treatment of neuroses

When treating neuroses, it is very important to take a comprehensive approach to prescribing therapy. In addition, the treatment of neuroses in mandatory must be individual. First of all, the specialist analyzes the psychological traumas that caused the development of neurosis and tries to rid the patient of them.

In the treatment of neuroses great value have different methods of modern psychotherapy. So, before deciding how to treat neurosis in each specific case, the doctor studies the situation in detail. Next, he uses explanatory practice, applies hypnosis, autogenic training, and other progressive methods for obsessive states.

If a specialist considers general fatigue to be the cause of neurosis in a patient, then treatment will be aimed at restoring the energetic capabilities of the nervous system. In this case, it will be effective medicines, which improve blood supply and metabolic processes in the brain. The patient is also prescribed vitamins. No less important is healthy sleep, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system.

If those neuroses that are caused by obsessive thoughts and experiences are being treated, relaxation techniques are often used in this case. By teaching it to the patient, he can independently eliminate his anxiety.

An important component of the complex treatment of neuroses is the use of restorative therapy . In this case, the patient is prescribed vitamin complexes , nootropic drugs , physiotherapy , acupuncture . Often patients are also prescribed tranquilizers, among which drugs with a hypnotic effect are preferred. In more rare cases, small doses are used antidepressant drugs , antipsychotics .

It is important to consider that the use tranquilizers over a long period of time can cause dependence on drugs, deterioration of attention and memory. Taking tranquilizers eliminates only the symptoms, but not the cause of neurosis.

The specialist determines the approach to treatment, guided by the nature of the neurosis and taking into account the characterological characteristics. In the process of psychotherapy, it is important to take into account the patient’s capabilities.

The doctors

Medicines

Prevention of neuroses

As measures to prevent neuroses, the most important point is the prevention of traumatic effects. What is important for a person is confidence in the future, respect for his personality, living in normal conditions. If all these conditions are met, the occurrence of neuroses is minimized. It is important to avoid infections, acute and chronic intoxication, brain injuries, and ensure proper sleep and rest.

Diet, nutrition for neuroses

List of sources

Mendelevich V.D. Clinical and medical psychology. Practical guide. - M.: MEDpress, 1998.
Burlachuk, L. F. Psychology of life situations: tutorial/ L. F. Burlachuk, E. Yu. Korzhova. - M.: Russian Pedagogical Agency, 1998.
Heine H. Biology of stress // Biologist. medicine. 2002.
Troshin V.D. Neurology. National leadership // Neurology. National leadership / Ed. E.I. Gusev. - M., 2009.
Dobrokhotova T.A. Neuropsychiatry. - M.: Medicine, 2006.