The first signs of a psycho. Mental disorders in men and women: types, description of manifestations, treatment methods. Types of mental disorders

Hello, dear readers! More often we accept completely natural psychological phenomena for unhealthy manifestations. We are very demanding when it comes to ourselves. However, it also happens that when communicating with a person, we do not even suspect that he has some kind of disorder.

Today I will tell you how to understand that a person is mentally ill. I should note that only a doctor can make a diagnosis, but there is great power in knowledge. By reading this article and paying attention to some factors, you can help your loved ones contact a specialist in time.

I would like to present to your attention 10 factors that will help determine that the person with whom you are communicating has some kind of ailment. Be sure to read the article. Convincing someone else to see a doctor can be extremely difficult. You will find these tips useful.

Difficult life situation

I'll start from afar. If you want to know how healthy your friend is, then first of all you need to pay attention not to the signs and symptoms, but to the atmosphere in which he resides.

If he recently encountered some serious problem or found himself in a difficult life situation, then it is at risk and should be treated very carefully. You may see signs of instability.

It’s not a fact that your friend or colleague is no longer healthy, but he is experiencing psychological difficult period and this should be taken seriously, both by himself and by those around him.

Drastic changes

All people change and, as a rule, this happens gradually. If your friend starts dating a young man, then she may have new thoughts, ideas, and even her appearance will change. However, if there are no prerequisites for this, and the transformation occurred too abruptly, literally in one day, then most likely the matter is not pure.

There is a possibility that in this way he does not want to tell his friends about it, while help is already required.

Lifestyle restructuring

Mental problems can affect a person's lifestyle. If he begins to eat a lot, confuses day with night, constantly sleeps or refuses to rest for several days, most likely, in this way he is trying to cope with his internal problems.

Asociality

Mentally ill people tend to talk to themselves, not pay attention to others, and not even notice their presence. Sometimes, on the contrary, they seek company, but, completely forgetting about the feelings of other people, they act solely on the basis of their desires.

Please note that I am talking specifically about desires, not interests. If a person screams and swears, proving that the accountant is a fool in front of his boss, he may be pursuing a specific goal. If he just walks into the office and out of the blue starts throwing ficus at a woman without explaining the reasons, this is already a sign of imbalance.

Absurdity

It can be quite difficult to distinguish an absurd idea from one proposed by an unrecognized genius. Especially considering how convincing people are when they believe what they say. They may tell you with confidence that they know where the treasure is buried, or they may suspect the same accountant of spying.

Apathy

Another manifestation of mental illness is apathy. In a normal state, laziness, melancholy and sadness are common occurrences, ?

When these feelings do not leave a person for a very long time, and with each new day he plunges into apathy more and more. He gradually becomes indifferent to everything, he has no interests, he slowly turns into a plant and completely resigns himself to his condition.

This is exactly the disorder he suffers from main character books Albert Camus "The Stranger". I recommend reading it.

Suicidal feelings

Sudden interest in death may be a sign psychological illness. You may know that if a person who has tried to commit suicide is brought to the hospital, he is immediately placed under the supervision of a psychotherapist.

Unfortunately, when someone from the environment begins to say goodbye to everyone, give away things or talk about their own will, they treat this more frivolously. Everyone begins to think that the friend just wants to attract attention. And what?

A person asks, literally screams, that he needs psychological help and support. You should not brush him off in this situation.

Hallucinations

Well, the last sign that I would like to talk about is hallucinations. Some of you might immediately think of clear voices, imaginary friends, and alien abductions.

In fact, hallucinations can manifest themselves in a less colorful form than the cinema presents to us - footsteps in the next room, knocking in the attic, random isolated calls, and so on. All this is also a sign of an emerging disease and refers to hallucinations.

If you would like to learn a little more about psychological disorders, I recommend starting with the book “ Guide to psychological disorders for a resident of a big city" by Daria Varlamova. You can learn a lot about depression, stress, bipolar disorder and other diseases to which modern man.

That's all for me. Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter. Until next time.

Psychiatric pathologies have existed at all times. Previously, clinics for mentally ill people were considered a scary place. After all, the methods of treating such diseases were barbaric. They are currently being revised. Therefore, mentally ill people and their relatives began to seek help more often. There is no trend toward a decrease in psychiatric pathologies. This is due to the emergence of new diseases that arise as a result of changes in society. Such pathologies include an addiction to computer games, Internet addiction, and adherence to extremist organizations.

Mentally ill people: signs, photos

We will consider treatment of patients suffering from similar ailments below. For now, let's talk about how to understand when it comes to pathology.

It is worth knowing that it is not always possible to distinguish a subject from a healthy one. Often during the period of remission, patients seem quite adequate. Mentally ill people move freely around the city and lead a normal life. This helps them adapt to public life and does not infringe on human rights. However, some patients require constant care. Otherwise, they pose a danger to themselves and others. Such people immediately stand out in the crowd for their antisocial behavior. Some patients appear normal but can be understood when interacting with them. Therefore, it is important to know how mentally ill people differ. Signs of pathology are listed below.

Marked antisocial behavior. These people often talk to themselves and use profanity. Their words are sometimes not connected in meaning. In some cases, they try to attract the attention of others: they shout, express aggression, and start inappropriate conversations. Most often, these people do not pose a danger to others.
Mental retardation. Diseases accompanied by this symptom include Down syndrome and dementia. At mild degree Pathology patients can lead an independent life, engage in physical labor or simple mental activity. IN severe cases they are always accompanied by relatives. Patients with mental retardation are non-dangerous mentally ill people. The signs, photos and characteristics of a person suffering from this pathology are usually easy to determine in comparison with healthy subjects. The difference is not only in behavior, but also in appearance(wide bridge of nose, small size heads, flattened cranial vaults, enlarged tongue).
Disturbance in self-orientation, pronounced changes memory. Similar pathologies include Pick's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Patients do not understand where they are, who is next to them, and confuse past events with the present time.
various types of delirium. Often considered a manifestation of schizophrenia.
Refusal to eat, reluctance to get out of bed, get dressed, etc. Similar symptoms indicate an unfavorable form of schizophrenia (catatonic syndrome).
The appearance of depressive and manic states.
Split personality.

Treatment is based on providing moral assistance to a person. Not only the doctor must conduct conversations with the patient, but also close people are obliged to support him and not isolate him from society.

Causes of mental illness

Naturally, it was not by chance that mentally ill people became like this. Many pathologies are considered congenital and, when exposed to unfavorable factors, appear at a certain point in life. Other diseases are acquired ailments; they arise after previous stressful situations. Highlight following reasons appearance of mental disorders:

Transmission of pathology by inheritance. It is believed that some diseases are caused by the presence of mutant genes.
Adverse effects on the mother's body during pregnancy. These include: the use of narcotic substances, chemical agents, stress, infectious pathologies, and taking medications.
Infringement of personality development during its formation (cruelty, aggression towards a child).
Severe stress - loss of loved ones, favorite work, dissatisfaction with life and the inability to change something.
Alcoholism and drug addiction.
Progressive brain lesions, tumors.

Mentally ill people: symptoms of mental illness

The clinical picture depends on the type of pathology that the patient suffers from. However, there are some General characteristics ailments. Thanks to them, you can understand how mentally ill people differ. Their symptoms may not always be pronounced, but sometimes they still appear. We have already mentioned some of them earlier.

Obvious symptoms also include:

Changing a person's appearance. In some cases, mentally ill people do not take care of their appearance and wear unkempt clothes. With congenital syndromes, a change in the structure of the skull is noted. Also, the main symptom includes an unusual eye expression for healthy people. They may reflect anxiety, fear, aggression, and lack of mental activity.
Coprolalia is the unmotivated use of profanity in speech.
Mood changes: transition from a depressed state to cheerfulness, excitement (mania).
Hallucinatory syndrome.

Diagnosis of psychiatric pathologies

When entering the clinic, all mentally ill people are examined. They are interviewed and asked to undergo psychiatric tests. Diagnosis is based on the external manifestations of the disease, assessment of the patient’s consciousness, his orientation in time, space, and his own personality. Also important is the story of relatives about a person’s behavior throughout life, about the changes that have occurred to him.

Treatment methods for mentally ill people

The main way to treat mentally ill people is psychotherapy. Its benefit lies in the possibility of identifying the causes of the development of pathology and its impact on human consciousness. During the conversation, the patient tries to understand himself and recognize his illness. In this case, he develops a desire to be cured. Drug treatment used for attacks of mania, depression, hallucinations. The drugs used are Carbamazepine, Haloperidol, and Amitriptyline.

Features of mentally ill people

Despite their illness, people suffering from mental illness often have great potential. Psychiatric pathologies are combined with the development of intuition, various talents, abilities to see the future, etc. Mentally ill patients are often excellent artists, poets and writers. On this moment there is no scientific explanation for this phenomenon.

Is it possible to cure mentally ill people?

Unfortunately, psychiatric illnesses are difficult to treat. It is impossible to completely get rid of the pathology if it is congenital or caused by dystrophic lesions of the brain. Diseases that appear as a result of alcoholism and drug addiction are treatable. With the right attitude of the patient and long-term psychotherapy, stable remission and even recovery can be achieved.

A mental disorder is understood as a deviation of the psyche from the norm, a violation of not only the somatic, but also the mental state of a person. The pathology of the mental aspect manifests itself in disorders of behavior, emotions, cognitive sphere, adaptation and personal characteristics of the individual. Every year the variety and prevalence of mental disorders increases. Due to the dynamics of science, classifications of psychopathologies are constantly changing and improving.

Main classifications of mental disorders

The problem of differentiating mental pathology is associated with different approaches to understanding the essence of the disease. There are three main principles for systematizing mental disorders:

nosological,
statistical,
syndromological.

Nosological differentiation of diseases was first proposed by E. Kraepelin, who relied on the origin, causes and general clinical picture of mental disorders. According to this classification, mental pathology can be divided into two large groups (according to etiology):

endogenous,
exogenous.

Endogenous diseases are caused internal factors such as: genetic predisposition, chromosomal mutations and aberrations. Exogenous disorders manifest themselves due to exposure to external negative factors: intoxication, brain injury, infectious diseases, psychogenic influences, stress.

Statistical differentiation mental illness and disorders is the most common, it includes the famous ICD, which is still successfully used by domestic psychiatric science to this day. The basis of this principle is statistical calculations of the dynamics of development and prevalence of mental illness among the world population. The International Classification of Mental Illnesses was developed by WHO to improve diagnostic criteria in defining pathology.

The syndromological approach to the systematization of mental illnesses is based on the theory of the unity of mental pathology, which implies common reasons development and manifestations of diseases. Representatives of this direction believe that all mental disorders are of a similar nature, differing from each other only in symptoms at different stages of the development of the disease. Great importance in the development of this classification was the use medical supplies to relieve symptoms of mental disorders (hallucinations, delusions).

Main types of mental disorders according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)

Based on numerous studies, using information from the American nosological classification, known as DSM, the International Classification of Diseases was developed. Over the course of several decades, changes were made to the classification that improved its structure and content. All types of mental disorders are divided according to symptomatic, etiological and statistical criteria.

Today, domestic psychiatry uses ICD-10, which includes next list mental disorders:

organic and symptomatic mental disorders,
mental pathologies caused by the action of psychoactive substances,
delusional mental disorders, schizophrenia,
affective disorders (mental disorders of feelings),
stress, somatoform and neurotic disorders,
mental illness of adulthood,
behavioral disorders caused by physiological or physical factors,
mental retardation,
psychological and mental development personalities,
emotional and behavioral disorders in childhood,
syndromes and disorders not otherwise specified.

The first section contains a list of diseases caused by infectious, traumatic and intoxicating lesions of the brain. IN clinical picture disorders, cognitive impairment, pathology of perception and impairments predominate emotional sphere. Cerebral disorders lead to dysfunction of one or more parts of the cerebral cortex. This group includes the following diseases:

various manifestations of dementia,
non-alcoholic delirium,
organic personality disorders,
delirium, hallucinosis of organic origin.

Disorders caused by the use of various psychoactive substances are classified as special group disorders. This section includes addictions, intoxications, withdrawal states and mental pathologies caused by psychoactive stimulants. Mental disorders in this group of diseases have general algorithm currents:

euphoria,
addiction,
abstinence.

The use of narcotic or other drugs in the initial stages causes an increased emotional background, euphoria or physical activity, then dependence is formed. Withdrawal syndrome is a side effect and causes an irresistible desire to use again psychoactive drugs. The latter include drugs, alcohol, psychostimulants, vapors of toxic substances, etc. Excessive use or exceeding doses may cause intoxication, which may lead to stupor, coma or even death.

The next block of mental disorders includes diseases based on the pathology of consciousness and perception. The main symptoms of such disorders are hallucinations and delusions. The main disease in this category is schizophrenia, characterized by large-scale disturbances of perception and thought processes. Other mental disorders include: schizotypal, delusional and affective disorders.

Mental disorders feelings and affective disorders form a section that includes various pathologies of emotional background and mood. Feeling disorder refers to deviations in emotional response to internal or external stimuli. The objective reaction corresponds to the strength of the current stimulus, when the pathological one is monopolar - excessive or suppressed. Among the main sensory disorders are:

mania,
ecstasy,
emotional ambiguity,
euphoria,
weakness.

These conditions can manifest themselves in the following mental pathologies:

bipolar affective disorder,
affective disorders,
manic and depressive episode.

Premorbid conditions, such as neuroses, neurasthenia, phobias, as well as disorders caused by the negative impact of stress factors, are combined into a special group of disorders. This section identifies the following disorders:

somatoform,
conversion,
anxious and phobic,
obsessive-compulsive.

Behavioral pathology, manifested in eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, and sleep disorders, belongs to the fifth category of the International Classification of Diseases. The section includes behavioral abnormalities associated with the postpartum condition, as well as various unspecified disorders.

Diseases in old age are associated with dysfunction of organs and systems, which cause failure not only at the physiological, but also at the mental level. The practical side of psychiatric science shows that many disorders from the list of mental disorders under this heading can manifest themselves in childhood, progressing with age. This block of pathologies includes:

drive disorders (gaming addictions, sexual deviations, trichotillomania, etc.),
specific personality disorders,
pathology of sexual orientation and identification.

Mental retardation, included in a special section of diseases, covers not only intellectual impairment, but also cognitive, speech and social spheres. Depending on the degree of retardation, light, medium and severe forms are distinguished. The nature of diseases largely depends on heredity, chromosomal aberrations and mutations, and genetic diseases.

Disorders of mental and psychological development become noticeable even in early childhood, their symptoms are persistent and manifest themselves mainly in delayed development of the speech component, motor coordination and socialization. Most disorders go away as the child gets older; only a few signs remain for life, the exception being autism.

Emotional disorders in childhood often manifest themselves in inappropriate behavior, excessive activity, delay in speech and motor development. Adolescence, as the most sensitive stage, causes a diverse range of deviations in behavioral and emotional responses. This category includes the following disorders:

behavioral disorders,
socialization disorders,
mixed disorders,
tics.

Treatment of mental disorders

Today, the following methods are used to treat mental disorders:

pharmacotherapy,
psychotherapy,
somatotherapy.

Drug treatment mental pathologies is based mainly on the use of tranquilizers and antidepressants, since these substances provide prolonged therapeutic effect. A properly selected drug has a calming and activating effect.

Psychotherapeutic influence has a positive effect on mental condition sick. Using various methods and approaches can achieve enormous results and get rid of the patient’s suffering; there are cases where psychotherapy helped where medications were ineffective.

An integrated approach in the treatment of mental illness is the most productive: medications relieve symptoms, psychotherapy stabilizes the patient’s mental state.

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Mental disorders are, in a broad sense, diseases of the soul, meaning a state of mental activity that is different from healthy. Their opposite is mental health. Individuals who have the ability to adapt to daily changing life conditions and solve everyday problems are generally considered mentally healthy individuals. When this ability is limited, the subject cannot cope with current tasks professional activity or intimate-personal sphere, is also unable to achieve the designated tasks, plans, goals. In a situation of this kind, one may suspect the presence of a mental abnormality. Thus, neuropsychiatric disorders are a group of disorders that affect the nervous system and behavioral response of an individual. The described pathologies may appear due to abnormalities in metabolic processes in the brain.

Causes of mental disorders

Neuropsychiatric diseases and disorders due to the numerous factors that provoke them are incredibly diverse. Disorders of mental activity, whatever their etiology, are always predetermined by deviations in the functioning of the brain. All causes are divided into two subgroups: exogenous factors and endogenous. The first include external influence, for example, the use of toxic substances, viral diseases, injuries, and the second - immanent causes, including chromosomal mutations, hereditary and genetic diseases, mental development disorders.

Resistance to mental disorders depends on specific physical characteristics And general development their psyches. Different subjects have various reactions to mental anguish and problems.

Typical causes of mental functioning deviations are identified: neuroses, depressive states, exposure to chemicals or toxic substances, head injuries, heredity.

Anxiety is considered the first step leading to exhaustion nervous system. People often tend to imagine in their imagination various negative developments of events, which in reality never materialize, but provoke unnecessary unnecessary anxiety. Such anxiety gradually escalates and, as the critical situation increases, can transform into a more serious disorder, which leads to a deviation in the individual’s mental perception and to impaired functioning. various structures internal organs.

Neurasthenia is a response to prolonged exposure to traumatic situations. It is accompanied by increased fatigue and mental exhaustion against the background of hyperexcitability and constant attention to trifles. At the same time, excitability and grumpiness are protective means against the final failure of the nervous system. Individuals who are characterized by an increased sense of responsibility, high anxiety, who do not get enough sleep, and who are burdened with many problems are more prone to neurasthenic conditions.

As a result of a serious traumatic event, which the subject does not try to resist, hysterical neurosis occurs. The individual simply “escapes” into such a state, forcing himself to feel all the “charm” of the experience. This condition can last from two to three minutes to several years. Moreover, the longer the period of life it affects, the more pronounced the mental disorder of personality will be. Only by changing the individual’s attitude towards his own illness and attacks can a cure be achieved this state.

In addition, people with mental disorders are susceptible to weakened memory or its complete absence, paramnesia, impaired thought process.

Delirium is also a frequent accompaniment of mental disorders. It can be primary (intellectual), sensory (imaginative) and affective. Primary delusion initially appears as the only sign of mental disorder. Sensual delirium manifests itself in a violation of not only rational knowledge, but also sensory one. Affective delusions always occur together with emotional deviations and are characterized by imagery. They also distinguish overvalued ideas, which mainly appear as a result of real-life circumstances, but subsequently occupy a meaning that does not correspond to their place in consciousness.

Signs of a mental disorder

Knowing the signs and characteristics of mental disorders, it is easier to prevent their development or identify deviations at an early stage than to treat an advanced form.

Clear signs of mental disorder include:

The appearance of hallucinations (auditory or visual), expressed in conversations with oneself, in answers to interrogative statements of a non-existent person;

Reasonless laughter;

Difficulty concentrating when completing a task or topical discussion;

Changes in the individual’s behavioral response towards relatives, often sharp hostility arises;

Speech may contain phrases with delusional content (for example, “it’s all my fault”), in addition, it becomes slow or fast, uneven, intermittent, confusing and very difficult to perceive.

People with mental disorders often try to protect themselves, and therefore they lock all the doors in the house, curtain the windows, carefully check every piece of food, or completely refuse to eat.

You can also highlight signs of mental abnormality observed in females:

Overeating leading to obesity or refusal to eat;

Alcohol abuse;

Sexual dysfunction;

Depressed state;

Fast fatiguability.

In the male part of the population, signs and characteristics of mental disorders can also be identified. Statistics say that the stronger sex suffers from mental disorders much more often than women. In addition, male patients are characterized by more aggressive behavior. So, common signs include:

Untidy appearance;

There is sloppiness in appearance;

Can be avoided for a long time hygiene procedures(do not wash or shave);

Rapid mood changes;

Mental retardation;

Emotional and behavioral disorders in childhood age period;

Personality disorders.

More often, mental illnesses and disorders arise in childhood and adolescence. Approximately 16 percent of children and adolescents have mental health problems. The main difficulties that children face can be divided into three categories:

Mental development disorder - children, in comparison with their peers, lag behind in the formation of various skills, and therefore experience difficulties of an emotional and behavioral nature;

Emotional defects associated with severely damaged feelings and affects;

Expansive pathologies of behavior, which are expressed in the deviation of the baby’s behavioral reactions from social principles or manifestations of hyperactivity.

Neuropsychiatric disorders

The modern high-speed rhythm of life forces people to adapt to various conditions environment, sacrifice sleep, time, energy in order to get everything done. There is no way a person can do everything. The price to pay for constant haste is health. The functioning of systems and the coordinated work of all organs is directly dependent on the normal activity of the nervous system. Impacts external conditions Negative environments can cause mental illness.
Neurasthenia is a neurosis that arises against the background of psychological trauma or overwork of the body, for example, due to lack of sleep, lack of rest, or prolonged hard work. The neurasthenic state develops in stages. At the first stage, aggressiveness and increased excitability, sleep disturbance, and inability to concentrate on activities are observed. At the second stage, irritability is noted, which is accompanied by fatigue and indifference, decreased appetite, discomfort in the epigastric region. Headaches, slow or increased heart rate, and tearfulness may also occur. The subject at this stage often takes any situation “to heart.” At the third stage, the neurasthenic state turns into an inert form: the patient is dominated by apathy, depression and lethargy.

Obsessive states are a form of neurosis. They are accompanied by anxiety, fears and phobias, and a sense of danger. For example, an individual may worry excessively about the hypothetical loss of some thing or be afraid of contracting a particular illness.

Neurosis obsessive states accompanies repetition identical thoughts that have no significance for the individual, performing a series of mandatory manipulations before doing something, the appearance of absurd desires of an obsessive nature. The symptoms are based on a feeling of fear of doing contrary inner voice, even if his demands are absurd.

Conscientious, fearful individuals who are unsure of their own decisions and subordinate to the opinions of those around them are usually susceptible to such a violation. Obsessive fears are divided into groups, for example, there is a fear of the dark, heights, etc. They are observed in healthy individuals. The reason for their occurrence is associated with a traumatic situation and the simultaneous impact of a specific factor.

You can prevent the occurrence of the described mental disorder by increasing confidence in your own importance, developing independence from others and independence.

Hysterical neurosis is either found in increased emotionality and the individual’s desire to draw attention to himself. Often such a desire is expressed by rather eccentric behavior (deliberately loud laughter, pretentious behavior, tearful hysterics). With hysteria, decreased appetite, increased temperature, weight changes, and nausea may be observed. Since hysteria is considered one of the most complex forms nervous pathologies, they treat it with psychotherapeutic agents. It occurs as a result of suffering a serious injury. At the same time, the individual does not resist traumatic factors, but “runs away” from them, forcing him to feel painful experiences again.

The result of this is the development of pathological perception. The patient enjoys being in a hysterical state. Therefore, it is quite difficult to bring such patients out of this state. The range of manifestations is characterized by scale: from stamping feet to rolling in convulsions on the floor. The patient tries to benefit from his behavior and manipulates the environment.

The female sex is more prone to hysterical neuroses. To prevent attacks of hysteria, temporary isolation of people suffering from mental disorders is useful. After all, as a rule, for individuals with hysteria, the presence of an audience is important.

There are also severe mental disorders that are chronic and can lead to disability. These include: clinical depression, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, identities, epilepsy.

With clinical depression, patients feel depressed, unable to rejoice, work or conduct usual social activities. Persons with mental disorders caused by clinical depression are characterized by bad mood, lethargy, loss of usual interests, lack of energy. Patients are unable to “pull themselves together.” They experience uncertainty, decreased self-esteem, increased feelings of guilt, pessimistic ideas about the future, appetite and sleep disorders, and weight loss. In addition, somatic manifestations may be observed: disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, pain in the heart, head and muscles.

The exact causes of schizophrenia have not been studied for certain. This disease characterized by deviations in mental activity, logic of judgment and perception. Patients are characterized by detachment of thoughts: the individual seems that his worldview was created by someone outsider and stranger. In addition, withdrawal into oneself and personal experiences and isolation from the social environment are characteristic. Often people with mental disorders caused by schizophrenia experience ambivalent feelings. Some forms of the disease are accompanied by catatonic psychosis. The patient may remain motionless for hours, or express motor activity. With schizophrenia, emotional dryness may also be observed even in relation to those closest to you.

Bipolar affective disorder is an endogenous illness that manifests itself in alternating phases of depression and mania. Patients experience either a rise in mood and a general improvement in their condition, or a decline, immersion in the blues and apathy.

Dissociative identity disorder is a mental pathology in which the patient experiences a “division” of personality into one or more component parts that act as separate entities.

Epilepsy is characterized by the occurrence of seizures, which are provoked by the synchronous activity of neurons in a certain area of the brain. The causes of the disease may be hereditary or other factors: viral disease, traumatic brain injury, etc.

Treatment of mental disorders

The picture of treatment for mental functioning deviations is formed based on the medical history, knowledge of the patient’s condition, and the etiology of a particular disease.

For treatment neurotic conditions sedatives are used due to their calming effect.

Tranquilizers are mainly prescribed for neurasthenia. Drugs in this group can reduce anxiety and relieve emotional tension. Most of them also reduce muscle tone. Tranquilizers primarily have hypnotic effect, rather than generate changes in perception. Side effects are usually expressed in the sensation constant fatigue, increased drowsiness, disorders in remembering information. Negative manifestations also include nausea, low blood pressure and decreased libido. The most commonly used are Chlordiazepoxide, Hydroxyzine, and Buspirone.

Neuroleptics are the most popular in the treatment of mental pathologies. Their effect is to reduce mental arousal, reduce psychomotor activity, reduce aggressiveness and suppress emotional tension.

The main side effects of antipsychotics include a negative effect on skeletal muscles and the appearance of abnormalities in dopamine metabolism. The most commonly used antipsychotics include: Propazine, Pimozide, Flupenthixol.

Antidepressants are used in a state of complete depression of thoughts and feelings, and decreased mood. Drugs of this series increase pain threshold, thereby reducing the pain of migraines provoked by mental disorders, improve mood, relieve apathy, lethargy and emotional tension, normalize sleep and appetite, and increase mental activity. TO negative impacts These drugs include dizziness, tremors of the limbs, confusion. The most commonly used antidepressants are Pyritinol and Befol.

Normotimics regulate inappropriate expression of emotions. They are used to prevent disorders that include several syndromes that manifest themselves in stages, for example, with bipolar affective disorder. In addition, the described drugs have an anticonvulsant effect. Side effect manifests itself in trembling of the limbs, weight gain, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, unquenchable thirst, which subsequently entails polyuria. Various rashes on the skin surface are also possible. The most commonly used are lithium salts, Carbamazepine, Valpromide.

Nootropics are the most harmless among medicines that contribute to the treatment of mental pathologies. They have a beneficial effect on cognitive processes, enhance memory, and increase the resistance of the nervous system to the effects of various stressful situations. Sometimes side effects include insomnia, headaches and digestive disorders. The most commonly used are Aminalon, Pantogam, Mexidol.

In addition, hypnotechniques and suggestion are widely used, but are less commonly used. In addition, the support of relatives is important. Therefore, if a loved one suffers from a mental disorder, then you need to understand that he needs understanding, not condemnation.

Doctor of the Medical and Psychological Center "PsychoMed"

The information presented in this article is intended for informational purposes only and cannot replace professional advice and qualified medical care. If you have the slightest suspicion that you have a mental disorder, be sure to consult your doctor!

Mental illnesses are invisible to the naked eye and therefore very insidious. Mental disorders significantly complicate a person’s life when he is unaware of the presence of a problem. Experts who study this aspect of the boundless human essence say that many of us have signs of mental illness, but does this mean that every second inhabitant on the planet needs treatment? How do you know that a person is really sick and needs qualified help?

What is a mental disorder?

The definition of “mental disorder” covers a wide range of deviations from the normal state of mind of people. The internal health disorders in question should not be taken as a negative manifestation of the negative side of a person’s personality. Like any physical illness, mental disorder is a violation of the mechanisms and processes of perception of reality, which creates certain difficulties. People who are faced with these problems are poorly able to adapt to real life conditions and do not always interpret reality correctly.

Signs and symptoms of mental disorders

Characteristic signs of mental disorders include disturbances in thinking, mood and behavior that go beyond generally accepted cultural beliefs and norms. More often general symptoms characterized by a depressed state of mind. Moreover, the person loses the ability to fully perform normal social functions. The entire range of signs and symptoms can be divided into a number of groups:

cognitive– unjustified pathological beliefs, memory impairment, complications of clear thinking;
physical– insomnia, pain in different parts bodies;
behavioral– abuse of active psychiatric drugs, inability to perform simple self-care actions, unjustified aggression;
emotional– sudden feeling of fear, sadness, anxiety;
perceptual– states when a person notices phenomena that other people do not see (movements of objects, sounds, etc.).

Causes of mental disorders

The etiology aspect of these diseases is not fully understood, because modern medicine cannot accurately determine the mechanisms that cause mental disorders. However, it is possible to identify some reasons whose connection with mental disorders has been scientifically proven:

brain diseases;
stressful conditions in life;
medical problems;
genetic disposition;
hereditary causes;
difficult circumstances in the family.

In addition, doctors note a number of special cases, which represent specific deviations, incidents or conditions against which serious mental disorders appear. The reasons that will be discussed often occur in Everyday life, and therefore lead to a deterioration in a person’s mental health in the most unexpected situations.

Systematic abuse of alcoholic beverages often leads to mental disorders in humans. In the body of a person suffering chronic alcoholism, constantly contained a large number of breakdown products of ethyl alcohol, which cause serious changes in thinking, behavior and mood. In this regard, dangerous mental disorders arise, including:

Delirium tremens . A common post-alcohol mental disorder that appears due to deep violations metabolic processes in all systems and organs of the human body. Delirium tremens is expressed in seizures and sleep disorders. Most often, these phenomena appear 60-80 hours after finishing drinking alcohol. A person develops sudden changes mood, constantly changing from joy to anxiety.
Psychosis. Mental illness, which is explained by disruption of metabolic processes in the brain. Toxic effects Ethyl alcohol overshadows a person’s consciousness, but the consequences appear only a few days after the end of alcohol consumption. A person is seized by a mania of persecution or a feeling of fear. In addition, he may have various obsessions that are associated with the fact that someone wants to cause him moral or physical harm.
Hallucinations– pronounced ideas, brought pathologically to the level of perception of real objects. It seems to a person that objects and people around him are falling, spinning or swaying. The perception of the passage of time is distorted.
. Mental illness, which is called delusion, in a person is expressed in the manifestation of unshakable conclusions and judgments that do not correspond to reality. In this condition, the patient develops photophobia and sleep disturbances. The line between dream and reality becomes blurred, a person confuses one with the other.

Brain injury

Brain injuries can result in a whole range of significant mental illnesses. As a result of brain damage, complex processes are launched that lead to clouding of consciousness. After these cases, the following psychological diseases often occur:

Somatic diseases

Against the background of somatic disorders, the human psyche suffers very seriously. Disorders develop that are almost impossible to get rid of. Here is a list of mental illnesses that medicine considers the most common in somatic disorders:

Dementia. A terrible disease that stands for acquired dementia. Given psychological disorder often occurs in people aged 55-80 years who have somatic diseases. The diagnosis of dementia is made to patients with reduced cognitive functions. Somatic diseases lead to irreversible processes in the brain. Moreover, mental sanity does not suffer.
Korsakov's syndrome. A disease that is a combination of memory impairment regarding current events, the appearance of false memories and loss of orientation in space. A serious mental illness that cannot be treated by known medical methods. A person always forgets about events that just happened and often asks the same questions.
Asthenic neurosis-like disease. Mental deviation when a person becomes talkative and hyperactive. A person often falls into short-term depression and constantly experiences phobic disorders. Most often, fears do not change and have clear outlines.

Epilepsy

Almost every person who suffers from epilepsy experiences mental disorders. Disorders that appear against the background of this disease can be constant (permanent) or isolated (paroxysmal). The cases of mental illness described below, in medical practice most common:

Malignant neoplasms

Appearance malignant tumors often leads to changes in a person’s mental state. With the increase in tumors on the brain, pressure increases, which causes significant deviations. In this state, a person experiences melancholy, delusions, unreasonable fears and many other symptoms. All this indicates the presence of such psychological diseases:

Vascular disorders of the brain

Pathologies of blood vessels and circulatory system instantly affect the state of a person’s psyche. With the development of diseases that are associated with a decrease or increase in blood pressure, brain function deviates from the norm. Severe chronic disorders lead to the appearance of very dangerous mental disorders, including:

Types of mental disorders

People may develop mental disorders regardless of ethnicity, age or gender. The mechanisms of the occurrence of mental illnesses have not been fully studied, therefore medicine cannot give specific definitions. However, today the connection between certain age limits and mental illnesses has been clearly established. Every age has its own most common disorders.

In elderly people

In old age, against the background of diseases such as bronchial asthma, kidney or heart failure and diabetes Many mental disorders appear. To the senile psychological diseases relate:

dementia;
paranoia;
Pick's syndrome;
marasmus;
Alzheimer's syndrome.

Types of mental disorders in adolescents

Often emotional teenage diseases associated with unfavorable factors in the past. The following mental disorders are usually observed:

bulimia nervosa;
prolonged depression;
drankorexia;
anorexia nervosa.

Mental illnesses cannot be treated on their own, therefore, if there is any suspicion of mental disorders urgently need to seek help from a psychotherapist. A conversation between the patient and the doctor can help quickly determine the diagnosis and choose the right treatment regimen. Almost all mental illnesses are curable if treated promptly.