Irritable bowel syndrome treated by a psychotherapist. What are the symptoms and treatments for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)? Text of the scientific work on the topic "Complex psychotherapy of irritable bowel syndrome"

What is irritable bowel syndrome? Surely many have heard, and some could experience its manifestation themselves. One way or another, almost every person faces this problem during his life.

After any stressful situation, it is not uncommon to notice some problems with the gastrointestinal tract. This is seething in the stomach, bloating, constipation, heartburn, belching, heaviness in the stomach, etc. For some, this goes away in a day or two, for others, who are more impressionable and anxious, it sometimes lingers for a long time. Naturally, a person tries to get rid of this and goes to the doctor. Which doctor should you go to?
IBS is not actually a disease. This term does not even have a medical affiliation, because... it is not included in any official medical reference book.

We would like to say right away, reassuring our readers, that regardless of the reasons for its formation and manifestation, IBS is perfectly treatable. In this case, there is no need to use antibiotics under any circumstances. This is strictly contraindicated!

We have been successfully treating disorders with IBS manifestations for more than 30 years and there has not been a single case where these symptoms did not leave the owner.

Call +7 495 135-44-02 and make an appointment! We will definitely help you!

Have you previously been treated but the treatment did not help or the effect was weak? Do not despair! We are close!

What is irritable bowel syndrome - IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome, the term can be called “folk”. It was invented and put into use by psychologists who have nothing to do with the treatment of diseases, since they do not have the necessary medical education. But they want to feel like doctors. The term appeared and gained popularity among the masses, since it is more understandable for the average person. The medical term is much more complex and longer. And doctors, to make it easier to understand, also began to use it when communicating with patients.
Manifestations of so-called IBS are nothing more than a signal from the nervous system that it needs your help. This condition of the body qualifies as a psychosomatic disorder and should be treated by a psychotherapist.
The formation of this state usually occurs as a result of high psychophysical stress. Due to prolonged or severe stress, higher nervous activity fails. It happens that such symptoms appear as a result of any organic changes in the brain, for example after toxic lesions or brain injuries.

What's the connection, you ask? Where is the head, and what does the intestines have to do with it?

Brain connection to IBS

In this regard, the explanations are simple. The brain for the human body is like the General Director of an enterprise. What he said will happen. You need to know that the brain controls and regulates not only our desires, emotions, thoughts, feelings, etc., but also completely controls and regulates absolutely all processes of the body. It turns out that if a failure occurs and the “General Director” is sick, then something is broken in his “Kingdom”.

How do we understand that something is wrong in our body? In order to motivate our consciousness to action, a signal is needed. Most often this signal manifests itself in the form of pain. The brain itself cannot experience pain; it does not have pain receptors (endings) in its structure. The load on it is too high, in terms of constantly arriving signals from the cells of the body. They need to be processed correctly and the reverse command returned to a particular action. And we need to save space, otherwise our head would be 2 times larger. How can the brain transmit a signal that it is sick? That’s what so-called signaling systems exist for.

When the brain malfunctions, disturbances can occur in any organ or tissue of the body, but there are 3 main signaling systems. Their brain is usually used first.

Signaling systems of the brain

  • Gastrointestinal tract
  • Autonomic nervous system
  • The cardiovascular system

Doctors have learned to recognize such signals and respond correctly to a call for help. Somatic disorders that are formed as a result of disorders of the brain are called psychosomatic disorders. As a rule, these disorders are very difficult for people to tolerate. They can often be found in the form of VSD, panic attacks, interruptions in cardiac activity, sexual disorders, etc.

To get rid of these painful feelings, you need to contact a good specialist, a psychotherapist.

How does irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) manifest?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) manifests itself in the form of various bowel disorders. These disorders are accompanied by a variety of unpleasant sensations in the abdominal area. At least one of the following symptoms:

    • diarrhea,
    • constipation,
    • flatulence,
    • bloating,
    • increased gas evolution,
    • constant pain,
    • short-term, sharp spasms.

At the same time, obvious physiological changes in the gastrointestinal tract that could correspond to the symptoms are not detected. That is, with IBS there are no gross structural changes in the tissues of the stomach or intestines.

The identification in recent years of a large group of disorders accompanied by the above symptoms is caused by great advances in the study of the mechanisms of development of irritable bowel syndrome. In particular, studies have shown the leading role of the central nervous system and the mental state of a person in the formation and manifestation of irritable bowel syndrome.

Causes of irritable bowel syndrome - IBS

  • stress,
  • asthenic conditions,
  • acclimatization,
  • toxic effects on the brain (alcohol, drugs, other surfactants, metal salts),
  • neuroses,
  • other mental health disorders.
  • hormonal disorders,
  • menstruation in women
  • menopause,
  • puberty,
  • various dysbacteriosis,
  • unbalanced diet
  • pregnancy,
  • eating fast food,
  • gas-forming products,
  • and other factors.

However, these reasons will have a completely different background for the manifestation of similar symptoms, and they already relate to somatic factors. The IBS we are talking about has only a psychological factor of formation (psychogenic causes).

Yes, the symptoms are very similar, but the disorders are completely different. Therefore, during diagnosis, it is very important to identify the true causes of the formation and manifestation of IBS.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a psychosomatic disorder.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis (detection) of irritable bowel syndrome is carried out in two stages.

The first is the exclusion of somatic disease. These are gastrointestinal diseases, hormonal disorders, the presence of infection, helminths and other physiological diseases that can occur with similar symptoms. This is the task of the general practitioner.

The second one is mandatory, almost always. It is necessary to confirm or exclude the presence of brain disorders and possible changes in the functioning of the nervous system. This requires a joint consultation with a psychotherapist and a neurologist.

Prevalence of IBS

The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome is quite high. According to statistics, in developed countries up to 25-30% of the total population suffers from this disease. People in big cities are more susceptible to the disorder. However, the appeal to a specialized specialist is extremely low. Statistics tell us that the appeal rate is no more than 1-2% of those suffering. Low turnover is based on several factors

  • IBS often occurs in mild forms (individual symptoms such as gurgling in the stomach, heaviness in the stomach, heartburn, discomfort);
  • May have long periods of remission (do not appear for several months);
  • Poor detection (unfortunately, many doctors do not know how to identify psychosomatic disorders);
  • Many people are embarrassed to come forward with such, especially not pronounced, symptoms;
  • People are afraid to consult a psychotherapist or psychiatrist (in case they suddenly recognize him as a psychopath and impose restrictions).

I would like to especially note the point regarding the poor detection of the disease. Unfortunately, most doctors, due to lack of awareness or for other reasons of their own, do not refer the patient to a specialized specialist. In most cases, they try to solve the problem on their own, often using superficial information, which worsens the patient’s health.

In most cases, the patient reaches a specialized specialist after a huge number of visits and treatment from various doctors. As a rule, they are already in a fairly serious condition. Therefore, treatment does not occur as quickly as it could if treated in the initial stages.

It is extremely rare to find specialist therapists and gastroenterologists who can recognize the presence of a psychogenic component in a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract and refer the patient to the right specialist, a psychotherapist.

Treatment of IBS

Treatment of irritable bowel in our clinic is usually carried out according to individually developed schemes. This disorder responds well to therapeutic intervention.

Depending on the formation factors, specific therapy is individually selected and adapted. In the first stages of developing therapy and adapting the body to it, daily monitoring of the patient’s condition is important. Our doctor’s task is to reach the minimum level of drug therapy as quickly as possible. At the same time, the effectiveness of the therapeutic effect will not be lost.

Three stages of treatment in the clinic

First of all, active neurometabolic therapy is required. This is a difficult and responsible period for the patient. The patient himself needs to understand and accept the current situation with his health. Not every person can calmly and judiciously accept the fact that his brain is sick. During this period, the doctor carries out an individual selection and adaptation of biotherapy for a specific person. The state of the body and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract are stabilized. Methods of restorative medicine are used and the preparatory part of psychotherapy is underway. The first period is important for the fastest relief of acute symptoms. The basis for the basic therapy of irritable bowel syndrome is being created.

After the doctor makes a complete diagnosis and finds out the true causes of the disease and the acute symptoms are relieved, the period of treatment of the underlying disease begins. This is the longest and most difficult period for the patient. A person has to independently monitor his condition and strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations. Many people endure this painfully, because... I have to give up my usual routine. However, it is during this period, if the regimen prescribed by the doctor is violated, relapses and complications of the disease occur.

Rehabilitation period. This is the period of observation of the doctor over the patient. During this period, the patient no longer takes medications. But we recommend attending psychotherapeutic sessions to consolidate the results of treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. This achieves the maximum effect in therapy and IBS goes away forever.

We have described the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome schematically, since we select it individually for each person. Therapy should be carried out and supervised only by an experienced psychiatrist or psychiatrist-psychotherapist. You can get high-quality and safe medical care only in a specialized neurosis clinic.

Self-medication should be completely excluded. After all, we are talking about the state of the brain, about the global well-being of a person, his entire life and activity. Any mistake can lead to serious complications and significantly reduce the quality of a person’s life, including necessarily affecting his performance.

Don't experiment on your own brain. He won't forgive this.

An example of IBS manifestation

Girl 34 years old, height 167 cm, weight 60 kg. I did not use surfactants. Single, works as a manager in a small company.

I have been suffering from pain and bloating every day for seven years. Every year, after the onset of the disorder, she underwent gastroscopy. Gastroenterologists detect Helicobacter, reflux, erosive bulbitis, superficial gastritis. She treated all these diseases with diligence, but it helped only for a short time. She did an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, an ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder, and was examined by a gynecologist and nephrologist. Everything is normal except for the bend of the gallbladder. Another doctor diagnosed me with IBS and I took tranquilizers. This was about a year ago, I felt good for about 5-6 months. But then I read that they are addictive. I stopped drinking them. It all started all over again, heaviness and pain in the stomach, alternating constipation and diarrhea. Two years ago I had a colonoscopy and found catarrhal colitis and dolichosigma, but then there was pain in the left lower abdomen and constipation, bloating and gases were not particularly noticeable. After a colonoscopy, without treatment, the pain completely disappeared for a month, and the constipation also went away.

At the moment, I am worried about constant, persistent bloating and pain of varying intensity in the abdomen; mushy stools with undigested food are greenish in color. There are localized pains in the hypochondrium, sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right, of varying intensity, a feeling of fullness - as if something is interfering with movement and inhalation. When the gases pass, the pain decreases significantly. The amount of gases is very large, it is very difficult to retain them, so you have to constantly be closer to the toilet.

It seems to me that the swollen intestines are putting pressure on the pancreas and gall bladder and it hurts. I’m very worried, more than a year has passed since the last check of the stomach and intestines. I am afraid that during this time cancer has formed and it is pressing under the ribs. I am very afraid of cancer, since my family’s grandmother died from this very disease.

Example of IBS treatment

The presence of an anxiety-neurotic syndrome complicated by psychosomatic manifestations in the form of irritable bowel syndrome has been established. The disorder developed against the background of high psycho-physical stress during the breakup with her fiancé.

A two-stage neurometabolic and psychotherapeutic treatment was carried out in our clinic, with one break of 1 month. At the end of treatment, there were no complaints, working capacity was restored, social activity was restored, and quality of life was restored. Observations over the course of a year showed the presence of stable remission, the absence of complications, and the quality of life was completely restored. I received a promotion at work. In the personal sphere, I resumed personal relationships with the opposite sex and received a marriage proposal. After two years, no return of the disease is observed. The quality of life is consistently good.

The Brain Clinic provides examination, treatment and prevention of irritable bowel syndrome.

Call and make an appointment by phone. +7 495 135-44-02

We don’t want to mislead you and entice you with low prices; the cost depends on the amount of work. Therefore, it is very difficult to tell you now how long it may take. You must first understand the reasons.
If you have irritable bowel syndrome, it may take 3 to 20 days. As you can see, the spread is quite large, and accordingly the cost may vary.

Is irritable bowel syndrome treated by a psychotherapist?

Here I want to dwell separately on such a problem as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) . This complex disorder is psychosomatic. The medical understanding of the term “psychosomatics” implies a disorder when there is physical discomfort and changes in the functioning of organs, but the reason for this is a violation of nervous regulation.

IBS usually develops in close connection with gastrointestinal disorders. But these disorders are not a disease of the intestine, but a violation of its nervous stimulation and irritation. And this causes great suffering to a person.

Usually, in the vast majority of cases, an infectious problem or dysfunction with intestinal dysbiosis is present at the very beginning of the development of this psychosomatic disorder, IBS.

For example, a person was poisoned and then got an intestinal disorder for a long time, which he could not cope with for a long time. Or it could be a consequence of long-term use of antibiotics for some other disease.

But further, the basis of the mechanism of this chronic disorder is vegetative (sympatho-adrenal) disorders. They are associated with a combination of gut reflexes and unconscious stress. All this causes manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome.

As the disease progresses, phobias arise associated with intestinal discomfort, significant life restrictions and a lack of guaranteed control of the intestines, which causes increased anxiety.

A person suffering from IBS becomes accustomed to the fear of diarrhea or pain, and adjusts his life to avoid the consequences of expected troubles. After all, it is simply impossible to control your intestines, and a person is tied to toilets. And the fear of terrible shame, “if suddenly...”, increases the stressful anticipation of an exacerbation, thereby “charging” the nerve impulses for this exacerbation. That is, the fear of anticipation programs the next intestinal irritation. Irritable bowel syndrome is a variant of somatoform neurotic disorder (neurosis).

Gastroenterological examination does not reveal significant physical changes in the intestines. At the same time, patients suffer from symptoms of one of three forms of irritable bowel syndrome:

1. irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (diarrhea);

2. irritable bowel syndrome with cramping pain and bloating;

3. irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.

There are also cases where the predominant forms of IBS change over time.

What is the role of psychotherapy in IBS?

The best effect for irritable bowel syndrome is provided by cognitive behavioral therapy. There are several goals in psychotherapeutic work with a patient.

The first goal is fear of anticipation of subsequent attacks and a change in “avoidant” behavior. The stage of learning self-control when an exacerbation begins is very important here; techniques are used that help reduce the level of tension and fear. These are special concentration and breathing exercises. Improving self-control allows you to more manage your behavior and expand your comfort zone when moving around in your life. And as a result, the intestinal reflexes that lie in the reinforcement mechanism of IBS are weakened.

It is also very important to wean yourself from rituals of protective behavior when you feel better, because all this allows IBS to be reinforced. It happens that with IBS, the patient gets used to making sure that the intestines are emptied before leaving the house, that the route of movement is laid out only where there are toilets and where they are not, or there is no opportunity to leave at any time - to exclude movement and stay. Human sociality suffers significantly.

In addition, special attention is paid to the development of personality characteristics, because such states are characteristic of emotionally unstable and anxious individuals who, over the course of their entire lives, have “learned” to restrain their stress inside the body. An analysis and psychological processing of current life difficulties, past disasters in life, expectations of future failures and the impending meaninglessness of life are carried out.

Such an integrated approach to the problem when a person suffers from irritable bowel syndrome allows one to cope more reliably and with a stable result for the future.

What is the role of medications in IBS?

The use of special means that can regulate the nerve impulses of the intestines and the general emotional background is in some cases mandatory. There are also many such cases of IBS. And then we need to smooth out the deformed intestinal reflexes at the first stage of treatment, this helps the psychotherapy that has already begun. This is applied in a strictly verified course, under the supervision of a psychotherapist whom you visit for cognitive behavioral therapy for irritable bowel syndrome. Modern medications allow you to feel productive, and with a qualified approach they have virtually no side effects and addictive properties.

BE HEALTHY!!!

How long does it take to complete a course of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis?

Currently, there are several forms of psychotherapy, using classical psychoanalytic theory and technique and taking varying amounts of time. By duration (in descending order) they can be arranged as follows:

  • Classical psychoanalysis is the most rigorous model for studying the human psyche. For those who can use it, it is the most effective way of treatment and opening new paths of development. Work in psychoanalysis is focused on the study and elaboration of unconscious conflicts underlying a particular symptom or psychological problem, and this careful study makes possible a structural restructuring of the deep foundations of the Self, the personality as a whole. Classical psychoanalysis is applicable only to a limited number of people. Sometimes the patient does not want to resort to it, sometimes he cannot, because the peculiarities of his mental functioning, or the social context in which he finds himself, exclude analysis and make it practically impossible.
  • Psychoanalytic psychotherapy. If in psychoanalysis the goal is the study of the personality as a whole, then in psychoanalytic psychotherapy the goal is more modest, but more specific - the resolution of certain specific problems. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy has a wider range of applications. This type of treatment can help not only people with problems of a neurotic level, but also with more serious problems: character neuroses, personality disorders, and in some cases (with mandatory drug treatment) in the treatment of psychoses and severe psychosomatic illnesses. Psychoanalytic therapy provides a unique opportunity to relive your personal history, take a fresh look at it and find connections between events in the past and conflicts in the present and thereby prevent their occurrence in the future.
  • Focused psychotherapy is a limited form of psychotherapy in which one specific problem is identified and therapy is focused on it.
  • Psychoanalytic counseling usually involves working with a specific life situation.

Thus, the duration of psychotherapy, depending on the stated problem and the patient’s personality, can range from one meeting to several years. A person who wants to receive psychoanalytic help can choose the duration of treatment depending on the goals and objectives that he sets for himself. The duration and frequency of meetings is determined by him together with the psychoanalyst and does not necessarily last a long time.

If we talk about psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, they are never limited to a specific time or course of treatment. Everything is determined by how much time it will take to re-examine all the complex (or rather, complicated) layers of your feelings, understand all the unique nuances of your individual history, and only then determine the real causes of certain personal or interpersonal problems, as well as form adequate ways to resolve them. You may discover side issues of great importance or obstacles that will slow down your progress. In some cases you will have to stop or even retreat. But it will always be your decision.

In some cases, the analysis can last several months or even years, in others - several weeks. You should always know that you determine the duration of the analysis yourself. But! Often the desire to interrupt the analysis is dictated by the fear of change, an indicator that the mental conflict has been “pinched.” And neurosis can be staunchly “guarded” by the psyche. In this case, the analyst should point out this circumstance to you. Abruptly quitting psychotherapy leads to the fact that everything done before is practically crossed out. Therefore, usually the patient and the analyst agree that if the person decides to leave, then several more sessions will take place to understand the patient's motives and consolidate the results of the work.

If you feel that you have achieved what you wanted or have resolved the questions that you posed to yourself, you can always determine with your analyst the end date of the analysis. And yet, if we talk about the “average” periods of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, then after 2-3 months certain changes occur, and after six months these changes begin to become persistent. Further, it all depends on whether the person is satisfied with the completion of the initially set tasks, or whether there is a desire to move on and set new ones.

The question voiced in the title of the article is rightfully one of the most pressing for a person planning to seek help from a psychotherapist. And it’s crystal clear to everyone why:

  1. Psychotherapy is not a cheap pleasure. The more sessions you attend, the more expensive the treatment will be.
  2. Discomfort, associated with the fact that you will have to talk about yourself, about life, about all the subtleties of symptoms, etc. to a psychotherapist - essentially, a stranger! And then also experience different psychotherapeutic methods on yourself, perform exercises... Agree, there are a thousand and one ways to spend this time much more pleasantly!
  3. Time to recovery. It is clear that the symptoms of neurosis do not go away immediately after the first meeting with a psychologist, but are present to varying degrees until the end of the course of psychotherapy. And you must admit, being patient for 2 months while treatment is ongoing is not at all the same as suffering for 2 years.

It is for these reasons that I would like to know my forecast in advance. What if, as they say, the game is not worth the candle?

Forecast possible

Psychotherapists with extensive experience working with neuroses usually anticipate how many sessions will be required to solve the problem.

The only exceptions are adherents of long-term psychotherapy (an example is well-known psychoanalysis). There it is believed that “real” treatment should take years, and sometimes decades. As psychologists like to joke: until the patient runs out of money.

But we will immediately make a reservation that we do not work in line with psychoanalysis. And we emphasize: for the majority of cases with which we are approached, short-term treatment is possible. Moreover, it is also possible to calculate in advance how many sessions will be needed to defeat the disease. So let's get started!

You have to remember only 3 options: 15, 30 and “infinity”. That is, if you have neurosis, then depending on

  • Neglect (complexity) of the case;
  • The level of stress in a person's life at the moment,

it can be cured in an average of 15 sessions (hereinafter we mean sessions lasting 80-90 minutes), or about 30, or it can be treated for a very, very long time, i.e. ad infinitum.

The criteria are simple. If a person lives in a more or less favorable environment with a moderate level of stress, has family support, and suffers from ONE neurosis, then most likely, the standard 15 sessions will be enough to solve the problem (or even less, if you’re lucky).

If a person delays seeking adequate psychological help and as a result acquires ANOTHER neurosis, then you should plan your budget for 30 meetings.

Example. A 35-year-old man writes to us by email, complaining of panic attacks and everything that comes with them (see). The duration of the disease is 2 years. Medical examinations did not show any serious abnormalities, everything is fine in life, doctors diagnose VSD... How many therapeutic sessions may be required?
We usually ask one question: can you move around the city (in transport, metro, on foot) independently, without accompaniment?
Is the answer "yes"? Great, expect a course of up to 15 meetings.
"No"? This means that the situation is ADDITIONALLY complicated by agoraphobia. Those. we have not one, but TWO neuroses that “feed” each other. In such cases, we say: “Most likely, up to 30 sessions will be required.”

You know, if you compare a person to a ship at sea, then neurosis is a hole in the bottom, due to which water accumulates in the hold. Current life stress - some factors causing fire on deck. Psychotherapy is a team of engineers sent to repair a ship.

Now imagine that a person, in addition to his usual symptoms, is going through a painful divorce process. Or some other stressful event (we will list the most significant below). If we return to our metaphor, it turns out that the ship not only has a leak in the hold. There's also a fire!

Of course, in such conditions we will be talking about a verdict of “up to 30 sessions.” Or even about the “endless” option. Despite the fact that there is only ONE neurosis.

After all, if the stress is too great, then most intensive techniques for combating neuroses will have contraindications for use. And the psychotherapist will have to switch to “supportive psychotherapy” mode. At least until the resource necessary to change circumstances accumulates.

In some particularly severe cases, supportive psychotherapy lasts a lifetime.

Please note: all the above figures are valid if the duration of the meeting is 80 minutes (as in our center), modern short-term methods are used, plus mandatory homework. Psychologists whose psychotherapeutic session lasts 1 hour or even less - 50 minutes, need a much larger number of necessary sessions. Yes, and we only work with adults.

So, you already understand that in order to estimate the duration of a course of psychotherapy, you need to answer 2 questions:

  1. How many neuroses do I have?
  2. Are there any aggravating life circumstances, what and how many?

Let's do it and get your prediction!

How many neuroses?

The answer to this question is the most difficult in the entire diagram we present. Sometimes even experts get confused. However, you can figure it out, and we offer our help. But first, do the following:

  1. Sit down and relax. Take as many deep breaths as necessary until your breathing becomes calm.
  2. Now try to imagine that the doctor asks you the question: “Well, what are you complaining about?” Write down ALL the symptoms of what you want to seek help for on paper.
  3. Look carefully at what you have written down. Group the listed symptoms into semantic blocks. Neurotic manifestations that are similar in nature should appear in the same block. Give a good title for each block.

Example. It is natural that: a) palpitations; b) feeling of lack of air; V) feeling of fear,– these are components of ONE phenomenon. They should be grouped into one block. And it can be called, for example, like "panic attacks".
But if there are also complaints such as: a) I can't sleep for hours, b) sleep is shallow and frequently interrupted, then we will undoubtedly need another block. What name would be best? Probably, " insomnia».

  1. If you notice that the names of some (or even all) of the blocks are like wildfire, combine them together and come up with a common name.

How many blocks did you get? One? What a score. It is very likely that we will cope with the symptoms in no more than 15 standard sessions. All that remains is to clarify the presence/absence of stress factors (see article below).

If the number of blocks is 2 or more (the number is not so important here), then get ready for a more extensive course - about 30 meetings.

By the way, difficulties may arise with the implementation of the 4th point. In fact, it can be unclear which blocks need to be enlarged and to what extent. If you encounter such a problem, it’s not a problem. Write, we will help you sort everything out absolutely free of charge.

Someone might object, they say, why all these extra movements with lists and names? After all, you can simply write to the chat, list the symptoms and ask a specialist to do this work from start to finish...

Do not do that. After all, if a person does not have enough strength or motivation to understand instructions that are understandable to a high school student, then what does this mean? About the fact that short-term psychotherapy has contraindications! Do you need it? 🙂

Many neuroses are based on some stressful event. Sometimes the psychological trauma left by such an event can be very strong. Excessive “self-picking” in psychotrauma (without proper support by a trained specialist) can cause re-traumatization. If you feel that it is TOO psychologically painful (scared, ashamed, etc.), immediately interrupt the procedure. There is no place for self-diagnosis and self-medication here. Seek qualified psychological help.

The influence of difficult life circumstances

Incidents

Natural disasters and wars, car accidents, rape, robberies, losses of loved ones, heart attacks, strokes, fractures and other dramatic health changes...

These are all very stressful events. And in the first hours (and sometimes months or years) after this or that incident, a person usually experiences shock. And until he comes out of this state, only supportive psychotherapy is indicated.

Accordingly, the question about the number of sessions becomes relevant only when the shock phase has ended and turned, for example, into depression. And only then can you try to carry out calculations using our technology (see the section “How many neuroses?” above).

Hell in a relationship

Good relationships are a powerful healing factor in the psychotherapy of neuroses. Unhealthy people contribute to the progression of the disorder.

Any relationship can be important - with colleagues or management at work, neighbors, parents or your own children. But the greatest importance, in our opinion, is the relationship in a couple.

Conflicts? No support? Does your dear husband think that the symptoms of neurosis are a whim, a whim, an attempt to annoy, “an unwillingness to pull oneself together”? And there’s no way to convince him otherwise? Well, that's a shame. What could be cured in 15 sessions (or less) will have to work longer.

How much longer? Depends on the toxicity of the relationship. In some rare cases, relationships with a given person and mental health are fundamentally incompatible.

Lack of money

The irony is that the more a patient wants to shorten the course to save on psychotherapy, the more sessions will be needed.

And it doesn’t matter what such a desire is based on: on the instinctive economy that is inherent in the human race. Or is it dictated by objective factors: low wages, job loss, the need to raise children or care for sick parents.

Lack of funds can be a real brake on progress. Instead of reducing the level of stress as much as possible and regaining one’s health at the most favorable pace, a person begins to almost push himself (and sometimes the psychotherapist) with a whip. Really horrified if there is no rapid improvement. The result is distress and a guaranteed deterioration in well-being. And what’s most offensive of all is out of the blue!

You must have an uninterrupted flow of money or a pre-planned budget equal to the amount of 15 or 30 sessions (depending on the complexity of the case, see above). If you are not psychologically ready to spend this amount for your own benefit, then the success of psychotherapy is at risk.

Medicines

We are aware that in some severe cases it is impossible to do without tranquilizers, antidepressants or antipsychotics. However, very often, the prescription of medications is not only excessive, but the fact of taking them seriously slows down the speed of psychotherapy.

By swallowing a pill, a person seems to sign an act of surrender to neurosis. Moreover, the stronger (in the opinion of the “patient”) the medicine, the larger a piece of his inner confidence he gives up. Yes, it temporarily becomes easier for him, but the neurosis itself intensifies. Here is the psychological mechanism at work:

  1. At first, the person thinks that he feels better THANKS to the medicine.
  2. After some time, the person may try to stop taking the medication. Of course, the symptoms return (which is not surprising, since the real cause of the neurosis has not been worked out). He goes back to the medicine. The conviction grows stronger in his head that he is staying afloat ONLY THANKS to the medicine.
  3. The internal attitude “I’m sick, I can’t live without medicine” develops.
  4. This attitude in itself is a constant source of stress. The need for (and dependence on) medications is increasing...

Does this remind you of anything? Right! The real one is developing psychological dependence!

If psychotherapy is successful, the psychologist MUST at some point begin to push the client to stop taking the medication in small doses. And here the real withdrawal begins! Severe anxiety and obsessive thoughts appear: how will I survive without medications?! What if the deviations return!!?? Those. classic anxiety-phobic neurosis!

As you can see, although taking medication alleviates the condition, it also creates an additional problem of addiction that will have to be solved. And this will take a certain number of sessions.

Extreme lifestyle

“Extreme lifestyle” is when a person does something destructive to the body without noticing or not considering it as such.

Example. The client is a young man aged 22 years. Complaint of severe depression: loss of the ability to rejoice, complete disappointment in oneself and one’s body, feeling “sick,” chronic fatigue, gloomy, incl. suicidal thoughts. The greatest discomfort and anxiety comes from (I quote): “It is unclear where the aching pain in the body, especially in the knees, comes from.” Before contacting a psychologist, I tried several treatment regimens with antidepressants, but they did not bring relief.
At the 2nd session, an interesting fact from the daily life of the “patient” suddenly became clear. Taking care of his appearance, that is, in order not to “get fat,” he runs 24 kilometers every day! Every day, Karl!
Of course, the first therapeutic prescription concerned shortening the distance.

Literally every third of those who contact us has some signs of leading an “extreme lifestyle”. Moreover, it is not always possible to detect this immediately; you have to guess and “calculate”, because the client himself does not attach due importance to this source of stress.

It is not surprising that even simple cases of disorders are almost impossible to treat (or periodically recur) if adjustments are not made in lifestyle.

"Your own psychologist"

The Internet is now filled with a variety of articles and popular books for psychological self-help. But you can also find specialized literature describing serious methods, which, by the way, we learned.

And so, a certain Samodelkin, having stumbled upon such a book in a search engine, decides to save money by contacting a psychologist. And he begins to apply the techniques given there on himself. Naturally, WRONG! Because the details are extremely important, which, believe me, cannot be learned from a book.

But that's not so bad. Here a person is not confused by rabid advertising and discounts and knows what he is getting into.

The real trouble is when such a book gets into the hands of a young (will someone explain why they always look like boys?) “information businessman.” A moment - and the sale of the video course is already brisk on the Internet. And wherever you turn, you just come across this course!

The techniques in such crafts are presented in a dangerously simplified and emasculated form. And mostly not only without reference to the original source, but also with attribution of authorship! “MY unique method that has helped thousands of people, see fabricated reviews.”

Sometimes these methods still work, even in a distorted form. But more often than not, they push the problem deeper. The symptoms seem to have become less, but there is a feeling as if some kind of worm still remains... And so it is! The neurosis passed from an acute form to a chronic one. Now we just have to wait for him to show himself again. Often in a more serious form. Wait and discover that the disease has acquired IMMUNITY against the techniques used! Even if they are used by a professional.

Psychologists call clients who have undergone an unsuccessful course of self-medication “spoiled.” And the time frame for treating neurosis for such clients becomes unpredictable. How could it be otherwise if half, or even most of your arsenal as a psychotherapist suddenly turns out to be unusable?

Conclusion: before you decide to work with neurosis “from books,” and even more so from videos, think three times!

Afterword

Thoughtful reading of our article will allow you to estimate the duration of the upcoming psychotherapy. Of course such forecasts are always approximate. Even from super experienced psychologists. Human nature is very complex. But this, you see, is better than complete uncertainty with deadlines!

By the way, the exact timing in psychotherapy is a clear sign that they will treat with the same brush. Is that bad. A well-known example is Kashpirovsky. Thousands of people underwent “hypnosis” sessions on television in the evening. And the next morning, hospitals across the country (especially psychiatric departments) could not cope with the huge avalanche of people for whom such “treatment” came out sideways.

You should also understand that our technology for calculating the required number of sessions is only suitable for a limited number of clients.

Firstly, the patient himself must ardently wish for recovery. It is HIM, not his relatives. In this regard, we always pay attention to who found us and who called to arrange a session. If it was not the patient, but one of his relatives (even on behalf), one should expect more complex and lengthy work. Tested by many years of practice.

Second, all of our predictions assume a COOPERATIVE, not a passive, customer. Many people mistakenly believe that psychotherapy for neuroses is akin to surgery or pharmacotherapy. Those. you “brought” your body to the doctor’s office, paid the money, and then let the doctor work – perhaps with the help of hypnosis – solve all the problems...

But this is fundamentally wrong. A rolling stone gathers no moss! The client will have to not passively wait for the result, but strain – and seriously! Do homework and exercises, not formally, but putting your soul into it, change your habits and behavior. Sometimes even experience mental pain and endure some anxiety. In other words, be ready to become an ACTIVE assistant to a psychotherapist.

As long as the client - secretly or openly - expects some magic formula, or hopes for some “superpower” of the psychologist, his time to achieve a SUSTAINABLE result is infinity.

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