Neuroses and neurotic states. Types of neuroses

Strong nervous system now can not boast of everyone. The rhythm of human life is constantly accelerating, and this leads to the fact that people sleep less and work more. Constant satellites at home and at work are information, emotional overload and stress. Even the most reserved people break down, because the accumulated irritability finds a way out sooner or later. Frequent stimulants of nervous breakdowns are family conflicts and difficulties at work.

Definition of the concept of "neuroses and neurotic states"

The World Health Organization has published statistics that say that 400 million people are experiencing some form of mental illness. According to the same organization, the most common disorder is neurosis and neurotic states.

The state of a neurosis is a functional disturbance of the psyche, which is characterized by reversibility, provoked by prolonged or acute traumatic factors of the external or internal environment. The neurotic syndrome in a person is expressed in a state of dissatisfaction and psychological distress.

Characteristics of a neurosis

Human neuroses, like any other disorder, have their own characteristics and properties.

First, the source of the neurosis is psychogenic. Secondly, the disorder is reversible in time. Thirdly, the form of the course of the disease is protracted. Fourth, neuroses and neurotic states do not lead to progressive changes in personality. Fifth, the patient is adequately and critically relevant to his condition.

The concept of neurosis in the Western and Russian scientific world

Domestic scientists have developed a classification and identified three basic elements. So, these are the types of neuroses: the neurosis of compulsive states, neurasthenia and hysteria. Soviet psychiatrists in the 70's and 80's of the twentieth century added to the presented typology also such a neurotic syndrome as neurotic depression.

Western scientists attribute this disorder to neurosis of fear, hypochondria, anxiety and neurotic phobia.

Neurotic conditions in children are also not so rare. The child inherits some properties of the character and habits of the mother or father that have destructive tendencies. Inadequate educational measures (too strict or too kind parents, indulging to their children, lack or excess of love) also influence the occurrence of this disorder in children.

In adults, neurotic reactions can result from severe illness, prolonged stress, loss of a loved one, problems in personal or family life, extreme use of physical and mental resources without an appropriate break. Alcohol in large doses and the use of drugs also contribute to the development of neurosis.

Symptoms of neurosis

It is interesting that the patient for many years can not recognize the symptoms of neurosis as pathological patterns of his organism. And only when he becomes ill, he will turn to a specialist. What's the matter? The answer is simple: people are used to perceive fatigue, inexplicable anxiety as something ordinary, and not as neurosis. The patients' comments on their condition show us the picture of this disorder. In the event that these symptoms begin to interfere more and more with life, a person realizes that, probably, something is going wrong with him. Also, the neurotic will have an unstable mood. Vulnerability, indecisiveness, touchiness, poor resistance to stress - all this tells us about the disease.

The most important characteristic that determines the essence of a neurotic disorder is the contradictions in the human values system that generate the absence of a specific worldview, fluctuations in desires and aspirations, an unstable attitude towards oneself and the world around them.

The satellites of neuroses are often specific diseases of the psyche (obsessions, compulsive actions, overeating, bulimia, anorexia, depression).

The Three Basic Types of Neuroses

Types of neuroses, identified by Soviet scientists, we will consider in more detail. We proceed to the first form.

Neurasthenia (asthenic neurosis)

This disorder is characterized by the following asthenic manifestations:

• High level of mental and physical fatigue.
• Dissipation.
• Lack of ability to focus.
• Low working capacity.
• An acute need for rest, which helps to restore strength.

It should be noted that a high level of mental exhaustion and hyperstasy (high excitability) are also present in neurasthenia. The neurasthenics can not contain their emotions, they are rather hot-tempered, they have a constant internal tension. Trivialities that people have not noticed before, are now very irritating and cause a storm of emotional reactions that can end in tears.

Headache, sleep disturbances and various psychosomatic disorders of systems are signs of a disease such as asthenic neurosis. Symptoms and treatment will be appreciated by a specialist and will help a person recover.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

The clinical picture of this neurosis is the numerous "obsessions". Neuroses and neurotic states of this category include such various phobias: agoraphobia, social phobia, fear of disease, claustrophobia, etc.

The presented disorder tends to a protracted nature of the flow, if we compare it with other types of neuroses. In the case of preservation of symptoms, that is, when new symptoms do not appear, the patient adapts to the phobia and tries to avoid situations where fear can appear. It turns out that the disease does not change the way of life of a person.

Hysteria

The disorder has motor and sensory impairments, and also manifests itself in problems of autonomic functions that mimic anatomophysiological diseases (conversion).

Motor disorders include hysterical paralysis and paresis, tick, tremor and other various arbitrary movements. It turns out that a person can be both immobilized and move arbitrarily.

Sensory disorders include the occurrence of anesthesia, excessive sensitivity (hyperstasy) and hysterical pain (headache, squeezing whiskey).

Anorexia nervosa, enuresis and stammering is also a neurosis. Symptoms and treatment is determined by a doctor specializing in the field of human psychology.

Causes of Neurotic Conditions

The cause of any neurosis is a conflict that can go both from the internal and external environment or both at the same time. Conflicts provoked by the external environment are conflicts of interpersonal relations and confrontation of a person with the surrounding world. For the situation to be resolved, it is sometimes enough simply to change the situation, which will bring greater psychological comfort than the previous one. But if a person has an intrapersonal conflict, then the change of the atmosphere is a temporary and temporary measure.

The second kind of conflict - internal - often takes place latently and can, in general, not be realized by a person, but this does not mean that its destructive influence will be less, on the contrary, even stronger. This is because the personality acts under the influence of conflicting desires and aspirations.

The internal conflict situation arises in the event that the childish attitudes, laid down by parents, start to contradict the reality, needs and desires of the person. Everyone who has a neurosis, is characterized by his personal individual picture of conflicts and contradictions.

Prevention and treatment

In order to get rid of the neurotic condition, doctors recommend making changes in their lifestyle. For example, a person can spend more time walking, sports, stop drinking alcohol, eating fast food. The new situation, for example, new cities, countries, and travels, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Scientists say that people who have a hobby feel much better than those who do not like anything.

There are times when in moments of excitement and anxiety a person washes dishes, windows, floors, removes, that is, does something, thus releasing the internal energy. Help to maintain mental health of yoga and autogenic training.

Doctors advise more to walk in the park, woodlands, work in the garden, because green color positively affects the nervous system of the patient with a neurosis. Green shades calm the person, eliminate irritability, help to disappear fatigue, insomnia and establish a spiritual harmony. In psychiatric clinics, green is used in the treatment of hysterical patients.

Also in specialized institutions for the treatment of neurosis doctors use various diets, intake of vitamins, exercise, nootropic drugs, antidepressants and tranquilizers. There is also psychological help. Psychologists and psychotherapists work with patients, conducting individual consultations and trainings. The psychotherapist should create such conditions that will help the patient develop a new life-setting.

Conclusion

Medicamental treatment of neurotic disorders is not very effective. Taking medications, a person can suffer from a disease for several years or even dozens of years. The danger of such treatment lies in the possibility of dependence on tranquilizers or other medications. Therefore, psychotherapy is an indispensable element of treatment.

Doctors can use both short-term techniques to reduce the intensity of the symptom, and long-term psychotherapy, which will help determine the source of neurosis and resolve the conflict. The person in the process of work grows personally and develops new patterns of behavior. Such therapy can last for two to three years. It depends on the complexity of the patient's individual history.

Life with a person who developed a neurotic state is very difficult, and sometimes even impossible. The neurotic is very demanding. All your attention and love should belong only to him. If you reduce the concentration of love and care, then the reaction in the form of resentment will be immediate. He begins to carp and thereby discourages the partner's love and desire to take care of him.

Such a person constantly whines and complains to people around him, talks about his fears and loads his close and dear people without realizing it. People generally do not understand such complaints, because they are a healthy-looking person, and he says that everything is bad. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the neurotic strongly suffers and experiences his condition. In this regard, it is better not to delay, and immediately turn to a specialist and take a course of psychotherapy, understand yourself, in your thoughts, desires. Only the person can help himself.