Neurosis-like schizophrenia: symptoms and difference from neurosis

Mental disorders - unhealthy states of mental activity - a phenomenon that has recently been quite common. Such diseases, due to emotional instability, are mainly affected by adolescents: every fourth minor in Europe has deviations. Among adults, statistics are a little more comforting: according to WHO, 15% of the population of the Old World are diagnosed with a variety of mental disorders.

Frequent causes of abnormalities in mental health are severe shocks or persistent stresses on the background of chronic fatigue and other concomitant diseases. If we consider schizophrenia, then the development of the disease can be traced quite clearly: in 33% of cases the disease appears in adolescence. The first symptoms of a serious mental disorder, as a rule, do not pay attention, trying to lead a habitual way of life. In this case, neurosis-like schizophrenia in some cases leads to suicide.

Next, it will be about this disease. Symptom, differences of schizophrenia from neurosis, causes of pathology development, methods of therapy and prognosis will be considered.

What is neurosis-like schizophrenia?

As already mentioned, this disease is quite common and often proceeds secretly. Neurosis-like schizophrenia (subspecies sluggish) - this is a form of schizotypal disorder of the psyche. The disease, due to persistent remissions, is considered the most favorable among the many varieties of schizophrenia. In the absence of such periods of tranquility, other defects of the psyche are often observed in patients, which change the consciousness of a person even when appropriate therapy is carried out.

In addition, this subspecies of sluggish schizophrenia is transformed into other, much more severe forms of pathology, in very rare cases. Symptomatics in many ways is similar to neurotic disorders, but development in patients with paranoia and other forms of schizophrenia in this disease is not noted.

The recognition of neurosis-like schizophrenia is associated with some difficulties. Manifestations of the disease are often confused with neurosis, hysteria or psychasthenia, and the symptoms are not always clearly expressed and are constantly observed. Remissions with this type of schizotypal disorder are very stable and prolonged. Such periods can continue for several months or even years. The problem of diagnosis, in fact, really exists, so the main thing is to recognize the disease correctly in order to provide timely treatment.

The essence of the disease is as follows: the patient is constantly worried about the shortcomings of his own body, complexes are formed, from which the person changes cardinally. Patients stubbornly insist on their own imperfection and fixate on this issue. In addition, often there are also hallucinogenic sensations - a person seems to have voices in his head.

Most often, as mentioned above, the disease appears in adolescence, which contributes to the emotional instability of older students. In adulthood sluggish neurosis-like schizophrenia equally affects both the stronger sex and women. Behavior in this case is very different: women make aggressive makeup and vulgar dress, trying to compensate for apparent shortcomings with bright appearance, men also have a gloomy closure and a certain set of oddities like constant torsion in the hands of a ballpoint pen.

Neurosis and schizophrenia: similarities and differences

As the most important difference of these mental disorders, it should be noted that: patients suffering from neurosis, turn to doctors and independently seek help. And people who develop neurosis-like schizophrenia, or simply do not notice such a large-scale problem, or do not realize the seriousness of the possible consequences, leaving this load on the shoulders of their relatives.

The early symptoms of diseases are virtually indistinguishable, which is why there are difficulties in diagnosing. Taking into account the age of the main risk group, when the adolescent, growing up, changes before our eyes, other complications are added. Teenagers in themselves tend to be both impressionable and exaggerated, so it's very difficult to pinpoint any mental disorder (including due to the frequent simulation of symptoms).

In addition, neurosis does not arise without cause. Usually it is preceded by some strong shock or a long string of routine stresses. Sometimes the pathological condition develops as a consequence of chronic fatigue and constant overstrain (for example, with hard work without alternating with rest). Quite differently develops sluggish neurosis-like schizophrenia: the difference from neurosis is that sluggish schizotypal disorder can appear simply with a genetic predisposition. There were no other factors influencing the occurrence of this disease.

In the early stages, the symptoms in both diseases are similar, but later clear differences begin to appear, the clinical picture is clearly differentiated. Neurosis does not deform the personality characteristic of the patient, the neurosis-like form of schizophrenia, even for all its softness, still leaves an imprint on the patient's personal qualities. In schizophrenia, indifference, isolation in oneself, apathy and avoidance of society are characteristic, sometimes it comes to the fact that a person is assigned a disability - a patient simply can not service himself.

Another difference of these pathologies is the fact that neurosis can be overcome relatively quickly and without problems, which can not be said about neurosis-like schizophrenia. If you do not start treatment in time, then the deformation of the person will continue all the time. And even when suppressing symptoms with medications, it is almost impossible to completely rid the person of a mental disorder. In the best case, there will be prolonged remissions.

The causes of the appearance of neurosis-like schizophrenia

To date, the causes of neurosis-like schizophrenia are not known. The basic factor is considered to be unfavorable genetic heredity, but it also identifies other possible causes that affect the appearance of this form of schizotypal disorder:

• Psychological trauma from childhood;
• Disorders of development in the perinatal period;
• Conflicts with others (especially long, sluggish);
• An unfavorable situation in the family, on study or work;
• Taking narcotic drugs;
• Regular emotional overload, stressful situations.

The risk group also includes children conceived by parents after reaching the age of thirty-five. The perinatal period with such a pregnancy can be complicated by various problems, so for a timely diagnosis of a possible disease, special attention should be given to children from such families.

Patients with schizophrenia with neurosis-like disorders tend to acquire other diseases. One of the frequent disorders associated with neurosis-like schizophrenia is anorexia, to which young girls are mostly exposed. Dysmorphophobia (obsession with the thought of one's own ugliness) often leads patients to dystrophy. In addition, many of the patients blame themselves for their own alleged shortcomings of others. The differentiation is broken, neurosis-like schizophrenia deprives the person of the opportunity to communicate normally with the surrounding people.

It is clearly seen how much more difficult is neurosis-like schizophrenia (difference from neurosis). In the first case, there is a complete denial of the presence of a problem and the need for therapy, in the second case, the patient tries to contact others to attract attention and get help.

Symptomatic of neurosis-like schizophrenia and neurosis

As mentioned above, the similarity of schizophrenia and neurosis at an early stage is very great. The obvious difference exists, for example, in the publicity of the patient's anxiety, suffering from pathological changes in the psyche. With a neurosis, a person desperately hides his experiences, does not go into contact in matters of feelings and carefully protects his personal space. In this case, most often the patient seeks to find a specialist who can help cope with apathy. Neurosis-like schizophrenia, in turn, is characterized by the reverse behavior: the patient behaves in a demonstrative manner, exposing offense, distress and anxiety, which is especially noticeable in adolescence.

Other symptoms of sluggish neurosis-like schizophrenia are:

• Constant complaints of anxiety towards themselves and their loved ones, fear of the future;
• Conversations about sexual relations are completely not supported by the patients, they lead him into a stupor;
• There is a complete lack of interest in the opposite sex;
• A person observes certain rituals in almost all domestic activities (for example, before eating an apple, the patient completely cleans it and cuts it into 8 lobules, repeating it each time);
• Constant fingering of the handle, belt from clothing or any other items in the hands.

For the most part, similar actions (especially if they are not noticeable) close and familiar patients completely do not pay attention. Such people are simply called eccentric, taking everything as it is. To the doctor, patients, as a rule, do not apply, they do not take medicines.

The danger with such a disease, like neurosis-like schizophrenia, is also a symptom that a person who has been fixated on fictional ugliness can do something terrible with himself. Patients with schizophrenia with neurosis-like disorders often find themselves under the knife of a plastic surgeon because of the desire to change their appearance and hide imaginary flaws. Many such people literally kill themselves with rigid diets, make injections of "quick beauty" and exhaust themselves into physical exercises.

The absurdity of the actions performed by the patient is, in most cases, obvious to others. Sometimes even such a person manifests aggression, forcing relatives and friends to also observe certain rituals. In addition, the symptoms of the disease include bad sleep, withdrawal into oneself (by the way, this is the most frequent sign of schizophrenia in general) and emotional detachment.

Who can help in this situation?

The first in the list of people who can solve the problem of both neurosis and neurosis-like schizophrenia are doctors. In particular, it is a therapist and a psychiatrist, in addition, sometimes a consultation of an expert in narcology is required.

If the reason for the mental disorder was the use of narcotic drugs, only the narcologist will be able to compile a true picture of the disease and determine the treatment regimen. During the first visit to the specialist, the patient will need to answer a few questions. The conversation will focus on the use of drugs and alcohol, family, work or study. The data (later analyzed by the psychiatrist) will help confirm or refute the presence of the disease and discover the cause if the pathology of the psyche still takes place. In addition, the patient will be offered psychological tests and examination on special equipment for consultation. Only after the final processing of the results will it be possible to prescribe treatment.

Included in the group of "assistants" are relatives and friends of a person suffering from mental disorders. Sincere support will help to achieve the onset of a period of persistent remission and return to a more or less normal life. This is especially important if the patient is a teenager. Teenagers are much more impulsive than adults, so the state of overexcitation can provoke suicide. Close people should constantly monitor the behavior of a person with neurosis-like schizophrenia, if only because of such a serious risk. Love and support as well as possible contribute to the stabilization of the patient's condition, help him to leave his secluded world and establish contact with others.

It is important to understand that pseudo-neurotic (neurosis-like) schizophrenia is as dangerous as the "classical" form of schizotypic disorder. The presence of hallucinations and "voices in the head" can provoke the patient to harm themselves or others.

The clinical picture, which is formed in the mental disorder

Most of the patients are teenagers and young people, whose age varies from 13 to 20 years. Pronounced in pathology, syndromes of dysmorphomania and dysmorphophobia: the patient convinces himself and others in his own ugliness, with the specific part of the body (arm, leg, nose, ear) usually allocated. The defect detected by the patient is usually imaginary, but in rare cases there can actually be a small defect that is completely invisible.

Another feature of patients with neurosis-like schizophrenia - such people can hit the philosophy and spend hours thinking about the same topics. Frequent questions that people who suffer from mental disorders like to discuss are the reasons for the existence of man on Earth, washed away the lives of a particular person and the whole of mankind.

Thoughts of the "eternal", as a rule, remain simply a set of proposals that do not presuppose concrete actions. The patient does not pay any attention to external criticism, preferring to go deep into reflections and write down ideas in a diary. Usually it is impossible to make out a line from the one written by such a person.

Excessive anxiety, which is manic, is another quirk of people diagnosed with neurosis-like schizophrenia (symptoms may also be characteristic of other mental disorders). The instinct of self-preservation, the natural fear for one's life and health, is peculiar to them in a perverted form, at times the sick are frightened of even the most ordinary things. To somehow protect themselves, people with schizophrenia perform small, strange rituals. For example, they go to bed in different socks and a hat.

In addition, such people are often visited by hypochondria. This condition is characterized by a constant search for symptoms of a severe and incurable disease, which no one before this person has ever been sick. The patient inspires himself that he is very sick, as a rule, an unknown disease to science, and will soon die. Similar behavior can also be characteristic of children with attention deficit syndrome.

Methods of treatment of neurosis-like schizophrenia

Since the disease is not considered a serious deviation and does not directly threaten the life and health of both the person himself and others, the treatment of neurosis-like schizophrenia does not provide for an extensive list of special medicines. Most often, non-severe tranquilizers and neuroleptics are prescribed, which do not exert a strong influence on processes throughout the body and the brain in particular, but effectively relieve phobias and obsessive thoughts.

If the disease begins to go into a latent form, then to get rid of the surging depression prescribe antidepressants. But alone, even with the use of appropriate drugs, it is very difficult to get out of this state, so psychotherapists apply group and individual methods of dealing with such cases of diseases.

Before starting work (especially group work) with the patient, the doctor should be able to establish contact with him. There were cases when a sick person claimed that he was absolutely healthy and categorically denied the presence of schizophrenia, and a week later the patient was brought back. Therapy may be delayed, but over time, most patients re-adapt to society.

Prognosis of the disease

Mental disorder (neurosis-like schizophrenia) is positive in almost 100% of cases. There is, of course, a variant of the transition of the disease to another form, but such a scenario is unlikely.

Suicide appears in the medical history of a rather impressive number of patients, but the completed attempts do not exceed 2% of the entire multitude of patients. Sad incidents are very rare because of careful monitoring of patients with an already established diagnosis.

Disability for people with neurosis-like schizophrenia is not often given. After the course of treatment and the onset of the period of remission, a person remains a full-fledged member of society and can independently serve himself at the household level.

An example of a medical history

To form a clear idea of the nature of the course of the disease, it is worth reading the documented information about patients who have had attacks of schizotypic disorder (neurosis-like schizophrenia). The case history of the patient with this disease (conditional, of course, for a better understanding of the topic) is given below.

At the reception was quite a pretty woman, whose appearance could suggest the presence of any kind of mental disorder: an excess of cosmetics, frequent interruption of the conversation in order to look in the mirror, neat but tasteless clothes. A monotonous voice, mean facial expressions and gestures, and later anamnesis only confirmed the diagnosis.

The survey about the situation in the house gave the following data: the father is a very strict person, the mother is a kind but exacting woman, the older sister is on psychiatric registration, the grandmother was mentally ill. So, unfavorable heredity was revealed.

The patient described the early fascination with the male sex, including the fact that after the appearance of obvious symptoms of schizophrenia, young people stopped paying attention to it. Then the woman told about the voices in my head that appeared after the restriction of communication with others. The voices were masculine, at first they said mostly compliments, and then began to give orders, to urge to action. Sensations in neurosis-like schizophrenia are clearly identified.

The patient ceased to conceal from her associates her "communication" with voices, and was soon placed in a hospital. After a while she was discharged. Over the next two years, the woman suffered several jumps of exacerbation, after which the condition was relatively stabilized.

In the patient, a course of individual interviews was conducted using some psychological techniques, and sedatives were prescribed. Each stage of therapy on average lasted one and a half to two months. After the onset of a period of persistent remission, the woman remained active, and hallucinations and delirium ceased.

Finally

Hereditary diseases are difficult to prevent, but diagnosis and therapy at an early stage prevent the development of all kinds of negative consequences. It is necessary to treat attentively the relatives who are at risk, and not leave without the support of adolescents. In the presence of any characteristic symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor, without waiting for confirmation of the guesswork.