Paraphrenic syndrome: a description, causes, symptoms

"Brad" - how often people say this word, trying to express their disagreement with some ideas. But in fact, nonsense is nothing more than a manifestation of the disease in terms of mental health. One of the most severe forms of delusional disorder is paraphrenic syndrome. It is sometimes called megalomania. Let us analyze this syndrome in more detail.

And here is delusive grandeur?

For paraphrenic syndrome is characterized by an overestimation of its own significance. A person begins to compare himself with someone great, becomes obsessed with the idea of his uniqueness and own superiority. Many people start thinking that they have superpowers, and sometimes even consider themselves elected, those with whom the higher mind communicates. All this megalomania leads to hallucinations, because it is thanks to them that the patient manages to believe that he is really special.

The line between lies and illness

Paraphrenic syndrome can be confused with a love of fantasy. For example, for the schizoid type , care of one's inner world and one's fantasies is characteristic. Inventing his world, a person in the meantime begins to believe that everything is really the way he imagined himself. When paraphrenia is also observed untrue stories, but if in schizoid disorder they always go in the same line, then the delusional patient they are always different, change and do not dock with themselves.

Fictional characters are not just non-existent people, they are those who simply can not be in the world: people with tentacles and three heads, dead famous personalities. Even having caught such a delusional patient in a lie, you can be sure that he will continue to assure that all this is in fact the truth. The paraphrenic syndrome manifests itself to everyone, except the verisimilitude of the statements, they are always untrue, and any sensible person can understand this.

General symptomatology

Paraphrenic syndrome is characterized by several types of symptoms:

• Hallucinatory type. The patient has verbal hallucinations. In other words, he hears voices from outside or within himself. They inspire fanatical ideas, distort reality. They are often called pseudo hallucinations.

• Systematized type. Delusional thoughts are already firmly fixed in the mind of the patient, become persistent. If, with hallucinatory type, there is still a chance that a person can independently realize the delusions of his ideas, then this type becomes impossible. Gradually, thoughts begin to be structured, but in the wrong channel.

• Confabulatory type. Develops in a single combination with the first two types. The substitution of false memories begins. A person begins to talk about the events of the past in a different color, with other details or facts. Together with this, megalomania begins to develop. The stories from the past are mainly related to something that made the patient special, not like everyone else.

• Mental automatism. The patient begins to communicate with fictional characters. Fictitious in the sense that in fact these people do not talk to him. It can be those who live now, or someone who has already died. There may be extraterrestrial or other fantastic creatures. Along with this, a person begins to assure everyone that he has abilities that he did not previously have. For example, the ability to manipulate people, read their thoughts, move objects, dissolve in the surrounding world, be invisible.

Symptoms, taken from other disorders

In addition to its symptoms, paraphrenic syndrome has the same manifestations with other syndromes, namely:

• CAPGRA SYNDROME. There is a substitution of strangers for acquaintances and vice versa. Real friends, close people and even family members are perceived as strangers and previously unfamiliar. But those whom the patient never knew become dear and close. His surroundings, he begins to accept for make-up outsiders trying to take possession of his location and trust.

• Fregoli Syndrome. The same person in the eyes of the patient begins to take the form of different people. For example, after seeing a friend, the patient can first recognize him, at the next meeting, find him some famous sportsman, and later a creature from the fairy tale. With this, he sincerely will believe that this is indeed so.

Features of speech

Paranoid, paranoid, paraphrenic syndromes are all characterized by a clearly broken speech. It is replete with facts of universal scale, various figures and calculations, comparisons. The patient, trying in every possible way to prove his importance for the whole world, cites scientific facts that prove this. He begins to talk about what is known only to him alone, about uncharted events, wars in outer space. Any disagreement with his point of view will be constantly refuted.

Varieties

Like any other syndrome, paraphrenia has its own variations:

• Melancholic paraphrenia. It is a species closely associated with depression. It occurs already at a later age. It is dangerous because delusional ideas, instead of elevating a person to the rank of special, which would be better than self-flagellation, lead to self-flagellation. A person is sure that he deserves humiliation, and at any opportunity tries to humiliate himself.

• Involutionary paraphrenia. Also characteristic of elderly patients. A sense of persecution begins, that all around are dangerous. Man, believing that it carries in itself something unique, tries in every possible way to save it from external fictitious enemies. A paraphrenic syndrome of this type leads to deceptions of memory (a person begins to get confused in it, deliberately substitutes some facts in memories), sharp mood swings, speech changes at the moment of exacerbation of delirium.

• Presenile paraphrenia. It occurs in women aged 45 to 55 years. It is characterized by the idea of greatness due to a connection with someone else greater. For example, there may be delusions of fantasy of sexual connection with extraterrestrial intelligence. At the same time auditory hallucinations in every possible way fuel the belief in the veracity of these circumstances.

• Acute paraphrenia. This is more an attack of schizophrenia than a paraphrenic syndrome. The case history in all cases confirms this. Delusions in this case, sensual and imaginative. The patients claim that they really feel everything they talk about. For example, how they are touched by a fictional character.

• Erotic paraphrenia. It affects women more often than men. Almost all patients have a bad family life, which is the impetus for the development of this kind of delirium. Hallucinations are blamed for immorality, while threatening sexual violence for it. Accusations can be about treason to your spouse. It comes in old age and has a paroxysmal character.

• Late paraphrenia. The latest of all types, as diagnosed at the age of 70-80 years. It seems to patients that they are being harmed, offended. Refers to senile schizophrenia and is difficult to cure.

Causes of the syndrome

The syndrome can proceed independently, and can be only an attribute of any disease. It can be called: schizophrenia, manic syndrome, psychosis (especially senile). The reason may also be:

• Genetic predisposition to the occurrence of mental illness. Do not be surprised if suddenly a child of mental patients begins to rave.

• Problems with brain activity. Any violations in his work from birth or from some kind of injury or a disease like meningitis.

• Abuse of narcotic, psychotropic drugs and alcohol.

Treatment

Treatment of the disorder is possible. It is carried out in several stages. At first, patients are prescribed neuroleptic drugs, they help stabilize the general condition of the patient and in addition reduce the nonsense. In the event that there is also a depressive disorder, the doctor prescribes antidepressants. In large doses, drugs are taken by patients who are on inpatient treatment, at home only a small dose of medication is being taken. The final stage of treatment is the passage of a course of psychotherapy from a specialist.

Prevention

Knowing what a parafrenic syndrome is and promptly starting its treatment, you can protect yourself or your loved ones. The more advanced the symptoms, the more difficult it is to cure them. Of course, most patients manage to recover, but this does not happen to everyone. At risk are the elderly, whose health should be carefully monitored and not forget to visit a psychiatric dispensary for a visit at least once every six months.