Stupor - what is it? Disorder or borderline condition?

In psychiatry, a stupor is called motor impairment, in which the patient falls into complete immobility, accompanied by mutism and almost complete absence or extreme weakening of the response to external stimuli. This phenomenon is one of the few that can cause a lot of anxiety for those who first encountered it. But in order to deal with the phenomenon, it is necessary to equip with some knowledge.

In order to answer the question "Stupor - what is it?", It is necessary to list the main types of this condition that modern psychiatry singles out.

Catatonic Stupor

The most common type of pathology, characterized by numbness of the patient in a pose with uncomfortably bent limbs. That is, the position of the body is not entirely human. The patient ceases to contact with others, does not pay attention to what is happening around, as if being under hypnosis, even if the situation is a clear threat to life. The most vivid examples that characterize catatonic stupor and what it is are, for example, cases where the patient remained lying in an unnatural position in a room engulfed by a fire, showing no signs of anxiety and not responding to pain. Anyone can fall into a stupor under the influence of stress.

This manifestation of catatonic syndrome begins, as a rule, with chewing muscles, later descending into the cervical region, and ends with numb limbs. Such a nervous paralysis can be caused by any stressful situation, for example, fear, shock, fright.

Stupor with wax flexibility

A kind of disorder when the patient freezes, for example, with an uncomfortably raised leg, hand, or both hands. The person also does not react to what is happening around, stops responding to questions pronounced by a regular measured voice. However, the patient can communicate in a whisper, and at night get up, move around the room, provide care, take food and even answer questions. That is, in the unconscious state, he can get out of the state of stupor.

Negativistic stupor

Quite often the medical history of psychiatry includes the term "Negative Stupor". This kind of stupor is different in that the patient is actively resisting all attempts to change his position. Getting him to leave the bed is very difficult, but if it works out, it's even harder to put the patient back. Often a negativistic stupor is accompanied by a sharpening of the patient's spirit of contradiction and even aggressive behavior.

Stupor of muscle stupor

As a rule, when answering the question "Stupor - what is it?", Professional psychiatrists invariably mark the numbness of the patients' muscles. The most pronounced condition is qualified as a stupor with muscle numbness. With him, the patient takes most often an intrauterine position, all his muscles are tense, and his eyes are closed. The position of the embryo in this case is not chosen randomly, thus numb creates a kind of protection. This attitude is closely related to a sense of security and peace. This is inherent in a person at the genetic level. Most of these patients refuse to eat.

Depressive stupor

Depressive stupor - what is it? Another condition that the medical history of psychiatry knows very well. Depressive stupor is a consequence of severe endogenous depression disorders. In addition to stupor, he is characterized by a painful or melancholic expression of the patient's face . However, he continues to monitor himself, to carry out all vital functions and even sometimes comes into contact. Often, numbness and detachment are replaced by unexpected attacks of activity and tidal energy. Suffice it to recall how depicting grief or depression in movies: the hero, sitting by the window, looks at one point. At the same time, he can drink tea or smoke, seeking in this salvation and comfort.

Apathetic stupor - what is it?

In its symptoms, it is somewhat similar to depressive. Nevertheless, such a stupor can be called one of the most mild forms of the disorder. As a rule, the patient lies in a static position, although he answers the questions, but monotonously, monosyllabically, with a large time delay. The quality of appetite and sleep is significantly impaired.

When visiting relatives or friends the patient shows quite adequate emotions, is able to answer questions and independently make phrases quickly and meaningfully.

Stupor can be attributed to the border states, which are caused by a strong nervous shock, which has arisen as a protective reaction of the body to the stimulus.

Treatment of the disease can be carried out both at home and in the hospital. However, the main condition is mandatory consultation and supervision of a psychiatrist or psychoanalyst.