Senile insanity, symptoms and treatment - Folk recipes! Senile insanity - symptoms and treatment How does insanity manifest in older people.

Senile insanity, or personality degradation, is a chronic, progressive disease and is one of the most severe, irreversible mental disorders. This is the result of age-related mental changes in personality, due to atrophy of all processes occurring in the brain. As a result, a person loses the opportunity to contact the outside world.

This severe mental disorder can be caused by various diseases, mental disorders, pathological changes in the vessels of the brain. Very often the situation is aggravated by heredity. The disease does not appear immediately; it develops gradually over the years, and others do not immediately notice strange behavior in an elderly person. But as the disease progresses, the symptoms become quite vivid and it is no longer possible not to notice them.

How senile insanity manifests itself, the symptoms and treatment of this disease, as well as the possibility of using folk remedies - we will talk about all this today:

Symptoms of senile insanity

On initial stages, the disease is hardly noticeable. Well, maybe the older person has become more absent-minded and forgetful. He develops traits of pronounced egocentrism, he becomes grumpy, gets angry more often than before, and becomes stingy. But these, we believe, are normal manifestations of old age.

But as the disease progresses characteristic symptoms grows and becomes brighter and more noticeable. Memory deteriorates more and more, appearing false memories non-existent events.

In the later stages, a person loses self-care skills, experiences symptoms of a mental disorder, and behaves inappropriately. In the end, he stops recognizing his family and friends, and cannot carry out hygiene procedures, he needs constant monitoring from others.

How and how to treat senile insanity? Treatment of the condition

Senile insanity can be corrected by early stages development. It is impossible to completely cure the disease. But at its first manifestations, it is quite possible to stop the further process of personality disintegration. To do this, you need to show the elderly person to a doctor.

The doctor will prescribe a complete medical examination. When identifying chronic diseases that contribute to the development of this pathology are carried out adequate therapy. To stop the development of senile insanity itself, symptomatic treatment is carried out.

Experts strongly recommend treating a patient at home, in a familiar environment. A calm home atmosphere has a beneficial effect on the psyche and calms a person. Whereas a new, unfamiliar hospital environment can provoke an exacerbation of the disease and worsen the patient’s condition.

An elderly person should be provided with the necessary care. Reward him for even small activities during the day. Don't just lie there alone. Communicate with him more, go for walks together. Or just sit with him on a bench in the yard. If bed rest is recommended for the patient, make sure there are no bedsores. Find an opportunity to take him out into the fresh air at least occasionally.

However, if the patient is so inadequate that he becomes dangerous to himself and others, he is given a referral to a hospital.

A fairly common disease among older people, senile insanity, symptoms and treatment, which we are considering today, can be suspended if treatment is carried out in a timely manner vascular diseases. For example, at the first signs of atherosclerosis, appropriate measures must be taken.

In the early stages of senile insanity, nootropic drugs are prescribed. At chronic insomnia the person is prescribed small doses of diazepam or nitrazepam. If necessary, if the patient has psychotic disorders or severe fussiness, the doctor can write a prescription for antipsychotic drugs.

It must be remembered that any medications for this disease are prescribed by the attending physician. It is strictly forbidden to prescribe them on your own, since such an administration can cause an unpredictable reaction from the patient.

Folk remedies

On early stages diseases can be used folk remedies treatment. For example, good effect gives the use of tincture of elecampane roots. You can buy it at the pharmacy and take 30 drops before meals. After a month of taking it, the patient's condition will improve significantly.

Experts recommend taking vitamin preparations containing vitamin B6 and folic acid. This will prevent the occurrence of depression, reduce the risk of developing brain dysfunction, and stop the development of senile insanity.
It is also beneficial to take ginkgo biloba extract or capsules regularly.

Include fresh garlic in your diet. It contains substances that cleanse the blood vessels of the brain, improve memory, and increase mental and intellectual abilities. Be healthy!

The human body ages over time, and the brain is no exception. Although I would like to immediately say that old age is by no means synonymous with dementia.

Many older people have a clear mind good memory, have a sense of humor and optimism. Although, unfortunately, there are many who in old age become irritable, unkempt, embittered, lose memory and interest in life.

Relatives usually at first attribute such changes to inevitable aging problems, and the patient eventually goes to the doctor in a state where it becomes completely unbearable to be near him. The doctor diagnoses “senile dementia” (senile dementia), and relatives repeat: “Marasmus!”

What is it? When is such a diagnosis made, and is it possible to get rid of it? We will talk about all this in the article.

What condition of the patient is defined as marasmus?

The term “senility” in medicine refers to a state of personality disintegration. This is one of the most severe with loss of the ability to contact the environment.

Marasmus is provoked by atrophic processes in the brain and is the outcome of certain diseases affecting the central nervous system.

How does insanity develop, what does this condition provoke?

The cause of most diseases accompanied by the disease still remains unexplored. Most often in such cases they talk about hereditary predisposition, but ignore the impact external factors It's also not possible. These usually include infectious and acute internal diseases.

But what mental disorders cause insanity? What kind of pathologies are these? It must be said that they include a whole series elderly people with similar characteristics. This includes senile dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Pick’s disease, and

Signs of a mental disorder

And these diseases usually begin unnoticed by others and at first rather slowly. In each patient, before insanity sets in, the symptoms of a mental disorder develop on an increasing scale.

The same for these pathologies is chronic course an illness with a constant increase in symptoms. In addition, diseases are usually irreversible.

And one of the most clear signs is the increase in dementia from almost imperceptible manifestations to severe changes in a person’s intelligence.

Early symptoms of impending insanity

It is very important to prevent insanity from getting stronger in time. To do this, you should pay attention to the characteristics of a person’s character. If their exaggeration is noticeable, that is, frugality becomes stinginess, distrust becomes suspicion, and persistence becomes stubbornness along with impaired ability to adequately analyze what is happening, generalize and other logical operations, then these are the first signs of an impending problem.

In such cases, it is important to urgently change your daily routine and even your social circle (as it turns out, routine is one of the causes of mental disorders). Otherwise, over time, grumpiness, irritability, narrowing of interests will appear, memory disorders will begin to increase and crazy ideas, which usually extend to relatives and friends. And all this leads to dementia.

Clinical picture of marasmus

Ironically speaking, “Insanity grew stronger!” about the eccentricities of an elderly person, we usually do not think about the true meaning of this definition.

But in fact, at the stage of insanity, patients are already bedridden, they lie in one position, become absolutely helpless and lead an almost vegetative life. Patients in this condition often do not understand speech addressed to them and may laugh or cry for no reason. They react in the form of screams or moans only to bodily discomfort or pain.

The general condition of a person with marasmus is characterized by severe physical exhaustion and the development of dystrophy internal organs and increased bone fragility. Marasmus also has characteristic external signs, such as:

  • extreme emaciation;
  • yellowish-pale wrinkled skin with age spots having a brownish or dark yellow tint;
  • the skin is easily injured, and diaper rash and bedsores occur on it.

What is this condition and how is it treated?

This is such insidious insanity. You already understand that this is terrible and ugly. Possibilities to treat this state medicinally very small. And therefore, the most important place in such a situation is occupied by patient care and supervision. Indeed, as a result of the disinhibition of drives, he becomes dangerous both for others and for himself.

It is very important to leave the patient at home, within his own walls, for as long as possible, because the need to get used to a new environment causes his condition to deteriorate.

As a rule, the treatment of marasmus consists of therapy concomitant diseases. Nootropic drugs such patients are indicated only on initial stage. Neuroleptic drugs are prescribed in small doses only to patients with psychotic disorders or with severe fussiness. Spotted positive effect at timely treatment vascular disorders. And to combat insomnia, small doses of drugs with hypnotic effect(“Nitrazepam”, “Diazepam”).

Don't give in to insanity!

Yes, the so-called “idiocies and insanity”, photos of which can be found in large quantities found in the media is only a demonstration of the eccentricity or naked stupidity of individual people, and insanity as a medical diagnosis is a very serious condition that can be avoided if you constantly train your mind and do not lose interest in life. Don't give in to the disease, and it will surely recede!

The body ages, and the brain ages along with it, although old age is not at all synonymous with dementia. Many people in our country, even in old age, retain vigor, a clear mind, sanity and good memory. One of my patients, aged 78, taught at a university and was loved by her students for her sense of humor and optimistic attitude towards life. However, more often in old age people’s character deteriorates, irritability, outbursts of anger are observed, and memory deteriorates. Many relatives, noticing loved one forgetfulness, untidiness, loss of interest in life, they decide that this is aging, natural changes in the body, so a person with insanity consults a doctor only when disorders in his behavior make the life of his relatives unbearable.

What is senile insanity

Senile insanity (dimentia, dementia) is the disintegration of personality, mental disorder, which over time leads to the loss of opportunities for any contact with others, to the loss of basic behavioral skills in all spheres of life. This disease causes mental changes that occur in the brain; treatment is often ineffective; it is an irreversible process of atrophy.

The diagnosis of “senile insanity” can only be made by a psychiatrist, and timely treatment can delay the inevitable onset for many years. unpleasant consequences diseases.

Severity of senile insanity

  • Disease dementia (dementia) usually occurs in people old age, at least 5% of patients over 65 years of age suffer from it. They can no longer acquire new skills, and previously acquired knowledge is lost. Although senile insanity is, by definition, a severe disorder, in medicine, depending on the manifestations of the symptoms of the disease, three degrees of severity of dementia are distinguished.
  • Mild dementia- the first manifestations of the disease, which lead to a decrease in the patient’s social activity, reluctance to communicate with family, colleagues and friends, and loss of the patient’s professional skills. He loses interest in the outside world, gives up his favorite hobbies and leisure activities. With mild symptoms of senile insanity, the patient can still take care of himself, he can normally navigate within the confines of the house.
  • Moderate dementia- in everyday life, this stage of the disease is called senile insanity; the patient becomes a heavy burden for the people close to him. A person forgets how to use kitchen stove, telephone, TV remote control, he will not be able to open it himself door lock, he can no longer be left alone for long. The patient needs constant prompting from relatives, but he still retains self-care and personal hygiene skills. It is necessary to treat marasmus even at this stage of the disease.
  • Severe dementia (senile dementia)- characterized by the patient’s constant and complete dependence on the help of strangers; a person cannot cope with even the simplest actions on his own; he cannot dress, eat, or maintain hygiene.

The first symptoms of the onset of senile insanity

What symptoms in the behavior of an elderly person are considered sufficient reason to consult a doctor about the likelihood of senile insanity?

  • Memory- a person remembers information about everyday events worse than before, while information about events from his past remains intact. A person with dementia forgets what happened yesterday, but perfectly remembers events from his youth.
  • Behavior- the first symptom of the onset of senile insanity is signs of negligence and sloppiness. A person gradually loses interest in hobbies that were interesting to him before, especially activities that require effort, he gives up difficult types of daily activities, and he begins to experience everyday difficulties. A person is still able to take care of himself, but he needs constant reminders about this.
  • Orientation- a person has become poorly oriented in time, but at the same time he understands well where he is. Problems with orientation may arise in an unfamiliar place.
  • Thinking- slight difficulties appear when trying to solve simple everyday problems; the selection of the required action option occurs more slowly the earlier.
  • Communication- close people begin to notice that a person in old age gradually begins to feel burdened by communication, he loses independence in performing his usual duties.

Causes of senile insanity

The main cause of the disease is the death of brain neurons, which can be caused by toxic deposits in the brain or malnutrition brain blood vessels. This is primary dementia and accounts for about 90% of all cases of senile dementia. Sometimes deterioration in brain function occurs as a result of another disease, the course of which makes it difficult to normal work nervous system. This is secondary dementia and accounts for about 10% of cases.

Treatment of senile insanity

For some reason, the population has a strong opinion that senile insanity is incurable, age-related changes in the body of an old person cannot be corrected by any medicine. Such ideas are fundamentally wrong, treatment senile dementia possible and often simply necessary.

Not all types of senile insanity are irreversible; often the disease recedes after its cause is eliminated. Even if dementia occurs as a result of an incurable disease, modern modern antidementia drugs can slow down the rate of development negative symptoms senile insanity. Consult a psychiatrist; only after an objective examination and questioning of the patient will he be able to diagnose the presence of atrophic processes in the brain. You can additionally conduct electroencephalography and computed tomography brain Only qualified specialist may prescribe treatment for a diagnosis of senile insanity.

The main thing is to consult a doctor at the first symptoms of senile insanity, but if we're talking about about a severe form of senile dementia, then effective method There is no treatment today, but symptomatic treatment Insanity can seriously alleviate the lot of the patient.

For successful treatment it is better for the patient to be in home environment. Provide the patient with maximum activity, involve him in performing simple household chores, this will slow down the course of the disease. For insomnia or hallucinations, your doctor may prescribe psychotropic drugs, in the early stages of treatment of senile insanity, nootropics are prescribed, and later tranquilizers are added.

Treatment will help the patient maintain contact with others and take care of himself for several years longer. With the help of timely treatment, the time of live communication between the family and a loved one is extended, and part of the burden of care is removed from close relatives.

How to deal with senile insanity

Take vitamin B12. An insufficient amount of this vitamin is one of the most common causes of brain dysfunction in old age. Studies have shown that 20% of people over sixty years of age and 40% of people over eighty years of age may develop “pseudo-senility” for health reasons. This is a condition when the body produces less gastric juice, food is poorly digested, and the body does not receive enough vitamin B12 and other B vitamins.

Take vitamin B6 and folic acid. Failure folic acid in the body leads to depression, brain dysfunction and senile insanity.

Eat tomatoes and watermelons. Elderly people with high level the antioxidant lycopene in the blood, which is found in tomato juice, tomatoes and watermelons, are able to take care of themselves longer.

Ginkgo extract. This drug plant origin stimulates blood circulation in the smallest vessels brain, dramatically improves memory and mental abilities older people.

Garlic. The substances included in its composition act as growth stimulants on the branches nerve cells, restore mental functions, including memory.

Gymnastics. Even a little regular physical activity slows down the onset of symptoms of senility.

Disease prevention

A person who did not start a family medical statistics, is twice as likely to suffer from senile insanity.

You can find symptoms of all diseases on our website in the section

This disease is quite common in old age, so when communicating with patients, you need to know everything about marasmus in order to take into account the peculiarities of its manifestation and impact on a person’s character.

Marasmus is a specific condition characteristic of old age, which consists of a decline in psychophysical activity caused by depletion and destruction of the cerebral cortex.

Premature marasmus may be caused by early destruction of brain tissue as a result of past diseases or injuries.

Causes of insanity

Marasmus can develop even in childhood because of poor feeding, acute infectious diseases with damage to the central nervous system, congenital syphilis, suppuration.

The causes of marasmus in adulthood are the same infectious diseases, injuries, mercury poisoning, complicated gastrointestinal diseases accompanied by metabolic disorders.

At the same time, in our time there is such a reason as atrophic change cerebral cortex, which currently remains poorly understood. We should not forget about the presence genetic predisposition, and also that insanity in old age it is essentially a genetically programmed process.

Symptoms of insanity

The first signs of this disease can manifest themselves at the age of 40, and at 60 it develops to the fullest. It has now been proven that the decline in mental and intellectual abilities middle age is the onset of the disease.

Outwardly, insanity manifests itself by weight loss, dry skin and a change in its shade to earthy gray. A weakening of strength and “decrepitude” sets in; the patient’s appetite is disturbed and the work of the heart is markedly weakened, which in some cases in rare cases ends with his death. The patient suffers from blindness, deafness, and hair tends to become brittle and fall out.

The first symptoms of insanity are also noticeable in changes in the patient’s judgment and an exacerbation of his reluctance to change. Elderly man adheres to a strictly defined habitual way of life for himself, reacts aggressively to any changes in it and to the appearance of dissidents in his environment, showing intolerance towards them.

Such patients are characterized by nostalgia for their past, even though it could be extremely pale and meager. The course of the disease itself is so slow and sluggish that for a long time remains unnoticed, but the symptoms are constantly increasing.

Among clinical symptoms characterized by dementia, up to absolute. IN physical condition exhaustion, high fragility of bones and degeneration of internal organs are observed. The average duration of the disease is 5-8 years, and it can be weakened by the risk of infectious diseases, previous operations, weakening of the heart.

Signs of insanity also include an exacerbation of certain personality traits: gloominess, grumpiness, constant anxiety, a tendency to conflict and self-centeredness appear. Characteristic is a tendency to lower instincts - collecting unnecessary things, vagrancy, gluttony.

Gradually, the level of judgment and thinking decreases in patients, memory and vocabulary. Initially, the disease manifests itself as severe depression and depression, accompanied by a lack of desires and grumpiness. Later, a state of peculiar euphoria develops, with periods of complacency, carelessness and indifference.

About senile insanity

Nowadays, quite a lot is known about senile insanity. It has been established that the most common cause diseases are problems of vascular diseases, especially hypertension. Despite the fact that this disease Women are most likely to be affected; obese men also have an increased risk.

Also, one of the factors provoking senile insanity in the future is. Do not forget about various intoxications, viral diseases, long-term use certain medications, such as barbiturates or tranquilizers.

If we talk about the symptoms of senile insanity itself, then it is worth noting bright and pronounced changes in personality: if the patient was previously thrifty, then he becomes greedy, sociable turns into obsessive, energetic becomes fussy. Old people develop selfishness, resentment, excessive suspicion and distrust even of their family.

To prevent the development of senile insanity, intellectual and physical development, which have a positive effect on exchange and active processes in the cerebral cortex, prevent further atrophy. Vitamin therapy is also recommended. It is necessary to know everything about marasmus, since in some cases patients retain part of their consciousness and can hide their illness, while normally the patient does not lose critical thinking regarding yourself.

Treatment of senile insanity is based on psychosocial therapy and the use of some drug therapy. The support and help of the family is important for the patient; if possible, he should not be sent to specialized hospitals, since a change of environment can only aggravate the course of the disease.

Treatment of insanity

The possibility of using drug therapy in the case of marasmus is very limited. The priority is supervision and care of the sick, as they quickly lose the ability to perform everyday self-care.

In some cases, due to mental disinhibition, patients can pose a danger both to themselves and to others.

It is necessary to try to give the patient the most active daily routine, which will help prevent pulmonary pathology, weakening of the heart, loss of appetite and the appearance of bedsores. Insomnia is usually eliminated by normalizing the daily schedule and walking in the fresh air. Vitamin therapy is prescribed, sometimes nootropics that improve metabolic processes in the brain. Treatment of marasmus can be improved by controlling the symptoms of vascular diseases.

Signs of it in general outline known to almost everyone, but only at the level of anecdotes. Although insanity is not funny at all. This is quite serious and dangerous disease, which can lead to disastrous consequences. In this article we will describe the causes of such a disease as senile insanity, its symptoms, as well as treatment options. So let's begin.

Senile insanity: signs

This disease is also called “personality disintegration.” It is characterized as the most severe negative disorder caused by mental changes arising due to atrophying processes in the brain. The onset of the disease is slow and unnoticeable. A more severe form of marasmus is characterized by such signs as disturbances in the nutrition of the tissues of the head, degeneration of internal organs, as well as increased fragility of bones. A person with marasmus also experiences Bad mood, loss of interest in life, impaired attention, speech, disorder abstract thinking. It is generally accepted that people's character deteriorates in old age and that this is a pattern. But in fact, this circumstance can serve as a symptom of a disease such as senile insanity. Its signs also include exaggeration of character traits and narrowing of the range of interests. All this is due to a number of reasons.

Senile insanity: what causes it?

The origin of this disease is not entirely clear. Many people associate it with heredity or old age. Also possible reasons of this disease are high blood pressure, obesity, constant stress, alcoholism.

Senile insanity: how to avoid

In general, this disease can occur not only in old age. Therefore the following useful tips a must read for everyone without exception. In order to avoid this disease, you need to continuously support your brain function, in other words, exercise intellectual activity. That is why all doctors constantly claim that it is much more useful to give old people a magazine with crosswords and puzzles than a TV or radio. In addition, to avoid this disease, you need to live an active and life to the fullest. As soon as a person begins to come to terms with the fact that he is old and his existence is coming to an end logical conclusion, he signs his own death warrant. You need to live life to the very end. Spare no expense for your elderly relatives and give them at least a small trip, new book or chess.

Let them develop throughout their lives, then they will be able to maintain their minds and be happy until their last day.

How to treat senile insanity

Possibilities drug treatment extremely narrow. There is no single cure for senile insanity in the world. But still, if senile insanity appears, what should you do? It is advisable to provide proper care and monitoring of patients, to ensure that they are as active as possible throughout the day, of course, within reasonable limits. Vitamins will also be useful.