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Mental disorders. Mental disorders: signs and symptoms of the disease

The first signs of a mental disorder are changes in behavior and disturbances in thinking that go beyond existing norms and traditions. Basically, these signs are associated with the complete or partial insanity of a person and make a person incapable of performing social functions.

Such disorders can occur in men and women, regardless of age and nationality.

The pathogenesis of many mental disorders is not completely clear, but scientists have come to the conclusion that their formation is influenced by a combination of social, psychological and biological factors.

How do you know if you have a mental disorder? To do this, you should undergo an examination by a professional psychotherapist and answer questions as honestly and frankly as possible.

As the disease progresses, symptoms appear that are noticeable, if not to the patient himself, then to his loved ones. The main signs of a mental disorder are:

  • emotional symptoms();
  • physical symptoms (pain, );
  • behavioral symptoms (medication abuse, aggression);
  • perceptual symptoms (hallucinations);
  • cognitive symptoms (memory loss, inability to formulate thoughts).

If the first symptoms of the disease are persistent and interfere with normal activities, it is recommended to undergo diagnostics. There are borderline mental states of the individual, which are present in many mental and somatic diseases or ordinary fatigue.

Asthenia

Asthenic syndrome is manifested by nervous exhaustion, fatigue, and low performance. The female psyche is more vulnerable and therefore such disorders are more typical for the weaker sex. They experience increased emotionality, tearfulness and

The male psyche reacts to asthenic syndrome with outbursts of irritation and loss of self-control over trifles. With asthenia, severe headaches, lethargy and disturbances in night sleep are also possible.

Obsessions

This is a condition in which an adult persistently has various fears or doubts. He cannot get rid of these thoughts, despite recognizing the problem. A patient with mental pathology can spend hours checking and counting something, and if he is distracted at the time of the ritual, start counting again. This category also includes claustrophobia, agoraphobia, fear of heights and others.

Depression

This painful condition for any person is characterized by a persistent decrease in mood, depression, depression. The disease can be detected at an early stage, in which case the condition can be quickly normalized.

Severe cases of depression are often accompanied by suicidal thoughts and require hospital treatment.

Often the appearance of delusional ideas is preceded by depersonalization and derealization.

Catatonic syndromes

These are conditions in which motor disorders come to the fore: complete or partial inhibition or, conversely, excitation. With catatonic stupor, the patient is completely immobilized, silent, and his muscles are toned. The patient freezes in an unusual, often awkward and uncomfortable position.

For catatonic excitement, repetition of any movements with exclamations is typical. Catatonic syndromes are observed both with darkened and clear consciousness. In the first case, this indicates a possible favorable outcome of the disease, and in the second, the severity of the patient’s condition.

Blackout

In an unconscious state, the perception of reality is distorted, interaction with society is disrupted.

There are several types of this condition. They are united by common symptoms:

  • Disorientation in space and time, depersonalization.
  • Detachment from the environment.
  • Loss of ability to logically comprehend a situation. Sometimes incoherent thoughts.
  • Memory loss.

Each of these signs sometimes occurs in an adult, but their combination may indicate confusion. They usually go away when clarity of consciousness is restored.

Dementia

With this disorder, the ability to learn and apply knowledge is reduced or lost, and adaptation to the outside world is disrupted. There are congenital (oligophrenia) and acquired forms of decreased intelligence, which occur in older people or patients with progressive forms of mental disorders.

Mental disorder is a very frightening phrase that every person is afraid to hear addressed to them. In fact, this term has very wide boundaries; a mental diagnosis is not always a death sentence. In different contexts (legal, psychiatric, psychological) this concept is interpreted differently. In the ICD-10 list, mental and behavioral disorders are identified as a separate class of diseases and differ according to the clinical picture. The peculiarities of the human psyche have always aroused keen interest among doctors and scientists, especially from the point of view of the border between normality and pathology. The World Health Organization states that every fifth person on the planet suffers from various mental disorders. What types of mental disorders are there? What causes mental disorders?

Etiological differences

The human psyche and brain are so complex that it is still not possible to clearly identify all the causes of mental disorders. The most correct opinion is that such diseases develop due to the complex influence of social, personal and biological reasons. All provoking factors can be divided into two large categories: endogenous (internal) and exogenous (external). Mental disorders of an endogenous nature are largely associated with genes and heredity. The onset of such diseases usually occurs suddenly, without any obvious environmental influences. Exogenous factors include various neuroinfections, stressful situations, intoxications, and psychological trauma received in the process of personality formation. Mental disorders due to brain injuries or vascular disorders are also a consequence of the influence of external causes. Sometimes it happens that the mere tendency to certain mental illnesses does not guarantee their occurrence. However, it is various external factors and mental characteristics that can ultimately work as a trigger.

Mental illnesses, also called human mental disorders, occur in people of all ages, from infancy to old age. Contrary to popular belief, they do not always manifest themselves externally - for example, by aggressive behavior or other gross violations referred to as “madness” or “abnormality.”

The list and description of such diseases will not be able to provide comprehensive information, since each manifestation of any pathology is individual.

The peculiarity of such ailments is that some of them are episodic in nature, that is, they appear from time to time, and are considered incurable. Also, many mental illnesses have not yet been fully studied by doctors, and no one can accurately explain the factors that cause them.

People who have been diagnosed with any illness are subject to certain restrictions and prohibitions - for example, they may not be given a driver's license or be refused employment. You can get rid of the problem not only on an outpatient basis - you need a strong desire from the patient himself.

Now there are different types of mental illnesses, depending on their characteristics, the average age of the patients and other characteristics.

Mental illnesses transmitted by inheritance

Their occurrence cannot always be predicted. A child whose parents had such disorders does not necessarily have to be born sick - he can only have a predisposition that will always remain so.

The list of hereditary mental illnesses is as follows:

  • depression - a person is constantly in a depressed mood, experiences despair, his self-esteem decreases, and he is not interested in the people around him, loses the ability to rejoice and experience happiness;
  • schizophrenia - deviations in behavior, thinking, movements, emotional and other areas;
  • autism - observed in young children (up to 3 years old) and is expressed in delays and disturbances in social development, monotonous behavior and abnormal reactions to the world around them;
  • epilepsy - characterized by seizures of a sudden nature.

The classification of such disorders also includes the most terrible and dangerous mental illnesses. These include those that can cause great harm to human health and life:

  • neurosis - based on hallucinations, delusions and inappropriate behavior;
  • psychosis is a temporary disorder that occurs as a reaction to stress when a person falls into a state of passion;
  • Psychopathy is a state of imbalance associated with a feeling of inferiority, mainly formed in childhood. The exact reasons are still unknown.
  • Addictions - alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, computer games and gambling. Their insidiousness is that patients are often unaware of the presence of a problem.

Endogenous diseases are those in the occurrence of which heredity plays a large role. This:

  • schizophrenia;
  • manic, depressive psychoses;
  • epilepsy.

A special place is occupied by mental illnesses in old and senile age:

  • hypochondria - the belief in the presence of severe physical abnormalities without confirmation of the existence of such from a doctor;
  • mania - increased mood, interspersed with sudden aggressiveness, uncritical of oneself;
  • delirium - the patient becomes suspicious, has strange thoughts, hallucinations, can hear voices or sounds;
  • dementia or dementia - impairment of memory and other functions;
  • Alzheimer's disease - forgetfulness and absent-mindedness, inactivity and other disorders.

There are also rare mental illnesses that many have never heard of.

Some of them got their name in honor of famous people or fairy tale heroes:

  • Alice in Wonderland syndrome - impaired perception of space;
  • Capgras syndrome - a person is sure that one of his friends has been replaced with a double;
  • depersonalization - characterized by a lack of sense of self and loss of control over oneself;
  • fear of the number 13;
  • sensation of body parts being cut off.

Mental illnesses in children:

  • speech and developmental delays;
  • hyperactivity;
  • mental retardation.

This list of mental disorders is incomplete; in fact, there are many, rare and unknown, or not yet identified by doctors, types.

The most common illnesses in our time are autism, speech and motor disorders in children, depression, various forms of psychosis and schizophrenia.

Mental illnesses are characterized by creating inconvenience for people around them, especially relatives and those living in the same apartment with the sick person. They don't always go to the hospital.

Some neuropsychiatric disorders are incurable, and there may be a need to keep the person in a special institution for life.

Symptoms of mental illness

Signs of this type of problem are varied and individual in nature:

If such symptoms of mental illness occur, consultation with a doctor is necessary. Perhaps the condition is temporary and can be eliminated.

In women, signs of mental illness can be associated with moments in their life (childbirth, pregnancy, menopause):

  • tendency to starvation, or vice versa, bouts of gluttony;
  • depressed state, feeling of worthlessness;
  • irritability;
  • postpartum depression;
  • sleep disturbances, decreased libido.

These problems are not always irremovable; in most cases, after consultations with a psychologist and adequate treatment, they can be overcome.

Causes of mental illness

They can be different, in some cases it is impossible to determine them. Scientists still don’t know exactly why autism or Alzheimer’s disease occurs.

The following factors can influence a person’s psychological state and change it:

Usually a combination of several causes leads to pathology.

Treatment of mental illness

Methods of treating neuropsychiatric pathologies provide an integrated approach and have an individual focus. They consist of:

  • medication regimen - taking antidepressants, psychotropic, stimulant drugs;
  • Hardware treatment - some types of disorders can be eliminated through the use of electric currents. For example, in autism, a brain micropolarization procedure is often used.
  • psychotherapy - techniques of suggestion or persuasion, hypnosis, conversations;
  • physiotherapy - acupuncture, electrosleep.

Modern techniques have become widespread - communication with animals, treatment through creative work, and others.

Learn about mental disorders that present with physical symptoms

Prevention of mental illness

It is possible to avoid mental problems if:

Preventive measures also include regular visits to the hospital for examinations. Disorders in the initial stages can be prevented if they are diagnosed in time and measures are taken.

Refers to a large number of different pathological conditions. The appearance, course and outcome of a particular disorder largely depends on the influence of internal and external factors. To understand the essence of the disease - a mental disorder, it is necessary to consider the main signs of pathologies. Further in the article the most popular syndromes will be presented, their clinical picture will be described, and characteristics will be given.

General information

Psychiatry studies this category. Diagnoses are made based on various factors. The study, as a rule, begins with a presentation of the general pathological condition. Private psychiatry is then explored. Diagnoses are made after a thorough examination of the patient and identification of the causes that provoked the condition. Based on these data, the necessary treatment method is selected.

Pathology groups

The importance of endogenous (internal) and exogenous (external) factors is important. It is different for certain violations. On the basis of this, in fact, the classification of mental disorders is carried out. Thus, two broad groups of pathologies are distinguished - endogenous and exogenous. The latter should include disorders provoked by psychogenic factors, exogenous organic brain (vascular, traumatic, infectious) damage, and somatic pathologies. Schizophrenia and mental retardation are endogenous mental disorders. The list of these pathologies can also be continued with affective states, senesopathies, and hypochondria.

Separation by etiology

Separation by clinical manifestations

Depending on the nature of a particular symptom of a mental disorder, it is classified into one of the existing categories. In particular, neuroses are distinguished. Neurotic is a mental disorder that does not exclude sanity. They are closer to normal states and sensations. They are also referred to as borderline mental disorders. This means that their manifestations can be controlled without the use of radical methods. There is also a group of psychoses. These include pathologies accompanied by severe thinking disorders, delusions, changes in perception, severe inhibition or agitation, hallucinations, inappropriate behavior, and so on. In this case, the patient is not able to distinguish his experiences from reality. Next, we will consider some features of mental disorders of various types.

Asthenic syndrome

This is a fairly common condition. The main symptom of a mental disorder is increased fatigue. A person feels a decrease in performance, internal exhaustion. People with mental disorders may behave differently. With asthenia, for example, they are characterized by impressionability, instability of mood, tearfulness, and sentimentality. Such people are very easily moved, they can quickly lose their composure over little things. Asthenia itself can act as a symptom of a mental disorder, which, in turn, accompanies conditions after severe infectious lesions, operations, and so on.

Obsessions

These include conditions in which, against the will, some fears, thoughts, doubts appear. People with mental disorders of this type accept all these manifestations as their own. Patients cannot get rid of them, despite a rather critical attitude towards them. Doubt is the most common symptom of this type of mental disorder. So, a person can check several times whether he has turned off the light or closed the door. At the same time, moving away from home, he again feels these doubts. As for obsessive fears - phobias, these are quite common fears of heights, open space or enclosed spaces. In some cases, in order to calm down a little, relieve internal tension and anxiety, people perform certain actions - “rituals”. For example, a person who is afraid of all kinds of pollution may wash his hands several times or sit in the bathroom for hours. If something distracts him during the process, he will start the procedure again.

Affective states

They are quite common. Such conditions manifest themselves in a persistent change in mood, usually a decrease in mood - depression. Often, affective states are noted in the initial stages of mental illness. Their manifestations can be observed throughout the pathology. At the same time, they often become more complicated, accompanying acute mental disorders.

Depression

The main symptoms of this condition are considered to be deterioration in mood, the appearance of a feeling of depression, melancholy, and oppression. In some cases, a person may physically feel chest pain or heaviness. This condition is extremely painful. It is accompanied by a decrease in mental activity. A person in this state does not immediately answer questions and gives monosyllabic, short answers. He speaks quietly and slowly. Very often, people with depression note that it is somewhat difficult for them to understand the essence of a question or text, and complain of memory deterioration. They have difficulty making decisions and have difficulty switching from one type of activity to another. People may experience lethargy, weakness, and talk about fatigue. Their movements are constrained and slow. In addition to the listed symptoms, depression is accompanied by feelings of guilt, sinfulness, despair, and hopelessness. This is quite often accompanied by suicide attempts. Some relief of well-being may occur in the evening. As for sleep, with depression it is superficial, with early awakening, with disturbing dreams, and intermittent. The state of depression may be accompanied by tachycardia, sweating, feelings of cold, heat, constipation, and weight loss.

Mania

Manic states are manifested by an acceleration of the pace of mental activity. A person has a huge number of thoughts, desires, various plans, ideas of increased self-esteem. In this condition, as during depression, sleep disturbances are noted. People with manic mental disorders sleep very little, but a short period of time is enough for them to feel rested and alert. With a mild course of mania, a person feels an increase in creative power, increased intellectual productivity, increased tone and efficiency. He can sleep very little and work a lot. If the condition progresses and becomes more severe, then these symptoms are accompanied by poor concentration, distractibility and, as a result, decreased productivity.

Synestopathies

These conditions are characterized by very different and unusual sensations in the body. In particular, it may be burning, tingling, tightening, twisting, and so on. All these manifestations are in no way related to pathologies of internal organs. When describing such sensations, patients often use their own definitions: “there was a rustling under the ribs,” “it seemed like the head was coming off,” and so on.

Hypochondriacal syndrome

It is characterized by a persistent preoccupation with one's own health. A person is haunted by thoughts of having a very serious, progressive and probably incurable disease. Patients present somatic complaints, presenting ordinary or normal sensations as manifestations of pathology. Despite doctors’ dissuadings and negative test results, people regularly visit specialists and insist on conducting additional, more in-depth studies. Often, hypochondriacal conditions appear against the background of depression.

Illusions

When they appear, a person begins to perceive objects in an erroneous - altered form. Illusions can accompany a person with a normal mental state. For example, a change in an object can be observed if it is placed in water. As for the pathological condition, illusions can appear under the influence of fear or anxiety. For example, in a forest at night, a person may perceive trees as monsters.

Hallucinations

They act as a persistent symptom of many mental disorders. Hallucinations can be auditory, tactile, gustatory, olfactory, visual, muscular, and so on. Often there is a combination of them. For example, a person can not only see strangers in a room, but also hear their conversation. Patients call verbal hallucinations “voices.” They may have different content. For example, it could be simply calling a person by name or entire sentences, dialogues or monologues. In some cases, the “voices” are imperative. They are called A person can hear orders to kill, remain silent, or harm himself. Such conditions are dangerous not only for the patient himself, but also for those around him. Visual hallucinations can be objective or elementary (in the form of sparks, for example). In some cases, the patient can see entire scenes. Olfactory hallucinations represent a sensation of an unpleasant odor (rotting, some food, decay), less often pleasant or unfamiliar.

Rave

This disorder, according to many experts, is one of the main signs of psychosis. It is quite difficult to define what nonsense is. The conclusions of doctors when assessing the patient’s condition are quite contradictory. There are a number of signs of a delusional state. First of all, it always appears on a painful basis. Delusion cannot be dissuaded or corrected from the outside, despite a fairly clear contradiction with reality. A person is absolutely convinced of the truthfulness of his thoughts. Delusions are based on erroneous judgments, incorrect conclusions, and false beliefs. These thoughts are of great significance for the patient, and therefore, to one degree or another, determine his behavior and actions. Delusions may be associated with:

Delusional disorders come in different forms. Thus, interpretive nonsense stands out. In this case, a person uses one-sided interpretations of daily facts and events as evidence. This disorder is considered quite persistent. In this case, the patient’s reflection of the cause-and-effect relationship between events and phenomena is disrupted. This form of delirium always has a logical basis. The patient can endlessly prove something, debate, give reasons. The content of interpretative delirium can reflect all of a person’s experiences and feelings. Another form of this disorder can be figurative or sensory conviction. Such delirium appears due to anxiety or fear, hallucinations. In this case, there are no logical premises or evidence; a person perceives everything around him in a “delusional” way.

Derealization and depersonalization

These phenomena often precede the development of sensory delirium. Derealization is a feeling that the world has changed. Everything that is around a person is perceived by him as “unreal”, “rigged”, “artificial”. Depersonalization manifests itself in a feeling of change in one’s personality. Patients characterize themselves as having “lost face,” “lost the fullness of sensations,” and “become stupid.”

Catatonic syndromes

These conditions are characteristic of motor disorders: or, on the contrary, agitation. In the latter case, there is repetition, lack of purpose, and randomness of some movements. Moreover, they may be accompanied by shouting of individual words or remarks or silence. The patient may freeze in an awkward, unusual position, such as raising a leg, extending an arm, or raising the head above a pillow. Catatonic syndromes are also observed against the background of clear consciousness. This indicates a greater severity of the disorder. If they are accompanied by confusion, then we can talk about a favorable outcome of the pathology.

Dementia

I also call it dementia. Dementia manifests itself in a deep impoverishment of all mental activity and a persistent decrease in intellectual functions. Against the background of dementia, the ability to learn new knowledge worsens, and in many cases is completely lost. In this case, a person’s adaptability to life is disrupted.

Blackout

Such disorders can occur not only in mental disorders, but also in patients with severe somatic pathologies. Clouding of consciousness is characterized by difficulty in perceiving the environment and a severance of connections with the outside world. Patients are detached and cannot realize what is happening. As a result, their contact with other people is disrupted. In addition, patients have poor orientation in time, in their own personality, in a specific situation. People are not able to think logically and correctly. In some cases, incoherent thinking is observed.

Obsessive thoughts, fears, depressed mood - everyone faces such manifestations. Such conditions can be both normal and pathological. The short duration of a particular manifestation generally does not have a negative impact on a person’s life. If someone close to you has not been themselves for several weeks, this is a reason to think and seek help. A severe form of mental disorder does not strike suddenly - the disease begins gradually, and some signs are completely invisible. Schizophrenia, for example, occurs with almost imperceptible changes in mood, communication, and character.

Both physical and mental illnesses cause a lot of difficulties, as a result of which the entire habitual course of life changes. However, in the case of a physical illness, a person is more open - he shares his problem with loved ones, listens to their advice. In other words, the patient is determined to act.

With a mental disorder, the patient withdraws more and more into himself. Often he does not seek help and remains silent about what is happening. His family members do the same when they notice strange changes. Sometimes the family simply has no idea about the existing pathology, which is why the visit to the doctor is postponed for a very long time.

A mental patient himself may not immediately recognize the presence of pathology. If with a physical illness the symptoms are usually clear, and a person understands when and with what wording to contact the doctor, then with a mental illness everything is much more complicated. The symptoms in this case, especially at the initial stage of the disease, are very unclear. At a young age, they are easily attributed to fatigue, laziness, whims or overwork. Relatives of the patient often tend to mention the evil eye or zombies and delay time, hoping that everything will resolve itself.

Moreover, they are waiting for a solution to the problem in some miraculous way even when it is already clear that everything is much more serious than expected. People, due to their prejudices, perceive mental illness as a terrible, mysterious and inexplicable phenomenon. This attitude affects both the course and the results of the disease - any illness must be treated in a timely manner. “Unusual” manifestations of mental illness are not a reason to be afraid of the problem and avoid it. But how do you understand that there is actually something wrong with a person?

Signs of possible mental illness are:

  • visible personality changes;
  • increased anxiety;
  • frequent mood swings;
  • apathy;
  • strange, absurd ideas;
  • inability to solve everyday problems;
  • changes in sleep and eating patterns;
  • conversations and thoughts about suicide;
  • addiction to alcoholic drinks;
  • , anger, irritability.

It is important to take into account that just as a person with a sore throat is not to blame for having a sore throat, so a person suffering from a mental disorder is not to blame for the negative aspects of his behavior. The patient's relatives must understand that such behavior is not signs of a bad character requiring re-education, and not a sudden desire to cause harm.

Symptoms of the disease, which can manifest themselves either individually or all without exception:

  • self-talk (questions and answers addressed to oneself);
  • causeless laughter;
  • unexpected silence, listening to something;
  • inability to concentrate on the task at hand;
  • restless, preoccupied look;
  • The presence of delirium can be determined by the following manifestations:
  • unreasonable aggression towards relatives and friends;
  • fear, anxiety, panic;
  • excessive secrecy;
  • various implausible statements;
  • unreasonable fears for your life and the lives of relatives;
  • cryptic statements about everyday topics;
  • reluctance to eat food or checking it scrupulously;

How to deal with a person suffering from delusional manifestations:

  • do not ask about the details of his delusional statements;
  • do not get into arguments, do not try to convince him that his words are wrong;
  • listen carefully;
  • try to persuade him to see a specialist.

A depressed person often has thoughts of committing suicide. Depression accompanied by delusional ideas is a particularly dangerous condition. Such patients are almost ready to commit suicide.

Signs of possible suicide:

  • absolutely pessimistic attitude;
  • statements about one’s own worthlessness and uselessness;
  • guilt;
  • lack of plans for the future;
  • statement about voices demanding suicide;
  • belief in existing fatal disease;
  • unexpected calm after a long-lasting depression.

Prevention measures

Even if it seems that the likelihood of suicide is too small, any conversations with the patient on this topic should be taken very seriously. If you think that a person is ready to commit suicide, you should immediately seek help from specialists. All dangerous objects should be kept out of the patient's reach. Windows and balcony doors must not be left open.

Often, when asked by relatives to use the help of a specialist, a person responds that everything is fine with him and he does not have any illness. At the same time, it is incredibly difficult for relatives to watch how a suffering family member refuses any help to improve their condition. In this case, you can try to demonstrate your concern, but in such a way that it is not regarded by him as reproach, criticism or excessive pressure.

You should unobtrusively ask the person how he assesses his condition, whether he is worried and what solutions he sees. It is necessary to involve him as much as possible in discussing the problem and, together with him, look for ways to resolve it. If you cannot involve the patient, you can try to talk to friends or a doctor, ask for their support and advice on what to do.