What signs indicate a mental disorder. Mental illnesses: a complete list and description of diseases

Today, the science of the soul—psychology—has long ceased to be the “handmaiden of the bourgeoisie,” as the classics of Leninism once defined it. More and more people are interested in psychology, and are also trying to learn more about such a branch as mental disorders.

Many books, monographs, textbooks, scientific studies and scientific papers have been written on this topic. In this short article we will try to briefly answer the questions of what mental disorders are, what types of mental disorders exist, the causes of such severe mental illnesses, their symptoms and possible treatment. After all, each of us lives in the world of people, rejoices and worries, but may not even notice how, at a life turn of fate, he will be overtaken by a serious mental illness. You shouldn’t be afraid of it, but you need to know how to counteract it.

Definition of Mental Illness

First of all, it is worth deciding what mental illness is.
In psychological science, this term is usually used to describe a state of a person’s psyche that differs from a healthy one. The state of a healthy psyche is the norm (this norm is usually denoted by the term “mental health”). And all deviations from it are deviation or pathology.

Today, such definitions as “mentally ill” or “mental illness” are officially prohibited as degrading the honor and dignity of a person. However, these diseases themselves have not gone away. Their danger to humans lies in the fact that they entail serious changes in such areas as thinking, emotions and behavior. Sometimes these changes become irreversible.

There are changes in the biological state of a person (this is the presence of a certain developmental pathology), as well as changes in his medical condition (the quality of his life deteriorates until it is destroyed) and social condition (a person can no longer live as a full-fledged member of society, enter into certain productive relationships with the people around you). From here comes the conclusion that such conditions bring harm to a person, therefore they must be overcome both with the help of medication and with the help of psychological and pedagogical assistance to patients.

Classification of mental illnesses

Today there are many ways to classify such diseases. Let's list just a few of them.

• The first classification is based on identifying the following symptom - the external or internal cause of mental illness. Hence, external (exogenous) diseases are pathologies that arise as a result of human exposure to alcohol, drugs, industrial poisons and waste, radiation, viruses, microbes, brain trauma and injuries affecting the activity of the central nervous system. Internal mental pathologies (endogenous) are considered to be those that are caused by a person’s genetic predisposition and the circumstances of his personal life, as well as the social environment and social contacts.
• The second classification is based on identifying the symptoms of diseases, based on the damage to the emotional-volitional or personal sphere of a person and the factor in the course of the disease. Today this classification is considered classic; it was approved in 1997 by the World Health Organization (WHO). This classification identifies 11 types of diseases, most of which will be discussed in this article.

According to the degree of progression, all mental illnesses are divided into mild, which cannot cause serious harm to a person’s health, and severe, which pose a direct threat to his life.

Let us briefly outline the main types of mental disorders, give them a detailed classification, and also give them a detailed and comprehensive classical description.

The first disease: when tormented by severe doubts

The most common mental disorder is anancastic personality disorder. This condition is characterized by a person’s tendency to excessive doubts and stubbornness, preoccupation with unnecessary details, obsessions and obsessive caution.

Anancastic personality disorder also manifests itself in the fact that the patient cannot break any of the rules he has accepted, he behaves inflexibly, and shows intractability. He is characterized by excessive perfectionism, manifested in a constant striving for perfection and constant dissatisfaction with the results of his work and life. It is common for such people to come to a serious state as a result of any failures in life.

Anancastic personality disorder in psychoanalysis is considered as a borderline mental illness (that is, a state of accentuation that is on the verge of normality and deviation). The reason for its occurrence is the inability of patients to master the world of their emotions and feelings. According to psychotherapists, people experiencing such emotionally uncomfortable unstable personality disorders were punished by their parents in childhood for not being able to control their behavior.

In adulthood, they retained the fear of punishment for losing control of themselves. It is not easy to get rid of this mental illness; specialists of the Freudian school offer hypnosis, psychotherapy and the method of suggestion as treatment methods.

Disease two: when hysteria becomes a way of life

A mental disorder that manifests itself in the fact that the patient is constantly looking for a way to attract attention to himself is called histrionic personality disorder. This mental illness is characterized by the fact that a person by any means wants to achieve recognition from others of his importance, the fact of his existence.

Hysterical personality disorder is often called acting or theatrical disorder. Indeed, a person suffering from such a mental disorder behaves like a real actor: he plays various roles in front of people in order to evoke sympathy or admiration. Often those around him blame him for unworthy behavior, and a person with this mental illness makes an excuse by saying that he cannot live otherwise.

According to psychiatrists, people with hysterical personality disorder are prone to exaggerated emotionality, suggestibility, a desire for excitement, seductive behavior and increased attention to their physical attractiveness (the latter is understandable, because patients think that the better they look, the more others like them). The causes of histrionic personality disorder should be sought in a person’s childhood.

According to scientists of the psychoanalytic Freudian school, this type of mental disorder is formed during puberty in girls and boys whose parents forbid them to develop their sexuality. In any case, the manifestation of hysterical personality disorder is a signal to parents who sincerely love their child that they must reconsider the principles of their upbringing. Histrionic personality disorder is difficult to treat with medication. As a rule, when diagnosing it, psychotherapy of the Freudian school, hypnosis, as well as psychodrama and symbol drama are used.

Disease three: when egocentrism is above all else

Another type of mental illness is narcissistic personality disorder. What it is?
In this state, a person is confident that he is a unique subject, endowed with enormous talents and entitled to occupy the highest level in society. Narcissistic personality disorder gets its name from the ancient mythological hero Narcissus, who loved himself so much that he was turned into a flower by the gods.

Mental disorders of this kind are manifested in the fact that patients have enormous conceit, they are absorbed in fantasies about their high position in society, believe in their own exclusivity, need admiration from others, do not know how to sympathize with others, and behave extremely arrogantly.

Usually people around him accuse people with such mental pathology. Indeed, selfishness and narcissism are sure (but not the main) signs of this disease. Narcissistic personality disorder is difficult to treat with medication. As a rule, psychotherapy (art therapy, sand therapy, play therapy, symbol-drama, psychodrama, animal therapy and others), hypnotic suggestions and methods of advisory psychological conversation are used in treatment.

Disease four: when it is difficult to be a two-faced Janus

Mental disorders are diverse. One of their types is bipolar personality disorder. Symptoms of this disease include frequent mood swings in patients. A person laughs cheerfully at his problems in the morning, and in the evening he cries bitterly over them, although nothing has changed in his life. The danger of bipolar personality disorder is that a person, falling into a depressed state, can commit suicide.

An example of such a patient would be patient N., who, having come to see a psychotherapist, complained that in the morning he is always in a great mood, he wakes up, goes to work, communicates friendly with others there, but in the evening his mood begins to deteriorate sharply , and by nightfall he doesn’t know how to relieve his mental anguish and pain. The patient himself called his condition nocturnal depression (in addition, he complained of poor night sleep and nightmares). Upon closer examination, it turned out that the reason for this person’s condition was a serious hidden conflict with his wife; they had not found a common language for a long time, and every time returning to his home, the patient experiences fatigue, melancholy and a feeling of dissatisfaction with life.

The fifth disease: when suspicion reaches its limit

Mental disorders have long been known to mankind, although their symptoms and treatment options could not be fully determined. This also applies to paranoid personality disorder. In this state, a person is excessively suspicious; he suspects anyone and anything. He is vindictive, his attitude towards others reaches the point of hatred.

Paranoid personality disorder also manifests itself in symptoms such as belief in “conspiracy theories,” suspicion of one’s family and friends, constant struggle with others for rights, constant dissatisfaction and painful experiences of failure.

Psychoanalysts call the cause of such mental disorders negative projection, when a person strives to find in others those qualities that he is not satisfied with in himself, he transfers them from himself (considering himself ideal) to other people.

Overcoming this mental disorder with medications is ineffective; as a rule, active methods of psychological interaction are used.

Such a mental state of the patient, as a rule, causes many complaints from others. People of this type cause hostility, they are antisocial, so their mental illness entails serious consequences and, above all, social trauma.

Disease six: when emotions run high

A mental condition characterized by emotional instability, increased excitability, high anxiety and lack of connection with reality is commonly called borderline personality disorder.

Borderline personality disorder is an emotionally unstable personality disorder. Borderline personality disorder has been described in a wide range of scientific literature. In such a state, a person cannot control his emotional-volitional sphere. At the same time, there is debate in science about whether borderline personality disorder should be considered a serious type of mental disorder or not. Some authors consider nervous exhaustion to be the root cause of borderline personality disorder.

In any case, borderline personality disorder is a state between normality and deviation. The danger of borderline personality disorder is the tendency of patients to suicidal behavior, so this disease is considered in psychiatry as quite serious.

Borderline personality disorder has the following symptoms: a tendency to unstable relationships with idealization and subsequent devaluation, impulsiveness accompanied by a feeling of emptiness, the manifestation of strong anger and other affects, and suicidal behavior. Treatment methods for borderline personality disorder are varied, they include both psychotherapeutic (art therapy, play therapy, psychodrama, symbol-drama, psychodrama, sand therapy) and medicinal methods (in the treatment of depressive conditions).

Disease seven: when a person has a teenage crisis

Mental disorders can have a wide variety of manifestations. There is a disease when a person experiences a state of extreme nervous excitement at acute crisis moments in his life. In psychology, this condition is usually called transient personality disorder.

Transient personality disorder is characterized by a short duration of its manifestation. Typically, this mental disorder is observed in adolescents and young adults. Transient personality disorder manifests itself in a sharp change in behavior towards deviation (that is, deviation from normal behavior). This condition is associated with the rapid psychophysiological maturation of a teenager, when he cannot control his internal state. Also, the cause of transient personality disorder can be stress suffered by a teenager due to the loss of a loved one, unsuccessful love, betrayal, conflicts at school with teachers, etc.

Let's give an example. A teenager is an exemplary student, a good son, and suddenly in the 9th grade he becomes uncontrollable, begins to behave rudely and cynically, stops studying, argues with teachers, disappears on the street until night, hangs out with dubious companies. Parents and teachers, naturally, begin to “educate” and “reason” such a mature child in every possible way, but their efforts run into even greater misunderstanding and negative attitude on the part of this teenager. However, adult mentors should think about whether a child might have such a serious mental illness as transient personality disorder? Maybe he needs serious psychiatric help? Do notations and threats only intensify the progression of the disease?

It should be noted that, as a rule, such a disease does not require drug treatment; its treatment uses non-directive methods of providing psychological assistance: psychological counseling, conversation, sand therapy and other types of art therapy. With proper treatment of transient personality disorder, manifestations of deviant behavior disappear after a few months. However, this disease tends to return in moments of crisis, so if necessary, the course of therapy can be re-prescribed.

Disease eight: when the inferiority complex has reached its limit

Mental illnesses find their expression in people who suffered from an inferiority complex in childhood and who were unable to completely overcome it in adulthood. In this state, an anxious personality disorder may develop. Anxious personality disorder manifests itself in a desire for social withdrawal, a tendency to worry about a negative assessment of one’s behavior from others, and avoidance of social interaction with people.

In Soviet psychiatry, anxious personality disorder was commonly referred to as “psychasthenia.” The causes of this mental disorder are a combination of social, genetic and educational factors. Melancholic temperament can also influence the development of an anxious personality disorder.

Patients diagnosed with signs of an anxious personality disorder create a kind of protective cocoon around themselves, into which they do not allow anyone. A classic example of such a person can be Gogol’s famous image of the “man in a case,” an eternally ill gymnasium teacher who suffered from social phobia. Therefore, it is quite difficult to provide comprehensive help to a person with an anxious personality disorder: patients withdraw into themselves and reject all the efforts of the psychiatrist to help them.

Other types of mental disorders

Having described the main types of mental disorders, we will consider the main characteristics of the lesser known ones.

• If a person is afraid to take independent steps in life to accomplish any business or plans, this is a dependent personality disorder.
  Diseases of this type are characterized by the patient’s feeling of helplessness in life. Dependent personality disorder manifests itself in the deprivation of a sense of responsibility for one's actions. A manifestation of dependent personality disorder is the fear of living independently and the fear of being abandoned by a significant person. The cause of dependent personality disorder is a style of family education such as overprotection and an individual tendency to fear. In family education, parents instill in their child the idea that he will be lost without them; they constantly repeat to him that the world is full of dangers and difficulties. Having matured, a son or daughter raised in this way spends his whole life looking for support and finds it either in the person of parents, or in the person of spouses, or in the person of friends and girlfriends. Overcoming dependent personality disorder occurs with the help of psychotherapy, however, this method will also be ineffective if the patient’s anxious state has gone far.
• If a person cannot control his emotions, then this is an emotionally unstable personality disorder.
  Emotionally unstable personality disorder has the following manifestations: increased impulsivity combined with a tendency to affective states. A person refuses to control his mental state: he can cry over a trifle or be rude to his best friend because of a cheap insult. Emotionally unstable personality disorder is treated with exposure therapy and other types of psychotherapy. Psychological help is effective only when the patient himself wants to change and is aware of his illness; if this does not happen, any help is virtually useless.
• When a deep traumatic brain injury has been experienced, this is an organic personality disorder.
  In organic personality disorder, the patient's brain structure changes (due to injury or other serious illness). Organic personality disorder is dangerous because a person who has not previously suffered from mental disorders cannot control his behavior. Therefore, the risk of organic personality disorder is high in all people who have experienced brain injury. This is one of the deepest mental illnesses associated with disruption of the central nervous system. Getting rid of an organic personality disorder is only possible with medication or even direct surgical intervention. Avoidant personality disorder. This term characterizes a state of mind in which people strive to avoid failures in their behavior, and therefore withdraw into themselves. Avoidant personality disorder is characterized by a person's loss of faith in their own abilities, apathy, and suicidal intentions. Treatment for avoidant personality disorder involves the use of psychotherapy.
• Infantile personality disorder.
  It is characterized by a person’s desire to return to the state of wounded childhood in order to protect himself from the problems that have piled up. This short-term or long-term condition is usually experienced by people who were dearly loved by their parents in childhood. Their childhood was comfortable and calm. Therefore, in adult life, when faced with insurmountable difficulties, they seek salvation in returning to childhood memories and copying their childhood behavior. You can overcome such an illness with the help of Freudian or Ericksonian hypnosis. These types of hypnosis differ from each other in the power of influence on the patient’s personality: if the first hypnosis involves a directive method of influence, in which the patient is completely dependent on the opinions and desires of the psychiatrist, then the second hypnosis involves a more careful attitude towards the patient, such hypnosis is indicated for those who does not suffer from serious forms of this disease.

How dangerous are mental illnesses?

Any mental illness harms a person no less than the illness of his body. In addition, medical science has long known that there is a direct connection between mental and physical illnesses. As a rule, it is mental experiences that give rise to the most severe forms of physical diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis, etc. Therefore, peace of mind and harmony with the people around you and with yourself can cost a person additional decades of his life.

Therefore, mental illnesses are dangerous not so much for their manifestations (although they can be severe), but for their consequences. It is simply necessary to treat such diseases. Without treatment, you will never achieve peace and joy, despite external comfort and well-being. Actually, these diseases belong to the field of medicine and psychology. These two directions are designed to save humanity from such serious illnesses.

What to do if you discover signs of mental illness?

By reading this article, someone may discover in themselves the signs that were described above. However, you should not be afraid of this for several reasons:

• firstly, you shouldn’t take everything upon yourself, mental illness, as a rule, has severe internal and external manifestations, so mere speculation and fears do not confirm it, sick people often experience such severe mental anguish that we never dreamed of it;
• secondly, the information you read may become a reason to visit a psychiatrist’s office, who will help you competently draw up a course of treatment if you are really sick;
• and thirdly, even if you are sick, you should not worry about it, the main thing is to determine the cause of your illness and be ready to make every effort to treat it.

In conclusion of our brief review, I would like to note that mental disorders are those mental illnesses that occur in people of any age and any nationality; they are very diverse. And they are often difficult to distinguish from each other, which is why the term “mixed mental disorders” has arisen in the literature.

Mixed personality disorder refers to a person’s state of mind when it is impossible to accurately diagnose his illness.

This condition is considered rare in psychiatry, but it does occur. In this case, treatment is very difficult, since the person needs to be saved from the consequences of his condition. However, knowing the manifestations of various mental disorders, it is easier to diagnose them and then treat them.

The last thing to remember is that all mental illnesses can be cured, but such treatment requires more effort than overcoming ordinary physical illnesses. The soul is an extremely delicate and sensitive substance, so it must be handled with care.

Automatic submission (ICD 295.2) - the phenomenon of excessive obedience (a manifestation of “command automatism”) associated with catatonic syndromes and hypnotic state.

Aggressiveness, aggression (ICD 301.3; 301.7; 309.3; 310.0) - as a biological feature of organisms lower than humans, is a component of behavior implemented in certain situations to satisfy the needs of life and eliminate danger emanating from the environment, but not to achieve destructive goals, unless it is associated with predatory behavior . When applied to humans, the concept expands to include harmful behavior (normal or unhealthy) directed against others and oneself and motivated by hostility, anger, or competition.

Agitation (ICD 296.1)- pronounced restlessness and motor agitation, accompanied by anxiety.

Catatonic agitation (ICD 295.2)- a condition in which psychomotor manifestations of anxiety are associated with catatonic syndromes.

Ambivalence (ICD 295)- the coexistence of antagonistic emotions, ideas or desires in relation to the same person, object or situation. According to Bleuler, who coined the term in 1910, momentary ambivalence is part of normal mental life; severe or persistent ambivalence is the initial symptom schizophrenia, in which it can take place in the affective, ideational or volitional sphere. She is also part obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sometimes observed when manic-depressive psychosis, especially with prolonged depression.

Ambitiousness (ICD 295.2)- psychomotor disorder characterized by duality (ambivalence) in the sphere of voluntary actions, which leads to inappropriate behavior. This phenomenon most often occurs when catatonic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia.

Selective amnesia (ICD 301.1) - form psychogenic loss of memory for events associated with factors that caused a psychological reaction, which is usually regarded as hysterical.

Anhedonia (ICD 300.5; 301.6)- lack of ability to feel pleasure, observed especially often in patients schizophrenia and depression.

Note. The concept was introduced by Ribot (1839-1916).

Astasia-abasia (ICD 300.1)- inability to maintain an upright position, leading to the inability to stand or walk, with unimpaired movements of the lower extremities while lying or sitting. With absence organic lesions of the central nervous system, astasia-abasia is usually a manifestation of hysteria. Astasia, however, may be a sign of organic brain damage, particularly involving the frontal lobes and corpus callosum.

Autism (ICD 295)- a term coined by Bleuler to denote a form of thinking characterized by weakening or loss of contact with reality, lack of desire for communication and excessive fantasizing. Profound autism, according to Bleuler, is a fundamental symptom schizophrenia. The term is also used to refer to a specific form of childhood psychosis. See also early childhood autism.

Affect instability (ICD 290-294) - uncontrolled, unstable, fluctuating expression of emotions, most often observed with organic brain lesions, early schizophrenia and some forms of neuroses and personality disorders. See also mood swings.

Pathological affect (ICD 295) is a general term describing painful or unusual mood states, of which the most common are depression, anxiety, elation, irritability, or affective lability. See also affective flattening; affective psychoses; anxiety; depression; mood disorders; state of elation; emotions; mood; schizophrenic psychoses.

Affective flatness (ICD 295.3) - a pronounced disorder of affective reactions and their monotony, expressed as emotional flattening and indifference, in particular as a symptom that occurs when schizophrenic psychoses, organic dementia or psychopathic personalities. Synonyms: emotional flattening; affective dullness.

Aerophagia (ICD 306.4)- habitual swallowing of air, leading to belching and bloating, often accompanied by hyperventilation. Aerophagia can be observed in hysterical and anxiety states, but can also act as a monosymptomatic manifestation.

Morbid jealousy (ICD 291.5)- a complex painful emotional state with elements of envy, anger and the desire to possess the object of one’s passion. Sexual jealousy is a well-defined symptom mental disorder and sometimes occurs when organic damage brain and intoxication states (see mental disorders associated with alcoholism), functional psychoses(see paranoid disorders), with neurotic and personality disorders, the dominant clinical sign is often delusional convictions about the betrayal of a spouse or lover (lover) and the willingness to convict a partner of reprehensible behavior. When considering the possibility of a pathological nature of jealousy, it is also necessary to take into account social conditions and psychological mechanisms. Jealousy is often a motive for violence, especially among men against women.

Delirium (ICD 290—299) - false belief or judgment that cannot be corrected; does not correspond to reality, as well as to the social and cultural attitudes of the subject. Primary delusion is completely impossible to understand on the basis of studying the life history and personality of the patient; Secondary delusions can be understood psychologically as they arise from painful manifestations and other features of the mental state, such as states of affective disorder and suspiciousness. Birnbaum in 1908, and then Jasper in 1913, differentiated between delusions proper and delusional ideas; the latter are simply erroneous judgments expressed with excessive persistence.

Delusions of grandeur- a painful belief in one's own importance, greatness, or high purpose (for example, delusions messianic mission), often accompanied by other fantastic delusions that may be a symptom paranoia, schizophrenia(often, but not always, paranoid type), mania And organic diseases brain. See also ideas of greatness.

Delusions regarding changes in one's own body (dysmorphophobia)- a painful belief in the presence of physical changes or illness, often bizarre in nature, and based on somatic sensations, which leads to hypochondriacal concerns. This syndrome is most often observed with schizophrenia, but may occur in severe depression and organic diseases of the brain.

Delusions of the messianic mission (ICD 295.3)- delusional belief in one’s own divine chosenness to accomplish great feats to save the soul or atone for the sins of humanity or a certain nation, religious group, etc. Messianic delusion can occur when schizophrenia, paranoia and manic-depressive psychosis, as well as in psychotic conditions caused by epilepsy. In some cases, especially in the absence of other overt psychotic manifestations, the disorder is difficult to distinguish from the beliefs inherent in a given subculture or the religious mission carried out by members of any fundamental religious sects or movements.

Delusions of persecution- the pathological belief of the patient that he is a victim of one or more subjects or groups. It is observed when paranoid condition, especially when schizophrenia, and also at depression and organic diseases. In some personality disorders there is a predisposition to such delusions.

Delusional interpretation (ICD 295)- a term coined by Bleuler (Erklarungswahn) to describe delusions that express a quasi-logical explanation for another, more generalized delusion.

Suggestibility- a state of receptivity to the uncritical acceptance of ideas, judgments and behavior patterns observed or demonstrated by others. Suggestibility can be increased under the influence of the environment, drugs or hypnosis and is most often observed in individuals with hysterical character traits. The term "negative suggestibility" is sometimes applied to negativistic behavior.

Hallucination (ICD 290-299)- sensory perception (of any modality), appearing in the absence of appropriate external stimuli. In addition to the sensory modality that characterizes hallucinations, they can be divided according to intensity, complexity, clarity of perception and the subjective degree of their projection onto the environment. Hallucinations can appear in healthy individuals in a half-asleep (hypnagogic) state or a state of incomplete awakening (hypnopompic). As a pathological phenomenon, they can be symptoms of brain disease, functional psychoses and toxic effects of drugs, each having its own characteristic features.

Hyperventilation (ICD 306.1)- a condition characterized by longer, deeper or more frequent respiratory movements, leading to dizziness and convulsions due to the development of acute gas alkalosis. It is often psychogenic symptom. In addition to wrist and foot cramps, subjective phenomena may be associated with hypocapnia, such as severe paresthesia, dizziness, a feeling of emptiness in the head, numbness, palpitations and foreboding. Hyperventilation is a physiological response to hypoxia, but can also occur during states of anxiety.

Hyperkinesis (ICD 314)- excessive violent movements of the limbs or any part of the body, occurring spontaneously or in response to stimulation. Hyperkinesis is a symptom of various organic disorders of the central nervous system, but can also occur in the absence of visible localized damage.

Disorientation (ICD 290-294; 298.2) - violations of temporary topographical or personal spheres consciousness, associated with various forms organic brain damage or, less commonly, with psychogenic disorders.

Depersonalization (ICD 300.6)- psychopathological perception, characterized by heightened self-awareness, which becomes inanimate when the sensory system and the ability to react emotionally are not impaired. There are a number of complex and distressing subjective phenomena, many of which are difficult to express in words, with the most severe being sensations of change in one's own body, careful introspection and automation, lack of affective response, a disorder in the sense of time and a sense of personal alienation. The subject may feel that his body is separate from his sensations, as if he is watching himself from the outside, or as if he or she is already dead. Criticism of this pathological phenomenon, as a rule, is preserved. Depersonalization can manifest itself as an isolated phenomenon in otherwise normal individuals; it can occur in a state of fatigue or during strong emotional reactions, and can also be part of the complex observed with mental chewing, obsessive anxiety states, depression, schizophrenia, some personality disorders and brain dysfunctions. The pathogenesis of this disorder is unknown. See also depersonalization syndrome; derealization.

Derealization (ICD 300.6)- subjective feeling of alienation, similar to depersonalization, but more related to the external world than to self-awareness and awareness of one’s own personality. The surroundings seem colorless, life is artificial, where people seem to be playing their intended roles on stage.

Defect (ICD 295.7)(not recommended) - a lasting and irreversible impairment of any psychological function (for example, a "cognitive defect"), the general development of mental abilities ("mental defect") or the characteristic way of thinking, feeling and behavior that makes up an individual personality. A defect in any of these areas can be congenital or acquired. A characteristic defective state of personality, ranging from disturbances of the intellect and emotions or from mild eccentricity of behavior to autistic withdrawal or affective flattening, was regarded by Kraepelin (1856-1926) and Bleuler (1857-1939) as criteria for recovery from schizophrenic psychosis (see also personality changes) as opposed to exiting manic-depressive psychosis. According to recent research, the development of a defect after a schizophrenic process is not inevitable.

Dysthymia- less severe condition depressed mood than in dysphoria, associated with neurotic and hypochondriacal symptoms. The term is also used to designate a pathological psychological sphere in the form of a complex of affective and obsessive symptoms in subjects with a high degree of neuroticism and introversion. See also hyperthymic personality; neurotic disorders.

Dysphoria- an unpleasant state characterized by depressed mood, gloominess, anxiety, anxiety and irritability. See also neurotic disorders.

Foggy consciousness (ICD 290-294; 295.4)- a state of impaired consciousness, which represents the mild stages of the disorder, developing along a continuum from clear consciousness to coma. Disorders of consciousness, orientation and perception are associated with brain damage or other somatic diseases. The term is sometimes used to refer to a broader range of disorders (including limited perceptual field after emotional stress), but it is most appropriately used to refer to the early stages of an organic disorder-related state of confusion. See also confusion.

Ideas of greatness (ICD 296.0)- exaggeration of one’s abilities, strength and excessive self-esteem, observed when mania, schizophrenia and psychosis on organic soil, for example when progressive paralysis.

Ideas of attitude (ICD 295.4; 301.0)- pathological interpretation of neutral external phenomena as having personal, usually negative significance for the patient. This disorder occurs in sensitive individuals as a result of stress and fatigue, and can usually be understood in the context of current events, but it can be a precursor delusional disorders.

Personality change- a violation of fundamental character traits, usually for the worse, as a result or as a consequence of a somatic or mental disorder.

Illusions (ICD 291.0; 293)- erroneous perception of any really existing object or sensory stimulus. Illusions can occur in many people and are not necessarily a sign of a mental disorder.

Impulsivity (ICD 310.0)- a factor related to the temperament of the individual and manifested by actions that are performed unexpectedly and inadequately to the circumstances.

Intelligence (ICD 290; 291; 294; 310; 315; 317)- general thinking ability that allows you to overcome difficulties in new situations.

Catalepsy (ICD 295.2)- a painful condition that begins suddenly and lasts for a short or long time, which is characterized by the suspension of voluntary movements and the disappearance of sensitivity. The limbs and torso can maintain the pose given to them - a state of waxy flexibility (flexibilitas cegea). Breathing and pulse slow, body temperature drops. Sometimes a distinction is made between flexible and rigid catalepsy. In the first case, the pose is given by the slightest external movement; in the second, the given pose is firmly maintained, despite attempts made from the outside to change it. This condition can be caused by organic brain lesions (for example, encephalitis), and can also be observed with catatonic schizophrenia, hysteria and hypnosis. Synonym: waxy flexibility.

Catatonia (ICD 295.2)- a number of qualitative psychomotor and volitional disorders, including stereotypes, mannerisms, automatic obedience, catalepsy, echokinesis and echopraxia, mutism, negativism, automatisms and impulsive acts. These phenomena can be detected against the background of hyperkinesis, hypokinesis or akinesis. Catatonia was described as an independent disease by Kahlbaum in 1874, and later Kraepelin regarded it as one of the subtypes of dementia praecox (schizophrenia). Catatonic manifestations are not limited to schizophrenic psychosis and can occur with organic brain lesions (for example, encephalitis), various somatic diseases and affective states.

Claustrophobia (ICD 300.2)- pathological fear of confined spaces or enclosed spaces. See also agoraphobia.

Kleptomania (ICD 312.2)- an outdated term for a painful, often sudden, usually irresistible and unmotivated desire to steal. Such conditions tend to recur. Items that subjects steal usually lack any value, but may have some symbolic meaning. This phenomenon, which is more common in women, is believed to be associated with depression, neurotic diseases, personality disorder or mental retardation. Synonym: shoplifting (pathological).

Compulsion (ICD 300.3; 312.2)- an irresistible need to act or act in a way that the person himself regards as irrational or senseless and explained more by an internal need rather than by external influences. When an action is subject to an obsessive state, the term refers to the actions or behavior that are the result obsessive ideas. See also obsessive action.

Confabulation (ICD 291.1; 294.0)- memory disorder with clear consciousness, characterized by memories of fictitious past events or experiences. Such memories of fictional events are usually imaginative and must be provoked; less often they are spontaneous and stable, and sometimes they show a tendency towards grandiosity. Confabulations are usually observed in organic soil at amnestic syndrome (for example, with Korsakoff's syndrome). They may also be iatrogenic. They should not be confused with hallucinations, relating to memory and appearing when schizophrenia or pseudological fantasies (Delbrück's syndrome).

Criticism (ICD 290-299; 300)- this term in general psychopathology refers to an individual’s understanding of the nature and cause of his illness and the presence or absence of a correct assessment of it, as well as the impact it has on him and others. Loss of criticism is considered an essential feature in favor of the diagnosis psychosis. In psychoanalytic theory, this type of self-knowledge is called “intellectual insight”; it differs from “emotional insight,” which characterizes the ability to feel and comprehend the significance of “unconscious” and symbolic factors in the development of emotional disorders.

Personality (ICD 290; 295; 297.2; 301; 310)- innate characteristics of thinking, sensations and behavior that determine the uniqueness of the individual, his lifestyle and the nature of adaptation and are the result of constitutional factors of development and social status.

Manners (ICD 295.1)- unusual or pathological psychomotor behavior, less persistent than stereotypies, relating rather to personal (characterological) characteristics.

Violent sensations (ICD 295)- pathological sensations with clear consciousness, in which thoughts, emotions, reactions or body movements appear to be influenced, "made", directed and controlled externally or by human or non-human forces. True violent sensations are characteristic of schizophrenia, but in order to really evaluate them, one should take into account the patient’s level of education, features of the cultural environment and beliefs.

Mood (ICD 295; 296; 301.1; 310.2)- a predominant and stable state of feelings, which to an extreme or pathological extent can dominate the external behavior and internal state of the individual.

Capricious mood (ICD 295)(not recommended) - volatile, inconsistent or unpredictable affective reactions.

Inappropriate mood (ICD 295.1)- painful affective reactions that are not caused by external stimuli. See also mood incongruent; parathymia.

Mood incongruent (ICD 295)- discrepancy between emotions and the semantic content of experiences. Usually a symptom schizophrenia, but also occurs when organic brain diseases and some forms of personality disorders. Not all experts recognize the division into inadequate and incongruent mood. See also inappropriate mood; parathymia.

Mood swings (ICD 310.2)- pathological instability or lability of affective reaction without an external cause. See also affect instability.

Mood disorder (ICD 296) is a pathological change in affect beyond the normal range, which falls into any of the following categories; depression, high spirits, anxiety, irritability and anger. See also pathological affect.

Negativism (ICD 295.2)- opposing or oppositional behavior or attitude. Active or command negativism, expressed in the performance of actions opposite to those required or expected; Passive negativism refers to a pathological inability to respond positively to requests or stimuli, including active muscular resistance; internal negativism, according to Bleuler (1857-1939), is behavior in which physiological needs, such as eating and excreting, are not obeyed. Negativism can occur when catatonic conditions, with organic brain diseases and some forms mental retardation.

Nihilistic delirium- a form of delusion, expressed primarily in the form of a severe depressive state and characterized by negative ideas concerning one’s own personality and the world around him, for example, the idea that the outside world does not exist, or that one’s own body has ceased to function.

Obsessive (obsessive) action (ICD 312.3) - quasi-ritual performance of an action aimed at reducing feelings of anxiety (for example, washing hands to prevent infection) caused by obsession or need. See also compulsion.

Obsessive (intrusive) ideas (ICD 300.3; 312.3) - unwanted thoughts and ideas that cause persistent, persistent rumination, which are perceived as inappropriate or meaningless and which must be resisted. They are regarded as alien to a given personality, but emanating from the personality itself.

Paranoid (ICD 291.5; 292.1; 294.8; 295.3; 297; 298.3; 298.4; 301.0)- a descriptive term denoting either pathological dominant ideas or rave relationship, dealing with one or more themes, most often persecution, love, envy, jealousy, honor, litigiousness, grandiosity and supernaturalism. It can be observed when organic psychosis, intoxication, schizophrenia, and also as an independent syndrome, reaction to emotional stress, or personality disorder. Note. It should be noted that French psychiatrists traditionally give the term “paranoid” a different meaning than that mentioned above; the equivalents of this meaning in French are interpretatif, delirant or persecutoire.

Parathymia- mood disorder observed in patients schizophrenia, in which the state of the affective sphere does not correspond to the environment surrounding the patient and/or his behavior. See also inappropriate mood; incongruent mood.

Flight of ideas (ICD 296.0)- a form of thought disorder usually associated with manic or hypomanic moods and often felt subjectively as thought pressure. Typical features are rapid speech without pauses; speech associations are free, quickly arise and disappear under the influence of transient factors or for no apparent reason; Increased distractibility is very typical, rhyming and puns are common. The flow of ideas can be so strong that the patient has difficulty expressing it, so his speech sometimes becomes incoherent. Synonym: fuga idearum.

Superficiality of effect (ICD 295)- insufficiency of emotional reaction associated with the disease and expressed as indifference to external events and situations; usually observed with schizophrenia hebephrenic type, but it can also be when organic brain lesions, mental retardation and personality disorders.

Laxative habit (ICD 305.9) - use of laxatives (abuse of them) or as a means of controlling one’s own body weight, often combined with “feasts” for bulimnia.

High spirits (ICD 296.0)- an affective state of joyful fun, which, in cases where it reaches a significant degree and leads to a separation from reality, is the dominant symptom mania or hypomania. Synonym: hyperthymia.

Panic attack (ICD 300.0; 308.0)- a sudden attack of intense fear and anxiety, in which the signs and symptoms of painful anxiety become dominant and are often accompanied by irrational behavior. Behavior in this case is characterized by either extremely reduced activity or aimless agitated hyperactivity. An attack can develop in response to sudden, serious threatening situations or stress, and also occur without any preceding or provoking events in the process of anxiety neurosis. See also panic disorder; panic state.

Psychomotor disorders (ICD 308.2)- a violation of expressive motor behavior, which can be observed in various nervous and mental diseases. Examples of psychomotor disorders are paramimia, tics, stupor, stereotypies, catatonia, tremor and dyskinesia. The term "psychomotor epileptic seizure" was previously used to refer to epileptic seizures characterized mainly by manifestations of psychomotor automatism. Currently, it is recommended to replace the term “psychomotor epileptic seizure” with the term “epileptic automatism seizure.”

Irritability (ICD 300.5)- a state of excessive arousal as a reaction to unpleasantness, intolerance or anger, observed with fatigue, chronic pain, or as a sign of changes in temperament (for example, with age, after brain injury, in epilepsy and manic-depressive disorders).

Confusion (ICD 295)- a state of confusion in which answers to questions are incoherent and fragmentary, reminiscent of confusion. Observed in acute schizophrenia, strong anxiety, manic-depressive illnesses and organic psychoses with confusion.

Flight reaction (ICD 300.1)- attack of vagrancy (short or long), escape from familiar places a habitat in a state of disturbed consciousness, usually followed by partial or complete amnesia of this event. Reactions flights are associated with hysteria, depressive reactions, epilepsy, and sometimes with brain damage. As psychogenic reactions, they are often associated with escape from places where troubles have been observed, and persons with this condition behave in a more orderly manner than “disorganized epileptics” with an organically based flight reaction. See also narrowing (limitation) of the field of consciousness. Synonym: state of vagrancy.

Remission (ICD 295.7)- a state of partial or complete disappearance of symptoms and clinical signs of the disorder.

Ritual behavior (ICD 299.0)- repeated, often complex and usually symbolic actions that serve to enhance biological signaling functions and acquire ritual significance when performing collective religious rituals. In childhood they are a component of normal development. As a pathological phenomenon, consisting either in the complication of everyday behavior, for example, compulsive washing or changing clothes, or acquiring even more bizarre forms, ritual behavior occurs when obsessive disorders, schizophrenia and early childhood autism.

Withdrawal symptoms (ICD 291; 292.0)- physical or mental phenomena that develop during the abstinence period as a result of cessation of consumption of a narcotic substance that causes dependence in a given subject. The picture of the symptom complex for abuse of different substances is different and may include tremors, vomiting, abdominal pain, fear, delirium and convulsions. Synonym: withdrawal symptoms.

Systematized delirium (ICD 297.0; 297.1) - a delusional belief that is part of a related system of pathological ideas. Such delirium can be primary or represent quasi-logical conclusions derived from a system of delusional premises. Synonym: systematized nonsense.

Reduced memory capacity (ICD 291.2)- a decrease in the number of cognitively unrelated elements or units (normal number 6-10) that can be correctly reproduced after a sequential single presentation. Memory capacity is a measure of short-term memory associated with perceptual ability.

Sleep-like state (ICD 295.4)- state of being upset consciousness, in which, against the background of lung brain fog phenomena are observed depersonalization and derealization. Dream-like states may be one of the steps on the scale of deepening organic disturbances of consciousness leading to twilight state of consciousness and delirium, however, they can also occur in neurotic diseases and in a state of fatigue. Complex form of dream-like state with vivid, scenic visuals hallucinations, which may be accompanied by other sensory hallucinations (oneirond dream-like state), sometimes observed in epilepsy and some acute psychotic diseases. See also oneirophrenia.

Social withdrawal (autism) (ICD 295)- refusal of social and personal contacts; most often occurs in the early stages schizophrenia, When autistic tendencies lead to distance and alienation from people and impaired ability to communicate with them.

Spasmusnutans (ICD 307.0)(not recommended) - 1) rhythmic twitching of the head in the anteroposterior direction, associated with compensatory balancing movements of the torso in the same direction, sometimes spreading to the upper limbs and nystagmus; movements are slow and appear in series of 20-30 persons with mental retardation; this condition is not associated with epilepsy; 2) the term is sometimes used to describe epileptic seizures in children, characterized by a fall of the head onto the chest due to loss of tone of the neck muscles and a tonic spasm during flexion due to contraction of the anterior muscles. Synonyms; Salaam tik (1); infant spasm (2).

Confusion (ICD 290-294)- a term commonly used to denote a state of darkness consciousness, associated with acute or chronic organic disease. Clinically characterized disorientation, slowing down of mental processes with scanty associations, apathy, lack of initiative, fatigue and impaired attention. For mild conditions confusion when examining a patient, rational reactions and actions can be achieved, but with a more severe degree of disorder, patients are not able to perceive the surrounding reality. The term is also used more broadly to describe the thought disorder of functional psychoses, but this use of the term is not recommended. See also reactive confusion; foggy consciousness. Synonym; state of confusion.

Stereotypes (ICD 299.1)-functionally autonomous pathological movements that are grouped into a rhythmic or complex sequence of non-purposeful movements. In animals and humans they appear in a state of physical limitation, social and sensory deprivation, and can be caused by taking medications, such as phenamine. These include repeated locomotion (movements), self-injury, head shaking, bizarre postures of the limbs and trunk, and mannered behavior. These clinical signs are observed when mental retardation, congenital blindness, brain damage and autism in children. In adults, stereotypies can be a manifestation schizophrenia, especially when catatonic and residual forms.

Fear (ICD 291.0; 308.0; 309.2)- a primitive intense emotion that develops in response to a real or imagined threat and is accompanied by physiological reactions resulting from the activation of the autonomic (sympathetic) nervous system and defensive behavior when the patient, trying to avoid danger, runs away or hides.

Stupor (ICD 295.2)- a condition characterized by mutism, partial or complete immobility and psychomotor unresponsiveness. Depending on the nature or cause of the disease, consciousness may be impaired. Stuporous conditions develop when organic brain diseases, schizophrenia(especially when catatonic form), depressed illnesses, hysterical psychosis and acute reactions to stress.

Catatonic stupor (ICD 295.2)- a state of suppressed psychomotor activity caused by catatonic symptoms.

Judgment (ICD 290-294)- critical assessment of the relationships between objects, circumstances, concepts or terms; a tentative statement of these connections. In psychophysics, this is the distinction between stimuli and their intensity.

Narrowing of consciousness, limitation of the field of consciousness (ICD 300.1)- a form of disturbance of consciousness, characterized by its narrowing and dominance of a limited small group of ideas and emotions with the practical exclusion of other content. This condition occurs when there is extreme fatigue and hysteria; it may also be associated with some forms of cerebral impairment (particularly state of twilight consciousness with epilepsy). See also brain fog; twilight state.

Tolerance- pharmacological tolerance occurs when repeated administration of a given amount of a substance causes a reduced effect or when successive increases in the amount of the administered substance are required to obtain an effect previously achieved by a lower dose. Tolerance can be congenital or acquired; in the latter case, it may be the result of predisposition, pharmacodynamics or behavior that contributes to its manifestation.

Anxiety (ICD 292.1; 296; 300; 308.0; 309.2; 313.0)- a painful addition in nature to a subjectively unpleasant emotional state of fear or other premonitions directed towards the future, in the absence of any tangible threat or danger or the complete absence of connection of these factors with this reaction. Anxiety may be accompanied by a feeling of physical discomfort and manifestations of voluntary and autonomic dysfunction of the body. Anxiety can be situational or specific, i.e. associated with a specific situation or subject, or “free-floating” when there is no obvious link with external factors causing this anxiety. The characteristics of anxiety can be distinguished from the state of anxiety; in the first case, it is a stable feature of the personality structure, and in the second, it is a temporary disorder. Note. Translating the English term "anxiety" into other languages ​​can present certain difficulties due to subtle differences between the additional connotations expressed by words related to the same concept.

Separation Anxiety(not recommended) - an imprecisely used term that most often refers to normal or painful reactions - anxiety, distress or fear- in a small child separated from his parents (parent) or caregivers. This disorder in itself does not play a role in the further development of mental disorders; it becomes their cause only if other factors are added to it. Psychoanalytic theory distinguishes two types of separation anxiety: objective and neurotic.

Phobia (ICD 300.2)- pathological fear, which may be diffuse or focused on one or more objects or circumstances, out of proportion to the external danger or threat. This condition is usually accompanied by bad feelings, as a result of which the person tries to avoid these objects and situations. This disorder is sometimes closely associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder. See also phobic condition.

Emotions (ICD 295; 298; 300; 308; 309; 310; 312; 313)- a complex state of activation reaction, consisting of various physiological changes, heightened perception and subjective sensations aimed at certain actions. See also pathological affect; mood.

Echolalia (ICD 299.8)- automatic repetition of words or phrases of the interlocutor. This symptom may be a manifestation of normal speech in early childhood, or occur in some disease states, including dysphasia, catatonic states, mental retardation, early childhood autism or take the form of so-called delayed echolaline.

The basis of emergency psychiatric care for acute psychopathological conditions is a syndromic, and in some cases, a symptomatic approach. The need for it arises in case of complications of a somatic illness (for example, pneumonia) with mental disorders; for mental disorders resulting from alcohol, drug and other poisoning; at the acute onset or exacerbation of a mental or drug addiction disease; in the acute period of traumatic brain injury, etc. A general practitioner or emergency physician may be the first to meet such a patient in the hospital emergency room, in the office of a city clinic, or when calling an ambulance at home. The ability to provide emergency psychiatric care is all the more important because an error in assessing the condition of such a patient can lead not only to serious, but also to tragic consequences.

Diagnosis of most acute states of psychomotor agitation is not difficult. First, you should quickly and at least approximately assess the patient’s condition, since various clinical manifestations fit (and this is quite acceptable when providing first aid) into several clinical pictures, each of which already requires a special therapeutic approach. Practice shows that, first of all, patients with the following syndromes need emergency medical care:

Agitated depression;

Severe alcohol or drug withdrawal, alcoholic psychoses;

Hallucinatory-delusional syndrome (any etiology);

Manic syndrome;

Psychopathic agitation (psychomotor agitation of a psychopath or oligophrenic);

Reactive states and psychoses;

Status epilepticus.

When you first look at the patient, you should quickly try to carry out the following “mental sorting,” which will help you get closer to the correct diagnosis:

Sad - too cheerful;

Excited - inhibited;

Doesn't react to questions at all - quite communicative;

Seeks help - refuses it;

Understandable by your experiences - strange, “wonderful”, causing you bewilderment, etc.

A specific feature of providing emergency psychiatric care is the fact that medical personnel have to solve an additional (not typical for other professions) task - how to approach a patient who needs such help, but has a negative attitude towards it. It is better, while maintaining a continuous conversation with him, to calmly approach the patient from the side (so that he does not kick him) and sit him down. Following this, you should gently and sympathetically reassure him, explaining that nothing threatens him, he only has “frustrated nerves,” “it will pass soon,” etc. After this, it is necessary to proceed directly to drug treatment, remembering that even apparently effective therapy may be accompanied by far from stable improvement, and the patient’s behavior will again become unpredictable at any time.

After first aid is provided, the question should be decided in what conditions and where the patient should remain: 1) whether he can be sent home from the clinic (in any case, it is better with relatives); 2) can the patient be left to continue treatment in the ward of the general somatic department or 3) should he be transferred for further treatment to a psychiatric hospital. The first two cases include patients with mildly expressed situational affective disorders (which may be short-term), with neurotic reactions, neurosis-like and other non-psychotic conditions in somatic diseases. Clinically, these disorders are characterized by a rapid improvement in mental state (for example, after an injection of Relanium and a carefully offered glass of water, a “crazy person” suddenly calms down and becomes completely cooperative and obedient). The safest way to resolve these issues is with a psychiatrist, who should be called for a consultation.

The main indications for calling an emergency psychiatric team:

Socially dangerous actions of mentally ill patients (aggression or self-injury, threats to kill);

The presence of psychotic or acute psychomotor agitation, which can lead to socially dangerous actions (hallucinations, delusions, syndromes of impaired consciousness, pathological impulsivity);

Depressive states, if they are accompanied by suicidal tendencies;

Acute alcoholic psychoses;

Manic states accompanied by gross violation of public order or aggressiveness;

Acute affective reactions in psychopaths, mental retardation, patients with organic brain diseases, accompanied by agitation or aggression;

Suicidal attempts by persons who are not registered as psychiatric patients, if they do not need somatic help;

Conditions of deep mental defect, causing mental helplessness, sanitary and social neglect, vagrancy of persons in public places.

The following conditions are not indications for calling a specialized psychiatric care team:

Alcohol intoxication of any degree (unless we are talking about people with disabilities due to mental illness);

Acute intoxication with drugs or other substances, if they occur without psychotic disorders;

Somatic variants of withdrawal syndrome;

Affective (situational) reactions in persons who do not pose a danger to others, and antisocial actions in persons if they are not on a psychiatric register.

The decisive role here is played not so much by the severity of the mental illness, but by the following features and situations: the possibility of socially dangerous actions, the patient’s lack of criticism in assessing his condition, the impossibility of providing him with proper supervision and care in out-of-hospital conditions or in a somatic department. Most often in these cases we are talking about hallucinatory-delusional, manic syndrome with psychomotor agitation or severe depressive syndrome.

Any patient requiring emergency psychiatric care must immediately consult a psychiatrist: depending on the circumstances, either a psychiatrist is called to where the patient is located, or the patient is taken by ambulance for consultation to a neuropsychiatric dispensary. If absolutely necessary, temporary mechanical fixation should not be neglected, since most often emergency care is provided to a patient with strong motor agitation, with a sharp decrease in his criticism of his behavior.

Correct psychotherapeutic tactics carried out by medical staff in relation to a patient with acute psychosis can sometimes replace drug care or, in any case, be an extremely important addition to it. There are several conditions that must be adhered to:

When talking with a tense, delirious patient, do not take any notes in front of him, do not be distracted by other patients, and under no circumstances show the patient your fear of him;

Behave kindly towards the patient, avoiding rudeness or familiarity, which can cause a reaction of irritation; it is better to address him as “you” and maintain a “distance” that does not offend the patient;

Do not start the conversation by asking about the disease; It’s better to ask a few formal or “calming” questions, talk “about this and that”;

Demonstrate to the patient your desire and readiness to help him; do not argue or dissuade him; One should not, however, recklessly agree with all his statements, much less suggest possible answers to questions that are delusional in nature;

Do not discuss his condition with others in the presence of the patient;

Do not lose “psychiatric vigilance” for a single minute, since the patient’s behavior can change sharply at any moment (there should be no objects suitable for attack or self-harm near him; he should not be allowed to approach the window, etc.).

The main task of emergency care is not the treatment of the disease itself, but the medical “preparation” of the patient, which allows one to gain time before consulting a psychiatrist or before hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital. It includes, first of all, the relief of psychomotor agitation, the prevention of suicide and the prevention of status epilepticus. For these purposes, medical personnel should always have the following medications (in ampoules) at their disposal: chlorpromazine, tizercin, relanium (seduxen), droperidol, diphenhydramine, in addition, cordiamine and caffeine.

Mental disorders are invisible to the naked eye, and therefore very insidious. They significantly complicate a person’s life when he does not even suspect there is a problem. Experts who study this aspect of the boundless human essence claim that many of us have mental disorders, but does this mean that every second inhabitant of our planet needs treatment? How to understand that a person is truly sick and needs qualified help? You will receive answers to these and many other questions by reading the subsequent sections of the article.

What is a mental disorder

The concept of “mental disorder” covers a wide range of deviations of a person’s mental state from the norm. The problems with internal health in question should not be perceived as a negative manifestation of the negative side of the human personality. Like any physical illness, a mental disorder is a disruption of the processes and mechanisms of perception of reality, which creates certain difficulties. People faced with such problems do not adapt well to real life conditions and do not always correctly interpret what is happening.

Symptoms and signs of mental disorders

Characteristic manifestations of mental deviation include disturbances in behavior/mood/thinking that go beyond generally accepted cultural norms and beliefs. As a rule, all symptoms are dictated by a depressed state of mind. In this case, a person loses the ability to fully perform habitual social functions. The general spectrum of symptoms can be divided into several groups:

• physical – pain in various parts of the body, insomnia;
• cognitive – difficulties in clear thinking, memory impairment, unjustified pathological beliefs;
• perceptual - states in which the patient notices phenomena that other people do not notice (sounds, movement of objects, etc.);
• emotional – sudden feeling of anxiety, sadness, fear;
• behavioral – unjustified aggression, inability to perform basic self-care activities, abuse of psychoactive drugs.

Main causes of diseases in women and men

The etiology aspect of this category of diseases has not been fully studied, so modern medicine cannot clearly describe the mechanisms that cause mental disorders. Nevertheless, a number of reasons can be identified, the connection of which with mental disorders has been scientifically proven:

• stressful life conditions;
• difficult family circumstances;
• brain diseases;
• hereditary factors;
• genetic predisposition;
• medical problems.

In addition, experts identify a number of special cases that represent specific deviations, conditions or incidents against the background of which serious mental disorders develop. The factors that will be discussed are often encountered in everyday life, and therefore can lead to a deterioration in people’s mental health in the most unexpected situations.

Alcoholism

Systematic abuse of alcoholic beverages often leads to mental disorders in humans. The body of a person suffering from chronic alcoholism constantly contains a large amount of breakdown products of ethyl alcohol, which cause serious changes in thinking, behavior and mood. In this regard, dangerous mental disorders arise, including:

1. Psychosis. Mental disorder due to metabolic disorders in the brain. The toxic effect of ethyl alcohol overshadows the patient’s judgment, but the consequences appear only a few days after stopping use. A person is overcome by a feeling of fear or even a mania of persecution. In addition, the patient may have all sorts of obsessions related to the fact that someone wants to cause him physical or moral harm.
2. Delirium tremens. A common post-alcohol mental disorder that occurs due to profound disturbances in metabolic processes in all organs and systems of the human body. Delirium tremens manifests itself in sleep disorders and seizures. The listed phenomena, as a rule, appear 70-90 hours after stopping alcohol consumption. The patient exhibits sudden mood swings from carefree fun to terrible anxiety.
3. Rave. A mental disorder, called delusion, is expressed in the patient’s appearance of unshakable judgments and conclusions that do not correspond to objective reality. In a state of delirium, a person's sleep is disturbed and photophobia appears. The boundaries between sleep and reality become blurred, and the patient begins to confuse one with the other.
4. Hallucinations are vivid ideas, pathologically brought to the level of perception of real-life objects. The patient begins to feel as if the people and objects around him are swaying, rotating, or even falling. The sense of the passage of time is distorted.

Brain injuries

When receiving mechanical brain injuries, a person can develop a whole range of serious mental disorders. As a result of damage to the nerve centers, complex processes are triggered, leading to clouding of consciousness. After such cases, the following disorders/conditions/diseases often occur:

1. Twilight states. Celebrated, as a rule, in the evening hours. The victim becomes drowsy and becomes delirious. In some cases, a person may plunge into a state similar to stupor. The patient’s consciousness is filled with all sorts of pictures of excitement, which can cause appropriate reactions: from psychomotor disorder to brutal affect.
2. Delirium. A serious mental disorder in which a person experiences visual hallucinations. For example, a person injured in a car accident can see moving vehicles, groups of people and other objects associated with the roadway. Mental disorders plunge the patient into a state of fear or anxiety.
3. Oneiroid. A rare form of mental disorder in which the nerve centers of the brain are damaged. Expressed in immobility and slight drowsiness. For some time, the patient may become chaotically excited, and then freeze again without moving.

Somatic diseases

Against the background of somatic diseases, the human psyche suffers very, very seriously. Violations appear that are almost impossible to get rid of. Below is a list of mental disorders that medicine considers the most common in somatic disorders:

1. Asthenic neurosis-like state. A mental disorder in which a person exhibits hyperactivity and talkativeness. The patient systematically experiences phobic disorders and often falls into short-term depression. Fears, as a rule, have clear outlines and do not change.
2. Korsakov's syndrome. A disease that is a combination of memory impairment regarding current events, impaired orientation in space/terrain and the appearance of false memories. A serious mental disorder that cannot be treated with known medical methods. The patient constantly forgets about the events that just happened and often repeats the same questions.
3. Dementia. A terrible diagnosis that stands for acquired dementia. This mental disorder often occurs in people aged 50-70 years who have somatic problems. The diagnosis of dementia is given to people with reduced cognitive function. Somatic disorders lead to irreparable abnormalities in the brain. The mental sanity of a person does not suffer. Find out more about how treatment is carried out, what is the life expectancy with this diagnosis.

Epilepsy

Almost all people suffering from epilepsy experience mental disorders. Disorders that occur against the background of this disease can be paroxysmal (single) and permanent (constant). The following cases of mental disorders are encountered in medical practice more often than others:

1. Mental seizures. Medicine identifies several types of this disorder. All of them are expressed in sudden changes in the patient’s mood and behavior. A mental seizure in a person suffering from epilepsy is accompanied by aggressive movements and loud screams.
2. Transitory mental disorder. Long-term deviations of the patient's condition from normal. Transient mental disorder is a prolonged mental attack (described above), aggravated by a state of delirium. It can last from two to three hours to a whole day.
3. Epileptic mood disorders. As a rule, such mental disorders are expressed in the form of dysphoria, which is characterized by a simultaneous combination of anger, melancholy, causeless fear and many other sensations.

Malignant tumors

The development of malignant tumors often leads to changes in a person’s psychological state. As the formations on the brain grow, the pressure increases, causing serious abnormalities. In this state, patients experience unreasonable fears, delusions, melancholy and many other focal symptoms. All this may indicate the presence of the following psychological disorders:

1. Hallucinations. They can be tactile, olfactory, auditory and gustatory. Such abnormalities are usually found in the presence of tumors in the temporal lobes of the brain. Vegetovisceral disorders are often detected along with them.
2. Affective disorders. Such mental disorders in most cases are observed with tumors localized in the right hemisphere. In this regard, attacks of horror, fear and melancholy develop. Emotions caused by a violation of the structure of the brain are displayed on the patient’s face: facial expression and skin color change, the pupils narrow and dilate.
3. Memory disorders. With the appearance of this deviation, signs of Korsakov's syndrome appear. The patient gets confused about the events that just happened, asks the same questions, loses the logic of events, etc. In addition, in this state a person’s mood often changes. Within a few seconds, the patient's emotions can switch from euphoric to dysphoric, and vice versa.

Vascular diseases of the brain

Disturbances in the functioning of the circulatory system and blood vessels instantly affect a person’s mental state. When diseases associated with high or low blood pressure occur, brain functions deviate from normal. Serious chronic disorders can lead to the development of extremely dangerous mental disorders, including:

1. Vascular dementia. This diagnosis means dementia. In their symptoms, vascular dementia resembles the consequences of some somatic disorders that manifest themselves in old age. Creative thought processes in this state almost completely fade away. The person withdraws into himself and loses the desire to maintain contact with anyone.
2. Cerebrovascular psychoses. The genesis of mental disorders of this type is not fully understood. At the same time, medicine confidently names two types of cerebrovascular psychosis: acute and prolonged. The acute form is expressed by episodes of confusion, twilight stupefaction, and delirium. A protracted form of psychosis is characterized by a state of stupefaction.

What are the types of mental disorders?

Mental disorders can occur in people regardless of gender, age and ethnicity. The mechanisms of development of mental illness are not fully understood, so medicine refrains from making specific statements. However, on this moment The relationship between some mental illnesses and age has been clearly established. Each age has its own common deviations.

In older people

In old age, against the background of diseases such as diabetes mellitus, heart/renal failure and bronchial asthma, many mental abnormalities develop. Senile mental illnesses include:

• paranoia;
• dementia;
• Alzheimer's disease;
• marasmus;
• Pick's disease.

Types of mental disorders in adolescents

Adolescent mental illness is often associated with adverse circumstances in the past. Over the past 10 years, the following mental disorders have often been recorded in young people:

• prolonged depression;
• bulimia nervosa;
• anorexia nervosa;
• drankorexia.

Features of diseases in children

Serious mental disorders can also occur in childhood. The reason for this, as a rule, is problems in the family, incorrect methods of education and conflicts with peers. The list below contains mental disorders that are most often recorded in children:

• autism;
• Down syndrome;
• attention deficit disorder;
• mental retardation;
• developmental delays.

Which doctor should I contact for treatment?

Mental disorders cannot be treated on their own, therefore, if there is the slightest suspicion of mental disorders, an urgent visit to a psychotherapist is required. A conversation between the patient and a specialist will help quickly identify the diagnosis and choose effective treatment tactics. Almost all mental illnesses are treatable if treated early. Remember this and do not delay!

Video about mental health treatment

The video attached below contains a lot of information about modern methods of combating mental disorders. The information received will be useful for everyone who is ready to take care of the mental health of their loved ones. Listen to the words of experts to destroy stereotypes about inadequate approaches to combating mental disorders and learn the real medical truth.

Mental disorders are a subgroup of mental illnesses that include a huge variety of symptoms in their component lists. Humanity has always sought the need to know, as if realizing itself, and this has been accomplished through various naturalistic methods, and by comparing our knowledge of the physical body, our organs and the totality of their systems, we can declare that this knowledge is enormous. Humanity, having endless capital and not being guided by the laws of ethics, is capable of resolving, that is, getting rid of almost all pathologies. But not a single specialist can say this about the psyche; our brain is known very partially, while many specialists have taken away the spheres of influence on the brain, which naturally affects the provision of assistance. The functionality itself, that is, conversation, recognition, tactile senses, speech understanding, is dealt with by neurologists. Neurologists take care of the normal psyche, trying to preserve it and even increase it. Psychiatrists also deal with disorders in this area. Psychotherapists seem to combine the roles of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. They can often be needed by almost every individual trying to understand the problems that are troubling him.

What are mental disorders?

Mental disorders are diseases that develop due to mental problems. Since ancient times, humanity has noticed that some people are very different from others. Many noticed that some of these “strange” people could be very dangerous and were expelled from cities. And other quieter persons, but no less crazy, were worshiped and given gifts, considering them to be deities. At the same time, the attitude towards mental disorders in ancient times was quite pragmatic; they tried to study them whenever possible, and if it was impossible to understand, they came up with explanations.

Many scientists took part in the study of these pathologies, and it was then that epileptic seizures, melancholy, as a prototype of modern depression and phrenia, were first identified. Later, in different centuries, diametrically different methods were used to treat mentally ill people. For example, during the Middle Ages and the Inquisition, people were simply burned for some “irregularities” in behavior, then many individuals with mental disorders died. But in the Slavic lands there was no bad attitude towards the mentally ill in those days; they were kept in monasteries with tithe money that went to churches. At that time, Arab countries made a huge leap in attitude towards the mentally ill; it was there that they first opened a psychiatric hospital and even tried to treat patients with herbs. For a long time, people have been frightened by the realization that someone is hearing unheard voices that are not accessible to anyone. Since ancient times, such things have inspired otherworldly fear, and even now mental disorders are becoming the talk of the town. Horror films about mental hospitals, psychopathic killers and the news have taken their toll, and psychiatry is probably the subject of the most unfair rumors of any medical field.

But it is worth returning to the history of mental disorders. After the difficult period of the Middle Ages for all mankind, the Renaissance came. It was during the revival that Pinel and many other truth-seekers first realized that keeping people on chains, even mentally ill ones, was, at a minimum, inhumane. It was then that hospitals began to be created. One of the first to create a hospital was a refuge for the insane and called it Bedlam. It is from this name that the word we know “bedlam” comes from, in terms of chaos. After the Renaissance, the scientific period of psychiatry began, when patients began to be examined and understood about the causes and similar things. And it’s worth noting that it was very successful. Even though a lot has changed and new diagnoses have appeared, the old school of psychiatry remains relevant and in demand. This is due to the elegant and detailed descriptions of clinical cases. Nowadays, psychiatric disorders are only increasing, regardless of the standard of living, and the reasons for this will be described in the relevant chapters.

Psychiatry comes from the Greek "psycho", which means soul, and "atria", which translates as treatment. A psychiatrist is one of the few doctors who treats the soul. There are many methods for this and everyone will choose their own. The main rule in relation to individuals with mental disorders should be respect. It is worth remembering that each individual, regardless of the disease, remains invariably a person, like others, and deserves to be treated accordingly. Most individuals tend to protect themselves from such patients; you can often hear advice for the patient to pull himself together. It is important for relatives to understand that an individual with a mental disorder is not always able to meet expectations and needs support. But this does not mean that the individual must be belittled, since these people simply have certain characteristics that are alien to others.

List of mental disorders

Mental disorders, invariably and close to diseases of any origin, can be divided into many subtypes, the most important classifier for them is ICD 10. But before sorting out the different types according to the classifier, you need to remember the main divisions of mental disorders.

All mental disorders can fall into three different levels:

The psychotic level is the most serious illness, having in its entirety the most dangerous psychiatric symptoms.

The neurotic level does not pose a danger to others; such a person “eats” himself.

There is also a borderline level - these are things that fall within the competence of many specialists. Psycho-organic symptoms can also be considered separately, since they can have completely their own characteristics.

All psychopathology belongs to the F category from 0 to 99.

The first in the list of psychiatric disorders are organic disorders, numbered from 0 to 9. They are grouped according to the obvious presence of organics, even in cases of their symptomatology, that is, transience. This large subgroup includes dementias with impairment of various cortical functions. Such pathologies include, as well.

Mental disorders, which in their composition lead to behavioral disorders, can be associated with various psychoactive substances that are taken by individuals. This subgroup belongs to F 10-19. It includes not only psychoses associated with the use of alcohol or any other substances, but also metal-alcohol psychoses, as well as all those emerging from this state.

As a form of thought disorder. Schizotypal conditions also belong to this group. Delusional disorders are also included in this group due to their productive symptoms, namely delusional ideas. This subgroup corresponds to numbers F 20-29.

Disorders of the mood circle in a more modern classification sound like, ranging from F 30 to 39.

Neuroses and neurotic conditions are associated with stressors, as well as somatoform, that is, somatic-related disorders. This broad subgroup includes phobic, anxious, obsessive-compulsive, dissociative disorders, and reactions to stressors. Excluded from these are those disorders that affect behavioral aspects, as they are included elsewhere.

From F 50 to F 59 are behavioral syndromes that include in their component chain physiological disorders, that is, a range of instincts, needs and physical influences. All these syndromes lead to disruption of normal body functions, such as sleep, nutrition, intimate desires, and fatigue. In adulthood, not adolescence, after 40, personality disorders and behavioral disorders can also form. This includes specific personality disorders, as well as mixed forms, which interfere with other disorders in addition to personality ones.

From F 70 to F 79 manifests itself as a state of delayed mental development. These numbers have an identification that depends on the form and degree of mental retardation. They are also identified depending on the presence or absence of behavioral disorders.

From F 80 to F 89 include disorders of psychological development. These psychosyndromes are characteristic of children's age categories and manifest themselves in speech disorders, motor function, and psychological development.

The emotional range of disorders and behavioral aspects most often start from childhood and this is a completely different group from other disorders, belonging to the category F 90-98. These are a variety of behavioral disorders that lead to problems in society due to their connection with social maladjustment. These also include tics and hyperkinetic states.

The last in any group of diseases are unspecified disorders, and in our case these are mental disorders F 99.

Causes of mental disorders

Mental disorders have many underlying causes, which is due to the diversity of groups, that is, all pathologies can be caused by a variety of things. And taking into account the symptoms, there is no doubt that the same symptoms can lead to irreparable, but structurally similar outcomes. But at the same time, it is caused by completely diverse factors, which sometimes complicates the diagnosis.

The organic group of mental disorders is caused by organic factors, of which there are many in psychiatry. If there are psychiatric symptoms, then any, even indirect, organic symptoms are taken into account. These disorders are caused by head injuries. If the diagnosis is TBI, then you can expect a lot of symptomatic things.

Many brain diseases also lead to similar consequences, especially if not properly managed. Complications in this regard are very dangerous, including the final stages of HIV with the addition of dementia. In addition, almost all “childhood” infectious diseases in adults lead to irreparable consequences in the brain: chickenpox, like all herpetic infections, can cause serious encephalitis. also has similar serious complications, such as panencephalitis. In general, meningitis and encephalitis of any etiology pose a danger to the brain with subsequent development of organic matter. Sometimes such a pathology can form after strokes, vascular diseases and endocrinological disorders, as well as encephalopathies of various origins. Systemic diseases: vasculitis, lupus, rheumatism can also involve the brain in the process, over time burdening the person with psychiatric symptoms. The causes of this genesis also include neurological diseases with demyelination.

Taking psychoactive substances also leads to mental disorders. This is due to several methods of influencing the brain with psychoactive substances. The first is the formation of dependence, which leads to certain personal changes and reveals the worst traits of a person. Also, any drug is a toxin that directly affects neurons and leads to irreparable consequences, consistently killing the will and intellect. This also includes energy drinks, although these are not prohibited substances. It also includes alcohol, hashish, hemp, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and amphetamine. Substance abuse also carries considerable danger, especially considering that the toxic impact of such substances is much higher. Also dangerous for mental disorders are withdrawal syndromes and a general negative effect on the body, which over time will lead to encephalopathy with all that it entails.

It is worth noting that heredity can be a serious cause of many disorders. Many mental disorders already have a certain genetic location and can be identified if necessary. In addition to heredity, social factors play a role, in particular the usefulness of the family, adequate upbringing and the right conditions for the child to grow up. Endogenous pathologies always have neurotransmitter disorders as their root cause, which is successfully taken into account in treatment. Neurotic pathologies usually have their origins in childhood, but stress is the provocateur of a significant group of pathologies; it leads to failures in the protective systems of the psyche.

Many pathologies can lead to subsequent physiological disruptions, in particular physical and moral exhaustion, infectious diseases. Some diseases are the result of constitutional characteristics and relationship factors with others. Many pathologies of this spectrum can come from a behavioral pattern.

Childhood pathologies come from the womb, as well as from maternal health itself. These include possible provoking factors such as perinatal infections and bad maternal habits. Also in this regard, injuries, unsuccessful birth assistance and obstetric problems, as well as poor physical health of the mother and the presence of sexually transmitted diseases are dangerous. Also in childhood, the cause may be biological developmental delay.

Symptoms and signs of mental disorders

The description of mental disorders is very diverse due to the variety of areas that can be affected by these pathologies.

It is most convenient to carry out a detailed description of mental disorders based on disorders of different mental systems:

Feelings, sensations and perceptions. Disturbances of sensations, in the sense of a simple display of a stimulus, include a violation of their strength. This includes hyperesthesia - a subjective or, in the case of neurological pathology, an objective increase in sensations. Its opposite is hypoesthesia. Anesthesia - this lack of sensitivity, its complete loss, occurs not only with mental disorders, but also with anesthesia. These groups are still more typical for people with a normal psyche and happen to each of us. But here is a more specific pathology, characteristic of many psychosyndromes. It is characterized by polymorphism, that is, the individual is not able to identify the exact location of such strange pains. At the same time, the nature of the pain is pretentious and aggravated. Such pains are persistent and not correlated with any somatic disorder, while their projections are very atypical. Further from the symptoms it is worth paying attention to disturbances of perception, these include illusions - these are changes, curvature of a really existing object of perception. Illusions occur not only in pathologies, when they are called mental, but also in normal conditions, for example, physical deceptions of perception. Psychosensory disorder should be designated as a subtype of illusory disorders. It includes metamorphopsia, violations of the bodily scheme. Hallucinations are the perception of something that is really absent; there are many types of them and normally they do not exist. They are divided by analyzer and by type and have specific features, for example, division into true and pseudo. It depends on the projection: the first ones are outward, and the second ones are inward.

The description of mental disorders also includes the emotional and volitional spheres. Emotions can be pathologically intensified: hyperthymia, moria, euphoric sensations, ecstasy, mania. Manias can be different: solar mania is characterized by kindness; angry - excessive irritation; expansive with overestimation of possibilities, jumping ideas and confused with thinking disorders. Negative emotions can also pathologically intensify; such conditions include: hypothymia, as the opposite of mania. There are also several such states: anxious with a huge level of anxiety; apathetic with complete immobility; masked, manifested by somatic symptoms. Some mental disorders are characterized by a pathological weakening of emotions, such as apathy, coldness and emotional dullness. There are violations of emotional stability, often in dementia patients, for example, lability, explosiveness, emotional weakness, incontinence of emotions, emotional inertia. Also, emotions may be inadequate to the situation and even ambivalent. Various phobias that turn into obsession can also color the background of the disease. The will and instincts are violated during long-term processes and belong to the category of difficult-to-control problems: the will can strengthen or weaken. Food, intimate spheres and the instinct of self-preservation may be disrupted.

The description of mental disorders also includes a section on thinking. His thinking disorders can be unproductive and productive. The most famous of the thinking problems is a very dangerous symptom that forces the individual to take a variety of actions. Thinking disorders also include overvalued and obsessive ideas. Memory, intelligence and even consciousness may suffer in such persons, this is especially true for individuals with dementia and similar pathologies.

Types of mental disorders

Mental disorders by subtype can be divided into two large groups: exogenous, coming from the outside, and endogenous. The exogenous genesis of the disorder is formed from the outside, that is, the root cause of such pathology lies in life moments. This could be injury, abuse, exhaustion, disease, or infection. Endogenous disorders imply the presence of a problem in the person himself; these are a kind of consonant endogenous diseases that are of a genetic congenital nature.

Neuropsychiatric disorders develop due to an individual’s lifestyle, forcing the individual to be exposed to stress. Excessive haste exhausts individuals, leading to unpleasant effects. Nervous and mental disorders do not lead a person to madness, but still cause significant disruption in the body’s systems.

Neuropsychiatric disorders have several pathologies in their composition:

- as a pathology with clearly preceding psychotrauma. Further, sleep gradually worsens, knocking the individual out of the rut of life. Later, in addition to irritation and fatigue, persistent somatics appear, such as nausea, similar problems with the gastrointestinal tract, lack of appetite, but still the quality of life decreases.

- Obsessive states are also one of these forms, forcing the individual to constantly remain fixated on a certain thought or action. It is worth noting that this pathology includes not only thoughts and actions, but also memories and fears.

Neuropsychiatric disorders also include this form of disorder, which still causes more trouble for others. The individual himself enjoys his theatricality and pretentiousness. The clinical picture of hysterics is very polymorphic, which is mainly due to the personality itself: some people stomp their feet, others bend in a hysterical arc and go into convulsions, and some are even capable of losing their voice.

One can separately identify such a subtype as severe mental disorders; these mainly include endogenous and organic pathologies. They always have consequences and disable the individual.

Criminal mental disorders are not a separate subtype of disorder; in fact, if an individual with a mental disorder commits a crime, then this will be a criminal mental disorder. Criminal mental disorders require confirmation by forensic psychiatrists with an examination. This disorder is assessed in this way: if at the time of committing a crime an individual is considered sane, then he bears full responsibility for his crime. Criminal mental disorders in individuals who are found not to be criminally liable require not cell confinement, but compulsory psychiatric treatment. In some cases, it is so difficult to determine that an inpatient examination is required.

Mental disorders in children are different from those in adults. They can appear at different ages, depending on the pathology. Developmental delay up to three years, schizophrenia at an age closer to adolescence, with complex courses of the disease is possible from the first month. Mental disorders in children are characterized by severity, which is associated with an unformed nervous system, which is affected by the disease.

Treatment of mental disorders

There are many methods for relieving psychiatric pathologies. One of the rarely used, and in some countries prohibited, methods of active biological therapy.

Insulin comatose, atropine comatose, pyrogenic, where drugs of the same name and a temperature method are used to put the individual into remission.

Electroconvulsive therapy is also effective and is used when various methods of treating patients with various mental disorders are ineffective.

Craniocerebral hypothermia, as opposed to the pyrogenic method, uses cooling of brain tissue, in some cases this can even be done with improvised means.

Among medications, different drugs with different effects are used for different groups. Tranquilizers have an inhibitory effect due to potentiation of GABA: benzodiazepines, nidefinylmethanes, nibusterones, nicarbamylic and benzyl acids. Tranquilizers have a “habit-forming” effect, so they are not used for a long time and in mentally intact people. These include: Meprobamate, Andaxin, Elenium, Librium, Tazepam, Nozapam, Nitrazepam, Radedorm, Eunoctine, Mebicar, Trioxazin, Diazepam, Valium, Seduxen, Relanium.

Neuroleptics, in addition to their sedative and sedative effects, have a main antipsychotic effect, that is, they are able to relieve productive symptoms in patients, and are naturally used in the psychotic spectrum. Typical antipsychotics used for rapid sedation and relief of psychomotor agitation include: Haloperidol, Triftazine, Stelocin, Pimozide orap, Flushpiren imap, Pinfluridol semap, Chlorprothixene, Chlorpromazine, Leaomepromazine, Aminazine, Propazine, Tarakten, Tizercin.

Atypical antipsychotics are used as maintenance therapy because, among other actions, they can have a stimulating effect, which is so necessary for individuals in an apatho-abulsic state. These include Neuleptil, Azaleptin, Sulpiride, Carbidine, Meterazine, Majeptil, Etaperazine, Trivalon, Frenolon, Trisedyl, Eglonil, Teralen, Sonapax, Meller, Azapine, Clozapine.

Antidepressants have an effect only on pathologically depressed mood, without affecting normal mood, and therefore are not addictive. These include: Amitriptyline, Triptisol, Elavil, Floracyzil, Pyrazedol, Azafen, Oxilidin Melipramil, Thiofranil, Anafranil, Nuredal, Nialamid.

A separate group of drugs that are used for many pathologies are psychostimulants. They are designed to relieve fatigue and activate: Sidnocarb, Stimuloton, Sidnofen.

Normotimics normalize mood and are used for bipolar disorder as a cover that prevents phase inversion: Lithium carbonate, hydroxybutyrate, retard, as well as Depakin, Valprocom.

Metabolic therapy drugs, such as nootropics, improve mnestic functions: Aminalon, Acephan, Piracetam, Piraditol, Gamalon, Lucidril, Nootropil.

Mental disorders in children are controlled by age; it is important to pay attention to age-related crises. It is important to remember that continuous treatment unnecessarily will have a negative impact on development. The dosage and medications are selected to be milder. It is important not to lose sight of maintenance therapy and adjust the dosage in a timely manner. To maintain the effect, depot drugs are excellent: Moniten depot, Haloperidol Deconaate, Fluorphenazine deconaate, Piportil, Flushpirilen, Penfluridol.

Among the psychotherapeutic methods for some pathologies, suggestive therapy, narcosuggestion, psychoanalysis, behavioral methods, autogenic relaxation, occupational therapy, socio- and art therapy are excellent.

Test for mental disorders

Doctors usually determine mental health through conversation. The individual talks about himself, about his complaints, about his ancestors. At the same time, the doctor notes heredity, looks at the structure of thinking, the wording of speech, and behavior. If the patient behaves cautiously and becomes silent, psychoproduction can be assumed.

Memory and intelligence are also determined in conversation and correspond or do not correspond to life experience. Attention is paid to facial expressions, weight, appearance and neatness. All this allows you to put together the first picture, identify suspicions and think through further research.

In general, in addition to a regular conversation, many tests of different forms and types are used:

For depression, this is the Beck test, PNK 9 and similar small questionnaires that allow you to control the dynamics.

For anxiety, which is in the structure of all mental disorders, we use the Spielberger test.

For intelligence, there is the Mocha test, MMSE, which also tests memory. For memory there is also a test of memorizing ten words. In addition, diagnostic criteria must be applied to identify the problem and clearly formulate a diagnosis.

Methods for studying attention include: Schulte table, Landolf test, proof test, Riesz lines.

Gorbov's red-black table helps determine the switching of attention.

Münsterberg and Kraepelin, with their search for words in the merged text and subtraction.

Tests for associative memory, memorization of artificial syllables, Beck's visual retention test and pictogram technique.

To diagnose thinking, the method of pictograms, the method of classification using cards and deciphering proverbs, as well as eliminating unnecessary things, establishing sequences, identifying features, establishing analogies and complex analogies, as well as the method of naming 50 words are also applicable.

The Wechsler and Raven tests are used to test intelligence, as well as the Mini Koch, Clock Drawing, and Frontal Dysfunction Battery.

Questionnaires for temperament and character are also used: Eysenck, Ruzanov, Strelyalo, Shmishek.

Large MMPI test to determine personality traits. As well as the PANS clinical scale.