How to stay calm and healthy? We exclude depressive behavior. Manic depression Causes of development and prevalence of manic-depressive psychosis

All people experience fear sometimes. It can be caused by a number of different factors. Fear is the feeling we experience when we are in some dangerous situation, regardless of the real or imaginary danger. Fear is an illusion that creates its own reality and which we often perceive as real reality. When a person is overwhelmed by fear, she unconsciously or consciously puts into action a whole series of defense mechanisms to avoid fear, to run away from it, instead of thinking it through carefully.

If this sounds like you, then you'll probably agree that you don't try to confront your fears at all because they scare you.

Fear destroys us in this way. He has the power to control your thoughts and convince you that you cannot resist him. I don’t want to turn the story into some kind of horror story about how “something” guides your actions and behavior, reminiscent of the plot of some Hollywood horror film, but this is exactly how fear acts on most people.

It can manifest itself in many things. It's not normal when your life is controlled by fear, this is not your path. You can manage your fears.

What fears affect me?

Fear is inherent

Innate fear

Acquired fear

Manic fear

Fear is inherent It's fear that makes you cautious. This is a healthy and completely normal fear. Imagine that you are riding a bicycle at very high speed. The wind is whistling in your ears, adrenaline is playing in your blood, you continue to pick up speed, but suddenly you accidentally hit some stone that was lying on the road, the steering wheel moved a little, you lost control of the bike a little - this caused a flash of fear that your brain perceives , as a signal that you need to slow down, because driving very fast can lead to a fall. Your actions are common sense.

Innate fear- a fear that has been there since your birth. For example, some people are afraid of snakes and birds. There is even a fear of scientific terms. Most people cannot explain the reasons for these fears; it is on a subconscious level. These fears can be eliminated, but an individual and careful approach is needed.

Acquired fear– fear that was acquired over some time of personality development. Let's take a situation. Suppose that in a physical education lesson you are ready to pass the standard - rope climbing, but you think that you will not succeed and in general you have never liked climbing a rope. “Why do I need it,” you think, “I don’t know how to climb and I don’t want to, but the girls will look, no, it’s better to tell the teacher that my hand hurts.” You may have fear of this situation because you are already focused on the fact that you are bad at rope climbing, you begin to think about what others will think, and come up with ways to “escape”. This is an acquired fear. In the future, it may manifest itself in other situations, but its nature will be the same, you will be afraid of what you cannot do. This fear will discourage even the idea that a little practice and self-belief can solve these problems. If you give yourself a chance and set a goal, then with practice you will get rid of this fear.

Manic fear- this is the strongest fear that keeps a person in its power, and is considered a clinical case. To get rid of this fear you need time and the right and competent help from professionals.

Remember, fears can be forgotten.

Fear makes you constantly think: what will happen if?

What happens if... I don’t pass my exams and don’t get into the University?
What happens if... I can't find a job?
What will happen... if I don't find a true friend?
What will happen if... I'm left alone?

It hurts. If we ask ourselves “What would happen if...?” in every single situation of our life, then we will receive so many incredible scenarios for the development of events that will only puzzle us. We would end up doing nothing with life. This is a negative spiral that moves in a downward circle and you should not give in to these negative and destructive thoughts.

Fear prevents us from developing our potential. Fear will tell you to put off what you planned to do today until tomorrow or next week or forever. Fear doesn't want you to succeed. Fear will find many reasons why you will not be able to do what you planned. Fear will tell you that you have failed.

But this is a lie! Don't believe it! Fear makes us hide from ourselves and from others; it hides reality from us. Fear is the first reason for our adverbs and excuses to ourselves. It prevents us from seeing clearly, it disorients, it paralyzes.

It hinders your growth as a person and negatively affects your self-esteem and the assessment of others. This is a senseless fear.

How can I overcome my fear?

You can conquer your fear!

The main thing is to understand the problem correctly. It lies in the fact that most people, when faced with fear, simply run away or try to avoid the situations they are afraid of. Like ostriches, they bury their heads in the sand and naively believe that if they run away or hide, the fear will disappear on its own.

But that's not true!

Fear is always within us. If you can look fear straight in the eye, it means you have the resources and strength to manage any situation. You enrich yourself with knowledge, beginning to understand yourself better.

Look fear in the eyes, and you will understand that the cause of fear is ignorance and faith in yourself and your own strengths. You can begin to overcome your fear by eliminating these shortcomings. Since you build a new base, you begin to know and understand the cause of your fears, they will begin to disappear, since they will not be able to paralyze your consciousness.

Don't run away! Confront and fight fear, it will make you stronger and change your outlook on life to a more positive one.

Manic depression is one of the diseases of the human psyche that occurs quite often. This disorder is characterized by a frequent sharp change from a depressed (depressive) state to an excited (manic) state.

This disease very often occurs in a latent form, and then it is almost impossible to diagnose. Even a pronounced form of the disease does not always prompt the patient or his loved ones to see a doctor, which is completely in vain: with proper treatment, the patient can feel better, but staying at home can cause harm to both himself and the people around him.

Unfortunately, even today the reasons why manic depression develops are almost unknown. It has been proven that the tendency to this mental disorder can be inherited (for example, from grandmother to grandson), and, in the presence of factors favorable for the development of the disease, it can appear at any time, but only after reaching the age of thirteen.

It is also known that manic depression most often develops due to increased nervous excitability. From all of the above, we can conclude that people who have a hereditary tendency to this disease should especially zealously protect their mental health.

This mental disorder is most easily treated in the initial stages, and therefore it is very important to be able to recognize its most As already mentioned, this disease begins to develop only from the age of 13, and just at this age the human psyche is already fully formed, which allows an observant person to notice the first deviations from the norm.

The first symptom is minor changes in emotional reactions to any events, and a little later a sharp change in mood appears. So, close to depression, it can suddenly be replaced by high mood, joy, even euphoria. And, what is especially important during diagnosis, the period always lasts longer.

As can be understood from the name of the disease, manic depression is characterized by frequent alternation of two states - depressive and manic.

A depressive state can be recognized by constant manifestations of bad mood, physical and mental inhibition, deterioration in well-being, and the development of heart disease. In especially severe cases, the patient may fall into a stupor - not move, not talk, not react to anything.

A manic state is easily recognized by a sharp increase in mood, excessive cheerfulness, and strong excitement (the patient constantly moves and talks).

Both conditions are characterized by increased heart rate.

At the initial stage, this disease is characterized as causing significant inconvenience, but not carrying any real danger. But in the absence of treatment, after a couple of years the syndrome turns into At this stage, the patient becomes truly dangerous, since in a depressive period he is capable of suicide, and in a manic period - of destruction and murder.

Treatment of this mental disorder is possible only in a psychiatric clinic, where the patient will be protected from society and pathogens. Treatment includes both work with a psychiatrist and medication.

For the patient, conversations with a psychotherapist are very important, who must not only identify the causes of manic depression and eliminate them, but also reassure the patient. Following the correct daily routine and the support of your family will also bring positive results.

The human brain is a complex mechanism that is difficult to study. The root of psychological deviations and psychoses lies deep in a person’s subconscious, destroys life and interferes with functioning. Manic-depressive psychosis is by its nature dangerous not only for the patient, but also for the people around him, so you should immediately contact a specialist.

Manic-depressive syndrome, or, as it is also known, bipolar personality disorder, is a mental illness that manifests itself as a constant change in behavior from unreasonably excited to complete depression.

Causes of TIR

No one knows exactly the origins of this disease - it was known back in Ancient Rome, but doctors of that time clearly distinguished between manic psychosis and depression, and only with the development of medicine was it proven that these were stages of the same disease.

Manic-depressive psychosis (MDP) is a severe mental illness

It may appear due to:

suffered stress;
pregnancy and menopause;
disruption of brain function due to tumors, trauma, chemical exposure;
the presence of this psychosis or other affective disorder in one of the parents (it has been scientifically proven that the disease can be inherited).

Due to mental instability, women are more often susceptible to psychosis. There are also two peaks in which manic disorder can occur: menopause and 20-30 years. Manic-depressive psychosis has a clearly defined seasonal nature, since exacerbations most often occur in the fall and spring.

Manic-depressive psychosis: symptoms and signs

MDP expresses itself in two main stages, which appear for a certain period of time and replace each other. They are:

Manic-depressive psychosis and its varieties

Bipolar personality disorder is sometimes understood as a synonym for MDP, but in reality it is just one type of general psychosis.

The usual course of the disease involves the following stages:

manic;
intermission (when a person returns to his normal behavior);
depressive.

The patient may be missing one of the stages, which is called unipolar disorder. In this case, the same stage can alternate several times, changing only occasionally. Double psychosis also occurs, when the manic phase immediately turns into a depressive phase without intermediate intermission. The changes should be monitored by a doctor who will recommend appropriate treatment appropriate for the individual's condition.

The disease can manifest itself in manic and depressive forms

The difference between manic-depressive syndrome and other diseases

Inexperienced doctors, as well as loved ones, may confuse MDP with ordinary depression. This usually occurs due to short observation of the patient and rapid conclusions. One stage can last up to a year, and most people rush into treatment for depression.

It is worth knowing that in addition to loss of strength and lack of desire to live, patients with MDP also experience physical changes:

The person has inhibited and slow thinking, and an almost complete lack of speech. It's not a matter of wanting to be alone - during this stage the weakness can be so strong that it is difficult for a person to move his tongue. Sometimes this condition turns into complete paralysis. At this moment the patient especially needs help.
During a manic episode, people often report dry mouth, insomnia or very little sleep, rapid thoughts, shallow judgment, and a reluctance to think about problems.

The dangers of manic-depressive psychosis

Any psychosis, no matter how minor or insignificant, can radically change the life of the patient and his loved ones. In the depressive stage, a person is able to:

The mechanism of development of the disease is explained by the result of neuropsychic breakdowns with the formation of foci in the cerebral cortex

commit suicide;
die of hunger;
develop bedsores;
fall out of society.

While in the manic stage the patient may:

commit a rash act, up to and including murder, since his cause-and-effect relationships are broken;
endanger your own or others' lives;
start having promiscuous sex.

Diagnosis of TIR

It often happens that the patient is diagnosed incorrectly, which complicates treatment, so the patient must undergo a full set of studies and tests - radiography, MRI of the brain and electroencephalography.

At the time of diagnosis, a complete picture is needed to exclude other mental disorders, infections and injuries.

Treatment of manic-depressive psychosis

The doctor usually prescribes a hospital stay. This makes it much easier to track changes in stages, identify patterns, and help the patient in case of suicide or other unjustified actions.

If the state of lethargy is dominant, antidepressants with analeptic properties are selected

Often prescribed:

antipsychotics with a sedative effect during the manic period;
antidepressants during the depressive stage;
Lithium therapy in the manic stage;
electroconvulsive therapy for prolonged forms.

During moments of activity, a patient with manic syndrome is capable of harming himself due to self-confidence, as well as endangering other people, so conversations with a psychologist who can calm the patient are very important.

Also at the moment of depression, a person needs constant care, since he has no appetite, is taciturn and often motionless.

How to live with manic-depressive psychosis?

3-5% of people admitted to hospital are diagnosed with MDP. With quality treatment of both stages, constant prevention and conversations with a psychiatrist, it is possible to live a normal and ordinary life. Unfortunately, few people think about recovery and make plans for life, so there should always be close people next to such a person who, in the event of an exacerbation, can forcibly put the patient on treatment and support him in every possible way.

Why is it worth treating manic-depressive psychosis?

Many people diagnosed with MDP express themselves through creativity. For example, the famous impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh was also a hostage to this disease, while remaining a talented person, although not capable of socialization. The life path of this artist can serve as a good example for people who do not want to go to the hospital or solve a problem. Despite his talent and boundless imagination, the great impressionist committed suicide during one of his depressive stages. Due to problems with socialization and people, Vincent never sold a single painting in his entire life, but gained fame quite by accident, thanks to people who knew him.

Every person has mood swings. These are normal ups and downs that we all go through from time to time. But if you suffer from manic depression, your mood swings may be extreme and your symptoms may be severe, but the condition is treatable. Today, manic depression is called. The term "bipolar" is used because a person with manic depression experiences moodiness that swings uncontrollably between two extremes, the "pole" of depression and the "pole" of emotional arousal.

Manic depression is a long-term illness that usually begins before the age of 25. The disease affects about three million adults in Russia, but can also develop in children. People with typical depression, or clinical depression as it's called, have similar symptoms, but they don't experience the highs that people with manic depression have.

General symptoms

Similar symptoms include:

Sadness for a long time
Crying for no reason
Feeling of worthlessness
Feeling very low energy
Loss of interest in enjoyable activities

Because some of the symptoms are similar, approximately 10 to 25 percent of people with manic depression are first diagnosed with clinical depression.

Distinctive symptoms

The "manic" symptoms of bipolar disorder, which make it distinct from clinical depression, include:

Feelings of extreme happiness, excitement, and confidence
Feelings of irritability, aggressiveness, and "tightness"
Uncontrollable thoughts or speech
Thinking of yourself as very important, gifted, or special
Poor judgment
Dangerous behavior

Children and adolescents with manic depression may display hyperactive behavior. Teenagers are prone to antisocial or socially dangerous behavior, accompanied by sex, alcohol or drugs. Unlike people with manic depression, those with manic depression are less likely to be able to engage in normal activities and are more likely to contemplate suicide.

Classification of bipolar disorders

Low periods of manic depression are sometimes referred to as "unipolar depression." High periods tend to be experienced less frequently than low periods, and people are more likely to seek help to get out of a low period. Types of manic depression include:

Bipolar I disorder. This term refers to manic depression, which includes high or mixed periods that last at least seven days or are extremely severe. Patients usually have depressive periods that last about two weeks.
Bipolar II disorder. In this type of manic depression, the person is depressed, but the high periods are less extreme.
Cyclothymic disorder. This term refers to a form of manic depression in which both high and low mood swings are milder than in other types of manic depression.

Manic Depression: Getting Help

If you have any symptoms of manic depression, the best thing you can do is see a doctor. Although there is no blood test or brain scan that can show whether you have manic depression. It is important that your doctor makes sure that your symptoms are not caused by other medical conditions. Other illnesses and health problems that often occur with manic depression include:

Alcohol or drug abuse
Post-traumatic stress
Hyperactivity
Thyroid diseases
Headache
Cardiovascular diseases
Diabetes

Whether it's manic depression or bipolar disorder, it's a lifelong condition. If you have bipolar disorder, you will need long-term treatment to help you control your mood swings. The good news is that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is usually effective.

Most importantly, know that manic depression is not a weakness of character - it is a treatable disease. If you think you might have manic depression, the first step is to get help.

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Nowadays, mental illnesses are becoming more and more common. This is due to the fact that every day a person faces stress and other tensions that harm our psychological state. Sometimes a normal psychological disorder can develop into manic depression.

Causes and development of manic depression

Manic-depressive syndrome is a mental disorder that occurs against the background of wave-like psycho-emotional states: depressive and manic. Between these phases, mental disorders may disappear completely. Scientists have found that manic-depressive psychosis is a genetic disease. It can be inherited, but even if one of your relatives suffered from this disease, this does not mean that it will manifest itself in you. Everything will depend on external factors: the conditions in which you grew up, the environment, the level of mental stress, and so on.

Most often, the disease makes itself felt in adulthood. Moreover, the disease does not immediately manifest itself in acute form. After some time, family and friends begin to notice that the disease is progressing. First of all, the psycho-emotional background changes. A person may be too depressed, or, conversely, too cheerful. These phases replace each other, with depression lasting longer than joy.

This condition can last for a very long time - from several months to several years. Therefore, if the ailment is not identified in a timely manner and medical assistance is not provided, then the harbingers of the disease will go directly into the disease itself - manic-depressive psychosis.

Depressive phase of the disease

As mentioned above, the disease mainly occurs in the depressive phase. This phase has three main features:

Bad mood;
The appearance of physical and speech inhibition;
The appearance of pronounced intellectual inhibition.

The patient's thoughts are too negative. He develops a groundless sense of guilt, self-flagellation and self-destruction. In this state, people often decide to commit suicide.

Depression can be physical or mental. With mental depression, a person experiences a depressed psycho-emotional state. In the physical form of depression, problems with the cardiovascular system are added to the depressed psycho-emotional state.

If treatment is not started when these symptoms appear, the person may fall into a stupor. He can be absolutely motionless and silent. The person stops eating, going to the toilet, and responding to calls to him. In addition, the physiological state of the patient changes: the heart rhythm is disturbed, arrhythmia, bradycardia appear, the pupils dilate.

Manic phase of the disease

The depressive phase gives way to the manic phase. This phase includes:

Pathological increase in mood - manic effect;
Excessive motor and speech stimulation;
Temporary increase in performance;

This phase has many specific features. It most often does not occur in a pronounced form, so only an experienced doctor can determine it. But as the disease progresses, the manic phase becomes more pronounced.

A person’s mood is too optimistic, and he begins to assess reality too positively. The patient may have delusional ideas. In addition, motor and speech activity increases.

Features of the course of manic depression

Most often, doctors are faced with the classic form of the disease, but there are exceptions. In such cases, it is very difficult to identify the disease in a timely manner and begin its treatment.

For example, there is a mixed form of manic depression - when psychosis makes itself felt differently. In the mixed form, some symptoms of one phase are replaced by certain symptoms of another phase. For example, a depressive state may be accompanied by excessive nervous excitability, while inhibition may be completely absent.

The manic stage can be expressed by emotional upsurge with pronounced intellectual and mental retardation. The patient’s behavior in this case is difficult to predict: it may be inadequate or completely normal.

Also, sometimes doctors encounter erased forms of manic-depressive syndrome. The most common form is cyclothymia. With this form, all the symptoms of the disease are very blurred. Therefore, a person can maintain full working capacity. And his friends and family may not even know about the presence of the disease.

Sometimes the disease, in its vague form, occurs with an open form of depression. But it is also almost impossible to detect, because even the patient may not be aware of the reasons for his bad mood. The danger with hidden forms of manic depression is that they can go unnoticed. As a result, a person may resort to suicide.

Symptoms of classic manic-depressive syndrome

The patient begins to experience a strong feeling of anxiety. Moreover, the anxiety is completely unfounded. Most often, patients worry about their future or about their relatives. As a rule, the doctor immediately distinguishes this condition from ordinary melancholy. After all, in such people, anxiety is reflected on the face: an unblinking gaze and a tense face. And in conversation such people are not too frank.

If there is improper contact with a patient, a person may simply withdraw into himself. Therefore, the patient’s relatives should know the basic rules of behavior and how to properly establish contact. It is very important to start the conversation correctly - you need to pause.

If a person is simply depressed, then after a pause he can remain silent for a very long time. A person suffering from manic depression will not tolerate a long pause and will start a conversation. During the conversation, it is worth observing the patient’s behavior. Such a person’s gaze will be shifty and restless, he will constantly fiddle with something in his hands: clothes, a button, a sheet. It is difficult for such people to remain in the same position for a long time, so they get up and walk around the room. In severe cases, patients lose control of themselves. The person may become completely stupefied or begin to pace frantically around the room, crying or screaming. The patient loses his appetite.

In especially severe forms of the disease, patients are placed in special medical institutions, where they receive full necessary care. Without professional help, the condition will only get worse.

The patient is prescribed special medications, which are selected by the doctor individually. In cases of lethargy, medications are prescribed that stimulate activity. In case of increased excitability, sedatives are prescribed.

If correct and timely treatment is provided, the prognosis for recovery is favorable. After some time, the patient can return to a full-fledged lifestyle. Therefore, when the first symptoms of the disease appear, it is better to play it safe and consult a doctor to establish a diagnosis.