How to determine that a person has a mental disorder: the main signs. Mental and behavioral disorders

In the modern world, not all people manage to always remain calm and positive. We often do not pay attention to the bad mood of the people around us and even our closest relatives. And in vain! What signs can be seen in men in the initial stages of the disease?

Mental disorders - what are they?

Mental disorders are a variety of human mental states that do not correspond to the norm. Often, such diseases begin to be treated only in critical stages with clear manifestations of inappropriate behavior and thinking. In our country, many people still take mental illnesses lightly.

Many people prefer to attribute the manifestation of symptoms of mental illness to their opponent. At the same time, many signs of mental disorders in men can be noticed without being a specialist. Be more attentive to yourself and your loved ones. Don't be lazy and don't be afraid to seek professional help if you notice any suspicious symptoms.

Main external signs

Popular proverbs urge not to judge others by their appearance. And this is not always the right decision. If a person suddenly stops taking care of himself, begins to neglect the rules of personal hygiene, and often looks untidy and sloppy, this is already a reason to think about his mental state. A neat and attractive appearance is one of the indicators of mental well-being and internal balance.

What is noteworthy is that the sick person himself can be aware of what is happening. To criticism regarding his appearance, he can respond with something with the meaning that “appearance is not the main thing.” This portrayal of self-confidence coupled with indifference are also signs of mental disorders in men. As symptoms of such diseases, we can also mention personality degradation in general. During this process, a person loses interest in everything that happens to him and around him.

Behavioral symptoms

In everyday life, it is easiest to notice the main manifestations in the behavior of the sick person. The most striking symptom is a rapid change of mood. Sadness, joy, apathy, anger, anxiety and other emotions change, like in a kaleidoscope. At the same time, they are not connected with real events.

Quite often, people suffering from mental disorders are aggressive. Aggression can manifest itself in different ways, for one person it is only excessive rudeness in words, for another it is physical impact on surrounding objects, attempts to organize fights. Hypertrophied jealousy is also often observed in mental disorders. This is a common sign of mental illness among the stronger sex. If a man is constantly jealous of his woman without any real reason, this is a reason to seek professional psychological help.

Emotional manifestations

How does a person feel with mental illness? Do not forget that mental disorders can occur with a variety of symptoms. Some diseases are characterized by agitation of consciousness, while others are characterized by apathy. Almost every person with psychological problems comes to the idea that “no one understands him.” The sick person feels lonely and unwanted.

In some cases, a critical attitude towards others may be observed. With this symptom, a person sincerely considers those around him to be guilty of all his problems. Despite the instability, most often people suffering from mental disorders experience something unpleasant. Most often these are emotions such as sadness, sadness, anxiety, fear.

A variety of phobias and psychological complexes can also develop against the background of more serious diseases. Interestingly, many patients note changes at the physiological level. Sleep disturbances, migraines, causeless pain, cramps - all this can be indirect manifestations of mental disorders. Sometimes problems with eating behavior are also observed. The sick person may begin to eat more than usual, or, on the contrary, refuse food.

Cognitive symptoms of psychological disorders

Any mental disorder occurs with a noticeable deterioration in mental abilities. Memory impairment is especially noticeable. The sick person may forget some facts and events. The ability to operate with existing knowledge decreases, logical thinking is impaired. In some cases, there may be a slowdown in the reaction, and in others, on the contrary, an acceleration of thought processes. Obvious signs of mental disorders in men: inability to adequately assess what is happening, worsening adherence to principles.

Many diseases occur with the formation of obsessions, criticism of which is met with a strong negative reaction. Often a person in such a state feels literally like an “unrecognized genius.” Based on this, a clear passion for philosophy is possible. Moreover, it can be expressed in the study of the works of recognized sages or the creation of one’s own “teaching”. Most mental illnesses occur with a distorted perception of reality and oneself. People suffering from them are immersed in the world of their own, often not entirely adequate, fantasies and cease to be aware of the boundaries and importance of reality.

Perceptual manifestations of mental illness

Serious mental illnesses occur with a whole bunch of vivid symptoms. The most popular among them is hallucinations. The sick person may see or hear something that does not exist in reality. Hallucinations come in a variety of forms. Sometimes it is a disembodied voice that sounds “in your head” or in a dark room. Some patients see very real objects, animals or even familiar people. Others talk about observing irrational pictures, unreal beings.

In 70% of cases, hallucinations are frightening and disturbing. At the same time, the sick person fully believes in their reality. Most people who experience this symptom are happy to talk about their visions and experienced emotions. Some patients try to find a rational explanation for their visions. This applies primarily to auditory hallucinations, when the patient hears strange sounds and cannot accurately determine their source.

The most common mental disorders in the modern world

When studying the main signs of a mental disorder, you probably remembered at least one friend who has some of the listed symptoms. And this is not surprising, the life of a modern person is filled with worries and stress. With constant rush and an abundance of worries, it is difficult to always remain positive and maintain peace of mind. It sounds scary, but depression is considered common today. But this mental disorder, despite its outward harmlessness, can cause death.

It is a well-known fact: women are more emotional than men. Perhaps it is precisely because of their openness and desire to share the emotions they experience that representatives of the fair sex are less likely to suffer from serious mental illnesses than their husbands. If you believe the statistics of mental disorders, among men, 60% first encounter this problem at a young age. The remaining 40% are representatives of the stronger sex who became ill in adulthood.

The most common mental disorders in men are: neuroses, syndromes, phobias, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia. Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis. But if you suspect that someone close to you is suffering from a mental disorder, it is in your power to record the most striking symptoms and convince the sick person to seek professional help.

Schizophrenia: symptoms and signs in men, features of the disease

Each of us has heard the name of this disease at least once. This is a fairly serious mental disorder that can be successfully corrected if therapy is started in the early stages. The pathology is characterized by loss of interest in life. How does schizophrenia manifest? Symptoms and signs are similar in men of all ages. A responsible person gradually stops thinking about work or study, and gradually loses interest in his family. The schizophrenic also abandons all personal interests and hobbies.

Many patients develop symptoms of autism. This is, first of all, isolation, reluctance to contact other people. A sick person seems to be trying to isolate himself from the world with an invisible wall, to remain alone with his own thoughts, experiences and problems. Signs of anxiety disorders in men can easily be confused with schizophrenia. This diagnosis occurs with deterioration of mental abilities, impaired concentration and attention. As the disease progresses, the person begins to think illogically and his speech may become incoherent.

They don’t like to leave the house; anxious thoughts haunt them. The mood of a man with this diagnosis is often depressed and apathetic; sometimes loved ones may notice causeless fear. In particular cases, schizophrenia occurs with impaired motor functions, neuroses and hallucinations. This pathology is characterized by seasonal exacerbations. Painful symptoms in schizophrenics become more pronounced in spring and autumn.

Causes of mental illness

Today, official medicine is not always able to establish the root causes of diagnosed mental illnesses. And yet there are a number of provoking factors. These are: stress, increased mental and emotional stress, a tense environment at work or at home, serious shocks. We should also not forget about genetic predisposition, brain diseases and other medical factors.

The first signs of a mental disorder in men may appear against the background of systematic use of alcohol and drugs. More often, drug addiction and alcoholism provoke the development of psychosis, delirium tremens, delusions of jealousy and other specific disorders. Very often, the cause of mental illness can be traumatic brain injury. Mental disorders are observed against the background of epilepsy and somatic disorders. With these pathologies, the psycho-emotional state of a person is extremely unstable.

There is a high percentage of people suffering from mental disorders among patients with malignant tumors and cerebrovascular diseases. In these cases, mental problems arise against the background of physiological disorders, the most common of which is increased blood pressure. A separate group of diseases are age-related mental disorders. Symptoms in men of diseases in this category are diagnosed in the older age group. We are talking about diseases such as paranoia, Alzheimer's disease, marasmus, dementia, Pick's disease and some others.

Treatment of mental disorders

The majority of our compatriots still do not perceive mental disorders as serious illnesses. And this is an unforgivable mistake. We make an appointment with a doctor for bronchitis or heart pain, because we are afraid of serious complications, even death. And at the same time, we completely ignore bad mood and anxiety, attributing these symptoms to natural reactions of consciousness or banal laziness. But mental disorders can be much more dangerous than a runny nose or high temperature.

If you are careful enough, it is not difficult to spot signs of mental illness in men. The test can be done at home. If at least 2-3 symptoms are observed in a person for quite a long time, it is simply necessary to show him to a specialist!

Which doctor should I contact if I suspect a mental disorder? You should start by visiting a psychotherapist. During a confidential conversation, this specialist will be able to make a diagnosis, and if necessary, refer you to a psychiatrist. There is no universal formula for how to treat mental disorders in men. In each case, the supervising doctor develops an individual treatment plan.

Many mental disorders can be cured with the help of psychotherapeutic techniques and psychological exercises. In some cases, drug therapy is also prescribed. Most mental disorders are completely treatable. It is important that treatment is carried out under the supervision of a specialist and started as early as possible.

The disease manifests itself in a sharp change in the patient’s behavior, loss of an adequate attitude towards life and others, and a lack of desire to perceive the existing reality. At the same time, mental disorders interfere with the awareness of the presence of these very problems; a person cannot eliminate them on his own.

Due to the emotional component, hormonal explosions and exposure to stress, psychosis and other mental disorders occur twice as often in women as in men (7 versus 3%, respectively).

What are the reasons and who is at greatest risk?

The main reasons for the development of psychosis in females are as follows:

• pregnancy and childbirth;
• menopause;
• diseases of various organs and systems;
• infectious diseases;
• alcohol poisoning or drug abuse;
• prolonged chronic stress;
• mental illnesses of various types;
• depressive states.

One of the main reasons is increased emotional excitability or the presence of a similar disease in a woman’s family, mother, sister, that is, a genetic component.

Who's at risk

The root cause of psychosis is often alcohol abuse and subsequent intoxication of the body. In most cases, men are most susceptible to alcoholism, so women suffer from alcoholic psychosis much less often and tolerate it faster and easier.

But there is also a reason that is specific only to women, which increases the risk of the disease. This is pregnancy and childbirth. Physical factors for the appearance of psychosis in this case include toxicosis, vitamin deficiency, decreased tone of all body systems, various diseases or complications due to difficult pregnancy and childbirth.

Psychological ones include fear, anxiety, increased emotional sensitivity, and unpreparedness to become a mother. At the same time, postpartum mental disorders are more common than during pregnancy.

Features of behavior

A woman with mental disorders is characterized by the following changes in behavior and life activity (with the symptoms being noticeable only from the outside, the patient herself and unaware that she is sick):

• lack of resistance to stress, which often leads to hysterics or scandals;
• the desire to isolate yourself from communication with colleagues, friends and even loved ones;
• there is a craving for something unreal, supernatural, interest in magical practices, shamanism, religion and similar areas;
• the emergence of various fears and phobias;
• decreased concentration, sluggish mental activity;
• loss of strength, apathy, reluctance to show any activity;
• sudden changes in mood for no apparent reason;
• disturbances in sleep patterns, which can manifest themselves in both excessive drowsiness and insomnia;
• decreased or complete lack of desire to eat food.

Types of deviations in mental state

Psychoses can be divided into two large groups:

1. Organic. In such cases, psychosis is a consequence of a physical illness, a secondary disorder after disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems.
2. Functional. Such disorders are initially caused by a psychosocial factor and the presence of a predisposition to their occurrence. These include affective disorders, disturbances in the process of thinking and perception. Among others, the most common are: manic-depressive psychosis, schizophrenia, paranoia, paranoid.

Separately, we can distinguish postpartum psychosis, it appears in 1 - 3% of women in the first months after the birth of a child, unlike the more common postpartum depression, psychotic deviation does not go away on its own and requires treatment under qualified supervision of specialists.

• decreased appetite and rapid weight loss;
• constant anxiety, sudden mood swings;
• desire for isolation, refusal to communicate;
• violation of the level of self-esteem;
• thoughts about committing suicide.

Symptoms appear individually, for some they may appear within a day after birth, for others after a month.

Mental failure can be accompanied by various conditions that provoke disturbances in the functioning of a woman’s entire body.

Violation of diet, activity and rest, emotional tension, taking medications. These factors “hit” the nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and endocrine systems. The manifestation of concomitant diseases is individual.

Who should I turn to for help?

Self-medication in this case is contraindicated. You should also not contact familiar doctors of various specialties, psychologists, or traditional healers. Treatment should only be carried out by a public or private doctor - a highly qualified psychotherapist!

The specialist will examine the patient, refer her for additional tests and, based on their results, prescribe treatment and the necessary medications.

Treatment can take place in a hospital setting with the participation of medical staff, or at home. When treating at home, a mandatory safety measure will be to care for the baby with the least intervention from the mother (in case of postpartum mental health problems). The nanny or relatives should take on these concerns until all the symptoms of the disease disappear in the patient.

Treatment usually consists of a complex, which includes:

• medications, usually antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers;
• psychotherapy – regular sessions with a psychotherapist and family psychologist;
• social adaptation.

It is not immediately possible for the patient to fully understand and accept her condition. Relatives and friends must be patient to help the woman return to her normal lifestyle.

The consequences of lack of therapy are extremely unfavorable. The patient loses touch with reality, her behavior becomes inappropriate and dangerous not only for her own life and health, but also for those around her.

A person is suicidal and may become a victim or cause of violence.

How to prevent mental breakdown?

Preventative measures include:

• regular monitoring of your health;
• treatment of diseases that can cause mental disorders;
• strengthening immunity;
• physical activity;
• active social life;
• cessation of smoking, alcohol, and drugs;
• reducing stress and fatigue in everyday life;
• thorough, varied preparation for pregnancy and childbirth;
• preparation for menopausal changes in the body.

Prevention should be a priority, especially for those women who are susceptible to emotional disturbances or have a hereditary predisposition to psychotic disorders.

This section was created to take care of those who need a qualified specialist, without disturbing the usual rhythm of their own lives.

Symptoms of mental disorders

The article provides an overview of the symptoms and syndromes of mental disorders, including the features of their manifestation in children, adolescents, the elderly, men and women. Some methods and remedies used in traditional and alternative medicine to treat such diseases are mentioned.

Causes of emotional illnesses

Pathological changes in the psyche can lead to:

• infectious diseases affecting the brain directly or due to secondary infection;
• exposure to chemicals - medications, food components, alcohol, drugs, industrial poisons;
• damage to the endocrine system;
• traumatic brain injuries, oncology, structural anomalies and other pathologies of the brain;
• burdened heredity, etc.

Syndromes and signs

Asthenic syndrome

The painful condition, also called asthenia, neuropsychic weakness or chronic fatigue syndrome, is manifested by increased fatigue and exhaustion. Patients experience a weakening or complete loss of the ability to perform any prolonged physical and mental stress.

The development of asthenic syndrome can lead to:

• prolonged physical, emotional or intellectual stress;
• some diseases of internal organs;
• intoxication;
• infections;
• nervous and mental illnesses;
• improper organization of work, rest and nutrition.

Asthenic syndrome can be observed both at the initial stage of development of a disease of internal organs, and may occur after an acute illness.

Asthenia often accompanies a chronic disease, being one of its manifestations.

Chronic fatigue syndrome most often occurs in people with an unbalanced or weak type of higher nervous activity.

The presence of asthenia is indicated by the following signs:

• irritable weakness;
• prevalence of low mood;
• sleep disorders;
• intolerance to bright light, noise and strong odors;
• headache;
• weather dependent.

Manifestations of neuropsychic weakness are determined by the underlying disease. For example, with atherosclerosis, severe memory impairment is observed, with hypertension - painful sensations in the heart area and headaches.

Obsessiveness

The term “obsession” (obsessive state, compulsion) is used to refer to a set of symptoms associated with periodically occurring intrusive unwanted thoughts, ideas, and ideas.

An individual who fixates on such thoughts, which usually cause negative emotions or a stressful state, finds it difficult to get rid of them. This syndrome can manifest itself in the form of obsessive fears, thoughts and images, the desire to get rid of which often leads to the performance of special “rituals” - copulsions.

Psychiatrists have identified several distinctive signs of obsessive states:

1. Obsessive thoughts are reproduced by the consciousness arbitrarily (against the will of the person), while the consciousness remains clear. The patient tries to fight obsession.
2. Obsessions are alien to thinking; there is no visible connection between obsessive thoughts and the content of thinking.
3. Obsession is closely related to emotions, often depressive in nature, and anxiety.
4. Obsessions do not affect intellectual abilities.
5. The patient realizes the unnaturalness of obsessive thoughts and maintains a critical attitude towards them.

Affective syndrome

Affective syndromes are symptom complexes of mental disorders that are closely related to mood disorders.

There are two groups of affective syndromes:

1. With a predominance of manic (elevated) mood
2. With a predominance of depressive (low) mood.

In the clinical picture of affective syndromes, the leading role belongs to disturbances in the emotional sphere - from small mood swings to quite pronounced mood disorders (affects).

By nature, all affects are divided into sthenic, which occur with a predominance of excitement (delight, joy), and asthenic, which occur with a predominance of inhibition (melancholy, fear, sadness, despair).

Affective syndromes are observed in many diseases: with circular psychosis and schizophrenia they are the only manifestations of the disease, with progressive paralysis, syphilis, brain tumors, vascular psychoses - its initial manifestations.

Affective syndromes are disorders such as depression, dysphoria, euphoria, mania.

Depression is a fairly common mental disorder that requires special attention, since 50% of people who attempt suicide show signs of this mental disorder.

Characteristic features of depression:

• low mood;
• pessimistic attitude to reality, negative judgments;
• motor and volitional inhibition;
• inhibition of instinctive activity (loss of appetite or, conversely, a tendency to overeat, decreased sexual desire);
• focus on painful experiences and difficulties in concentrating;
• decreased self-esteem.

Dysphoria, or mood disorders, which are characterized by an angry-sad, intense affect with irritability leading to outbursts of anger and aggressiveness, are characteristic of psychopaths of the excitable type and alcoholics.

Dysphoria often occurs in epilepsy and organic diseases of the central nervous system.

Euphoria, or high spirits with a hint of carelessness and contentment, not accompanied by acceleration of associative processes, is found in the clinic of atherosclerosis, progressive paralysis, and brain injury.

Mania

Psychopathological syndrome, which is characterized by a triad of symptoms:

• unmotivated high mood,
• acceleration of thinking and speech,
• motor excitement.

There are signs that do not appear in all cases of manic syndrome:

• increased instinctive activity (increased appetite, sexual desire, self-protective tendencies),
• instability of attention and overestimation of oneself as an individual, sometimes reaching delusional ideas of greatness.

A similar condition can occur with schizophrenia, intoxication, infections, injuries, brain damage and other diseases.

Senesthopathy

The term “senesthopathy” defines a suddenly appearing painful, extremely unpleasant bodily sensation.

This sensation, devoid of objectivity, occurs at the site of localization, although there is no objective pathological process in it.

Senestopathies are common symptoms of mental disorders, as well as structural components of depressive syndrome, hypochondriacal delirium, and mental automatism syndrome.

Hypochondriacal syndrome

Hypochondria (hypochondriacal disorder) is a condition characterized by constant anxiety about the possibility of getting sick, complaints, concern for one’s well-being, the perception of ordinary sensations as abnormal, assumptions about the presence, in addition to the main disease, of some additional disease.

Most often, concerns arise about the heart, gastrointestinal tract, genitals and brain. Pathological attention can lead to certain malfunctions in the functioning of the body.

Certain personality traits contribute to the development of hypochondria: suspiciousness, anxiety, depression.

Illusion

Illusions are distorted perceptions in which a really existing object or phenomenon is not recognized, but another image is perceived instead.

There are the following types of illusions:

1. Physical, including optical, acoustic
2. Physiological;
3. Affective;
4. Verbal, etc.

Metamorphopsia (organic), physical and physiological illusions can occur in people whose mental health is not in doubt. A patient with optical illusions may perceive a raincoat hanging on a hanger as a lurking killer, stains on bed linen seem to be beetles, a belt on the back of a chair seems like a snake.

With acoustic illusions, the patient distinguishes threats addressed to himself in an overheard conversation, and perceives the remarks of passers-by as accusations and insults addressed to him.

Most often, illusions are observed in infectious and intoxicating diseases, but can occur in other painful conditions.

Fear, fatigue, anxiety, exhaustion, as well as distortion of perception due to poor lighting, noise, decreased hearing and visual acuity predispose to the occurrence of illusions.

Hallucination

An image that appears in consciousness without a stimulus is called a hallucination. In other words, this is an error, an error in the perception of the senses, when a person sees, hears, feels something that does not really exist.

Conditions under which hallucinations occur:

• extreme fatigue
• use of certain psychotropic substances,
• the presence of mental (schizophrenia) and neurological diseases.

There are true, functional and other types of hallucinations. True hallucinations are usually classified according to analyzers: visual, acoustic, tactile, gustatory, olfactory, somatic, motor, vestibular, complex.

Delusional disorders

Delusional disorder is a condition characterized by the presence of delusions - a disorder of thinking, accompanied by the emergence of reasoning, ideas and conclusions that are far from reality.

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There are three groups of delusional states, united by a common content:

1. Delirium of persecution. This group includes beliefs that the patient is being persecuted, wants to poison (delusion of poisoning), his property is being damaged and stolen (delusion of damage), his sexual partner is cheating (delusion of jealousy), everything around him is rigged, an experiment is being conducted on him (delusion of staging).
2. Delusions of grandeur in all varieties (delusions of wealth, invention, reform, origin, love). Sometimes a patient with a mental disorder in the form of religious delirium may call himself a prophet.
3. Depressive delirium. The main content of delusional states is self-accusation, self-abasement and sinfulness. This group includes hypochondriacal and nihilistic delusions, Cotard's syndrome.

Catatonic syndromes

Catatonic syndrome belongs to a group of psychopathological syndromes, the main clinical manifestation of which is movement disorders.

The structure of this syndrome is:

1. Catatonic excitement (pathetic, impulsive, silent).
2. Catatonic stupor (cataleptic, negativistic, stupor with numbness).

Depending on the form of excitation, the patient may experience moderate or pronounced motor and speech activity.

Extreme degree of excitement - chaotic, senseless actions of an aggressive nature, causing severe damage to oneself and others.

The state of catatonic stupor is characterized by motor retardation and silence. The patient may be in a constrained state for a long time - up to several months.

Diseases in which manifestations of catatonic syndromes are possible: schizophrenia, infectious, organic and other psychoses.

Blackout

Twilight disorder (stupefaction) is one of the types of disturbance of consciousness that occurs suddenly and is manifested by the patient’s inability to navigate the world around him.

At the same time, the ability to perform habitual actions remains unchanged, speech and motor excitation, affects of fear, anger and melancholy are observed.

Acute delusions of persecution and predominantly visual hallucinations of a frightening nature may occur. Delusional ideas of persecution and grandeur become determining factors in the behavior of the patient, who can commit destructive, aggressive actions.

Twilight stupefaction is characterized by amnesia - complete forgetting of the period of the disorder. This condition is observed in epilepsy and organic lesions of the cerebral hemispheres. Less common in traumatic brain injury and hysteria.

Dementia

The term “dementia” is used to denote an irreversible impoverishment of mental activity with a loss or decrease in the knowledge and skills acquired before the onset of this state and the inability to acquire new ones. Dementia occurs as a result of past illnesses.

According to the degree of severity, they are distinguished:

1. Complete (total), arising from progressive paralysis, Pick's disease.
2. Partial dementia (with vascular diseases of the central nervous system, consequences of traumatic brain injury, chronic alcoholism).

With complete dementia, there are profound impairments in criticism, memory, judgment, unproductive thinking, the disappearance of individual character traits previously inherent in the patient, as well as a carefree mood.

With partial dementia, there is a moderate decrease in criticism, memory, and judgment. Low mood with irritability, tearfulness, and fatigue predominates.

Video: Growth of mental illnesses in Russia

Symptoms of mental disorder

Among women. There is an increased risk of developing mental disorders in the premenstrual period, during and after pregnancy, during middle age and aging. Eating disorders, affective disorders, including postpartum, depression.

In men. Mental disorders occur more often than in women. Traumatic and alcoholic psychoses.

In children. One of the most common disorders is attention deficit disorder. Symptoms include problems with long-term concentration, hyperactivity, and poor impulse control.

In teenagers. Eating disorders are common. School phobias, hyperactivity syndrome, and anxiety disorders are observed.

In the elderly. Mental illnesses are detected more often than in young and middle-aged people. Symptoms of dementia, depression, psychogenic-neurotic disorders.

Video: Panic attacks

Treatment and prevention

When treating asthenic syndrome, the main efforts are directed towards eliminating the cause that led to the disease. General strengthening therapy is carried out, including taking vitamins and glucose, proper organization of work and rest, restoring sleep, good nutrition, dosed physical activity, and prescribing medications: nootropics, antidepressants, sedatives, anabolic steroids.

Treatment of obsessive states is carried out by eliminating the causes that traumatize the patient, as well as by influencing the pathophysiological links in the brain.

Therapy for affective states begins with establishing supervision and referring the patient to a specialist. Depressed patients who are capable of making a suicide attempt are subject to hospitalization.

When prescribing drug therapy, the characteristics of the patient’s condition are taken into account. For example, in case of depression, which is a phase of circular psychosis, psychotropic drugs are used, and in the presence of anxiety, combined treatment with antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs is prescribed.

An acute mental disorder in the form of a manic state is an indication for hospitalization, which is necessary to protect others from the inappropriate actions of a sick person. Antipsychotics are used to treat such patients.

Since delirium is a symptom of brain damage, pharmacotherapy and biological methods of influence are used to treat it.

To treat hypochondria, it is recommended to use psychotherapeutic techniques. In cases where psychotherapy is ineffective, measures are taken to reduce the significance of hypochondriacal fears. For most cases of hypochondria, drug therapy is excluded.

Folk remedies

The list of remedies used by traditional healers to treat depression includes:

• pollen,
• bananas,
• carrot,
• tinctures of ginseng roots and Manchurian aralia,
• infusions of angelica and bird knotweed,
• peppermint leaf decoction,
• baths with infusion of poplar leaves.

In the arsenal of traditional medicine there are many tips and recipes that help get rid of sleep disorders and a number of other symptoms of mental disorders.

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How to identify signs of mental disorder in women in time?

The weaker sex is more susceptible to mental illnesses. Emotional involvement in social life and natural sensitivity increase the risk of developing diseases. They need to be diagnosed in time in order to begin proper treatment and return life to normal.

Mental illnesses at different age periods of a woman’s life

For each age period (girl, young woman, woman), a group of the most likely mental illnesses has been identified. At these critical developmental stages for the psyche, situations occur that most often provoke the development of the disorder.

Girls are less susceptible to mental illnesses than boys, however, they are not immune from the development of school phobias and attention deficit. They are at increased risk of developing anxiety and learning disorders.

Young girls in 2% of cases may become victims of premenstrual dysphoria after the first episode of bleeding during the menstrual period. After puberty, it is believed that girls are 2 times more likely to develop depression than boys.

Women who are included in the group of patients with mental disorders do not undergo drug treatment when planning pregnancy. In this way they provoke relapses. After childbirth, there is a high probability of signs of depression appearing, which, however, can go away without medication.

A small percentage of women do develop psychotic disorders, the treatment of which is complicated by the limited number of approved medications. For each individual situation, the degree of benefit and risk of drug treatment during breastfeeding is determined.

Women from 35 to 45 years of age are at risk of developing anxiety disorders, they are susceptible to mood changes, and are not immune from the onset of schizophrenia. Decreased sexual function can occur due to taking antidepressants.

Menopause changes the usual course of a woman’s life, her social role and relationships with loved ones. They switch from caring for their children to looking after their parents. This period is associated with depressive moods and disorders, but the connection between the phenomena has not been officially proven.

In old age, women are susceptible to the development of dementia and complications of somatic pathologies with mental disorders. This is due to their life expectancy; the risk of developing dementia (acquired dementia) increases in proportion to the number of years lived. Elderly women who take a lot of medications and suffer from somatic diseases are more prone to insanity than others.

Those over 60 should pay attention to the symptoms of paraphrenia (a severe form of delusional syndrome); they are at greatest risk. Emotional involvement in the lives of others and loved ones at an advanced age, when many have completed their life’s journey, can cause mental disorders.

Dividing a woman’s existence into periods allows doctors to single out the only correct one from a variety of diseases with similar symptoms.

Signs of mental disorders in girls

In childhood, the development of the nervous system occurs continuously, but unevenly. However, 70% of the peak of mental development occurs during this period; the personality of the future adult is formed. It is important to have the symptoms of certain diseases diagnosed by a specialist in a timely manner.

• Decreased appetite. Occurs with sudden changes in diet and forced food intake.
• Increased activity. Characterized by sudden forms of motor excitement (bouncing, monotonous running, shouting)
• Hostility. It is expressed in the child’s confidence in the negative attitude towards him of those around him and loved ones, which is not confirmed by facts. It seems to such a child that everyone laughs at him and despises him. On the other hand, he himself will show groundless hatred and aggression, or even fear towards his family. He becomes rude in everyday interactions with relatives.
• Painful perception of physical disability (dysmorphophobia). The child chooses a minor or apparent flaw in appearance and tries with all his might to disguise or eliminate it, even turning to adults with a request for plastic surgery.
• Game activity. It comes down to monotonous and primitive manipulation of objects not intended for play (cups, shoes, bottles); the nature of such a game does not change over time.
• Morbid obsession with health. Excessive attention to one’s physical condition, complaints about fictitious diseases.
• Repeated movements of the word. They are involuntary or obsessive, for example, the desire to touch an object, rub your hands, or tap.
• Mood disturbance. The state of melancholy and meaninglessness of what is happening does not leave the child. He becomes whiny and irritable, his mood does not improve for a long time.

• Nervous state. Change from hyperactivity to lethargy and passivity and back. Bright light and loud and unexpected sounds are difficult to tolerate. The child cannot strain his attention for a long time, which is why he experiences difficulties with his studies. He may experience visions of animals, scary-looking people, or hear voices.
• Disorders in the form of repeated spasms or convulsions. The child may freeze for a few seconds, turning pale or rolling his eyes. The attack may manifest itself in shaking of the shoulders, arms, and less often legs, similar to squats. Systematic walking and talking in your sleep at the same time.
• Disturbances in daily behavior. Excitability coupled with aggression, expressed in a tendency to violence, conflict and rudeness. Unstable attention due to lack of discipline and motor disinhibition.
• A pronounced desire to cause harm and subsequent pleasure from it. The desire for hedonism, increased suggestibility, a tendency to leave home. Negative thinking along with vindictiveness and bitterness against the backdrop of a general tendency towards cruelty.
• A painful and abnormal habit. Biting nails, pulling out hair from the scalp and at the same time reducing psychological stress.
• Obsessive fears. Daytime forms are accompanied by facial redness, increased sweating and palpitations. At night, they manifest themselves in screaming and crying from frightening dreams and motor restlessness; in such a situation, the child may not recognize loved ones and brush someone off.
• Impaired reading, writing and counting skills. In the first case, children have difficulty relating the appearance of a letter to its sound or have difficulty recognizing images of vowels or consonants. With dysgraphia (writing disorder), it is difficult for them to write what they say out loud.

These signs are not always a direct consequence of the development of a mental illness, but require qualified diagnosis.

Symptoms of diseases characteristic of adolescence

Adolescent girls are characterized by anorexia nervosa and bulimia, premenstrual dysphoria and depressive states.

Anorexia, frolicking due to nervousness, includes:

• Denial of the existing problem
• Painful and obsessive feeling of excess weight with its visible absence
• Eating food standing or in small pieces
• Disturbed sleep patterns
• Fear of gaining excess weight
• Depressed mood
• Anger and unreasonable resentment
• Passion for cooking, preparing meals for the family without personal participation in the meal
• Avoiding shared meals, minimal interaction with loved ones, spending long periods in the bathroom or exercising outside the home.

Anorexia also causes physical problems. Due to weight loss, problems with the menstrual cycle begin, arrhythmia appears, and constant weakness and muscle pain are felt. How you treat yourself depends on the amount of weight lost versus gained. A person with anorexia nervosa tends to biasedly assess his condition until the point of no return is reached.

Signs of bulimia nervosa:

• The amount of food consumed at a time exceeds the norm for a person of a certain build. Pieces of food are not chewed, but quickly swallowed.
• After eating, a person deliberately tries to induce vomiting to empty the stomach.
• Behavior is dominated by mood swings, closedness and unsociability.
• A person feels helpless and lonely.
• General malaise and lack of energy, frequent sore throat, upset digestion.
• Destroyed tooth enamel is a consequence of frequent vomiting, which contains gastric juice.
• Enlarged salivary glands on the cheeks.
• Denying the existence of a problem.

Signs of premenstrual dysphoria:

• The disease is typical for girls developing premenstrual syndrome. It, in turn, is expressed in depression, gloomy mood, unpleasant physical sensations and an uncomfortable psychological state, tearfulness, disruption of the usual sleep and eating patterns.
• Dysphoria occurs 5 days before the start of menstruation and ends on the first day. During this period, the girl is completely unfocused, cannot concentrate on anything, and is overcome by fatigue. The diagnosis is made if the symptoms are pronounced and bother the woman.

Most adolescent diseases develop due to nervous disorders and characteristics of puberty.

Postpartum mental disorders

In the field of medicine, there are 3 negative psychological states of a woman in labor:

• Neurotic depression. There is an exacerbation of mental problems that were present when the child was pregnant. This disease is accompanied by a depressed state and nervous exhaustion.
• Traumatic neurosis. Appears after a long and difficult birth; subsequent pregnancies are accompanied by fear and anxiety.
• Melancholy with delusional ideas. The woman feels guilty, may not recognize loved ones and may see hallucinations. This disease is a prerequisite for the development of manic-depressive psychosis.

Mental disorder may manifest itself as:

• Depressed state and tearfulness.
• Unreasonable anxiety, feelings of restlessness.
• Irritability and excessive activity.
• Mistrust of others and a feeling of fear.

• Slurred speech and decreased or increased appetite.
• Obsessiveness in communication or the desire to isolate yourself from everyone.
• Confusion and lack of concentration.
• Inadequate self-esteem.
• Thoughts about suicide or murder.

In the first week or month, these symptoms will make themselves felt in the event of the development of postpartum psychosis. Its duration is four months on average.

The period of middle age. Mental illnesses that develop during menopause

During menopause, the hormonal glands of sexual secretion reverse development; this symptom is most pronounced in women between 45 and 50 years of age. Menopause slows down cell renewal. As a result, those diseases and disorders that were previously absent completely or occurred latently begin to appear.

Mental illnesses characteristic of the menopause period develop either 2-3 months before the final completion of the menstrual cycle or even after 5 years. These reactions are temporary, most often they are:

• Mood swings
• Anxiety about the future
• Increased sensitivity

Women at this age are prone to self-criticism and dissatisfaction with themselves, which entails the development of depressive moods and hypochondriacal experiences.

With physical discomfort during menopause, associated with flushing or fainting, hysterics appear. Serious disorders during menopause develop only in women who initially had such problems

Mental disorders in women in senile and pre-senile periods

Involutionary paranoid. This psychosis, which appears during involution, is accompanied by delusional thoughts combined with unbidden memories of traumatic situations from the past.

Involutional melancholy is typical for women over 50 years of age. The main prerequisite for the appearance of this disease is anxiety-delusional depression. Typically, involutional paranoid appears after a change in lifestyle or a stressful situation.

Late-life dementia. The disease is an acquired dementia that worsens over time. Based on clinical manifestations, there are:

• Total dementia. In this option, perception, level of thinking, creativity and problem solving abilities are reduced. The boundaries of personality are erased. A person is not able to critically evaluate himself.
• Lacunar dementia. Memory impairment occurs when the level of cognitive function is maintained. The patient can evaluate himself critically, but the personality basically remains unchanged. This disease manifests itself in syphilis of the brain.
• These diseases are a warning sign. The mortality rate of patients with dementia after a stroke is many times higher than that of those who escaped this fate and did not become dementia.

While watching the video you will learn about brain aneurysm.

Treatment of mental disorders is divided into medications and complex psychotherapy. For eating disorders typical of young girls, a combination of these treatment methods will be effective. However, even if most of the symptoms coincide with the described disorders, before undertaking any type of treatment it is necessary to consult with a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.

Symptomatic mental disorders occur against the background of somatic (physical) diseases. All such disorders or psychoses, accompanied by hallucinations or delusions, are characterized by a number of common features. Particular attention is paid to mental disorders that arise against the background of brain tumors; two stages of the development of the disease are distinguished.

Main symptoms and types of human mental disorders

Mental disorders that arise in connection with diseases of internal organs and systems are called symptomatic mental disorders, and psychoses with delusions and hallucinations are called symptomatic, or somatogenic (“soma” - body) psychoses.

The main signs of mental disorders are:

1. The presence of a somatic disease, i.e. a disease of the internal organs caused by infection, intoxication, tumor or endocrine disorders.

2. The presence of a noticeable connection in time between somatic and mental disorders and their course.

In addition, the presence of a serious illness in itself affects a person’s personality, his emotional sphere - a reaction to the disease occurs. Most often, symptoms of mental disorders are expressed by decreased and unstable mood, anxiety, and fear in connection with upcoming treatment and hospital stay. Sometimes such a sign of mental disorders may arise as oppressive melancholy, occurring against the background of general lethargy and isolation.

In diseases accompanied by severe intoxication, disorders of consciousness predominate in the manifestations of symptomatic psychosis.

The main types of human mental disorders are acute and prolonged symptomatic psychoses.

Prolonged symptomatic psychoses are formed against the background of prolonged asthenic conditions. The main symptom of mental disorders of this type is a persistent personality change of a psychopathic type (when character traits such as selfishness, callousness, irritability, intolerance to the point of malice, or a pronounced “obsession” with illness appear or become sharpened). Depressive, hypochondriacal and paranoid syndromes are common. As such a mental disorder manifests itself, a psychoorganic syndrome with severe memory impairment may develop. Also, this type of human mental disorder in some cases can lead to the emergence of a psychopathic-like syndrome. But a complete recovery is also possible.

Features of mental disorders in somatic vascular and infectious diseases

Mandatory in the picture of mental disorders in somatic and infectious diseases is asthenic syndrome. It manifests itself as weakness, increased fatigue, irritability, lack of attention, and sleep disorders.

For different somatic diseases, mental disorders have their own characteristics.

For example, with coronary heart disease and angina pectoris, mood disorders in the form of anxiety and fear of death predominate. Hypochondriasis (“obsession” with illness, aggravation and invention of symptoms) and cardiophobia (fear of heart pain) are typical.

In the acute period of myocardial infarction, a feature of mental disorders are feelings of melancholy, anxiety, a sense of hopelessness, and fear of death. And in severe cases, euphoria and denial of the disease (anosognosia) are possible, which seriously complicates treatment. There are also psychoses with delusions and hallucinations.

For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and infectious diseases, mental disorders, along with hypochondriasis, are characterized by the occurrence of depressive states and cancerophobia (fear of cancer).

In case of kidney diseases against the background of damage from toxic products that are not eliminated through them, disturbances of consciousness and epileptiform seizures are possible.

Postpartum septic processes may be accompanied by disturbances of consciousness with catatonic manifestations. Mental disorders that arise in the postpartum period can manifest themselves as a feeling of alienation and hostility towards the child or husband, and depression.

With elevated levels of thyroid hormones, a person becomes irritable, anxious, and impatient. A sign of a mental disorder in a person with a decrease in the level of thyroid hormones are conditions similar to apathetic depression with a lack of energy and desire to do anything.

Diabetes mellitus with high levels of glucose in the blood is dangerous not only due to tissue nutritional disorders, gangrene, and impaired renal function. Often, due to malnutrition of brain tissue (“excess” glucose settles on red blood cells as a poorly permeable film), delirium tremens (delirium), memory impairment, and even dementia are possible.

In hypertension and cerebral atherosclerosis, mental disorders occur due to disruption of brain nutrition. The fact is that in narrowed vessels, blood circulates faster, without having time to fully exchange food and remove decay products. Mental disorders in vascular diseases are caused by the fact that the vessels gradually become covered with atherosclerotic plaques and become more fragile.

Main stages of mental disorders

There are several stages of mental disorders, the main ones being pseudoneurasthenic, quite pronounced and significant.

1) Pseudoneurasthenic. Asthenic syndrome is characterized by increased fatigue, irritability, impatience, emotional instability, sleep disturbances, headaches, and dizziness. Anxiety-depressive states are common, while in the morning a low mood is often combined with elements of irritability, and in the evening anxiety increases more. There are complaints of a hypochondriacal nature, excessive listening to one’s condition, fear of physical activity, traveling in transport, fear of being alone at home, often reaching the point of obsession.

2) In the second, fairly pronounced stage, all of the above may be more pronounced. What signs of mental disorder are characteristic of this stage? Anxiety-depressive syndrome is increasing. Characterized by weakness (incontinence of emotions, tearfulness), people begin to cry for minor reasons, easily moving from tears to a smile. Character changes often. Personality traits that were previously compensated for and invisible become stronger (sharpened). Suspicious and distrustful people become suspicious; they feel that their rights are constantly being infringed upon. Thrifty people become stingy, unkind people become angry, selfishness grows.

Disturbances of consciousness such as stupor, delirium (delirium tremens), twilight states are already possible; delusions of relation, poisoning, persecution, visual or auditory hallucinations. Memory decreases, first for current events. And then the memory begins to disappear in the reverse order, that is, immediate events are forgotten first, and later more distant ones.

3) In the third, significant stage, cerebral circulation disorders become most pronounced. Inactivity, indifference to what is happening increases, activity decreases, or vice versa, a person becomes disinhibited, a sense of proportion and tact is lost.

Strokes with severe neurological disorders, paralysis, speech and writing disorders are possible. Patients develop dementia quite quickly. At first it is lacunar in nature, when a person understands that something wrong is happening to him, then it becomes total.

Mental disorders in humans with tumors and syphilis of the brain

Mental disorders due to brain tumors or brain metastases are characterized by the location of their appearance. From frequent or constant, uncontrollable headaches, attacks of disturbance or loss of consciousness - with or without convulsions - to hallucinations and delusions. Paresis, paralysis, speech, hearing, and vision disorders are possible.

A syphilitic infection can lead to severe brain damage many years after infection (due to “undertreatment”). There are early forms of the lesion - syphilis of the brain, and later - progressive paralysis. Blood tests for syphilis play an important role in making a diagnosis.

Syphilis of the brain can develop 5-10 years after infection. Manifestations of mental disorders in this case are associated with damage to the blood vessels of the brain, accompanied by hemorrhages in the brain and an increase in dementia; can occur with the formation of gummas (specific areas of inflammation in the form of tumor-like formations). Disorders depend on the location and size of gummas.

With progressive paralysis, unlike mental disorders with brain tumors, symptoms appear 10-15 years after infection. The disease has several stages:

1) pseudoneurasthenic - in the form of asthenic syndrome (fatigue, irritability, frequent headaches, sleep disturbances);

2) stage of developed signs of the disease; comes in various manifestations. The expansive (manic, high mood) form is more common. Characterized by complacency, euphoria, sometimes with a tinge of anger, excessive talkativeness, and a desire for unproductive activities. There is delusion of grandeur, absurd in content, disinhibition of drives, and cynicism. There is a depressive form, agitated (characterized by excitement, patients either sing, or scream, or dance, or attack, or tear their clothes, or eat greedily, or scatter food around them), dementia (against the background of dementia, absurd, cynical forms are noted behavior, the sense of distance disappears, they are annoying and unceremonious in their requests).

Treatment of symptomatic mental disorders is aimed primarily at eliminating the causes of brain dysfunction. A selection of drugs is carried out to control the level of hormones, blood pressure, measures to restore blood circulation, nutrition, treatment of infections, and elimination of intoxication. Psychiatric medications here have a supporting role: to correct behavior, obsessive thoughts, mood, anxiety, agitation and other manifestations of the disease.

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Stressful situations sometimes cause an inappropriate reaction in a person. Prolonged depression and neuroses are often difficult to differentiate from manifestations of mental illness. Signs of schizophrenia in women have complex symptoms. It is impossible to make a correct diagnosis without qualified help from a psychiatrist, a comprehensive examination, and special tests. What is schizophrenia and what are the signs of its manifestation?

The first symptoms of schizophrenia in women

Disdainful attitude towards mental disorders in modern society is a negative factor. By demanding to isolate such people, we forget that mental illnesses are often hereditary, caused by a simple set of genes. Social adaptation and early treatment can minimize the manifestations of the disorder. The support of loved ones is especially important for women.

Schizophrenia is an incurable disease that causes disturbances in logical thinking processes and suppression of emotional functions. Most ordinary people often associate it with “split personality,” which is absolutely wrong. Clinical DNA studies have identified a group of “damaged” genes that make it more likely to develop the disease. According to data, every hundredth person on the planet suffers from it. How to define schizophrenia and what are its signs?

The difference in the course of this mental disorder in women lies in the late period of manifestation of the initial symptoms. If in adult men the disease begins to progress by the age of 18, then in girls early signs make themselves felt by the age of 23-25. Much less common are isolated cases of childhood schizophrenia and senile dementia. In women, early signs are classified into:

1. Positive. Accompanied by sudden mood swings, visions or delusions, disturbing, obsessive thoughts. Women become nervous and may cry or laugh for no reason.
2. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Problems in communicating with society, persistent apathy towards events, reluctance to take care of oneself, loss of interest in work and hobbies are distinctive features of the initial stage of the disease in women.

Main signs of schizophrenia

Teenage schizophrenia manifests itself in girls with outbursts of aggression, isolation, or the perception of the absence of fans as the “end of the world.” Some scientists call colored dreams one of the prerequisites for mental disorders, noting that people suffering from mental disorders tend to “view” pictures. How does schizophrenia manifest in women at different stages of the disease? Doctors identify 7 signs of schizophrenia in women:

1. Crazy thoughts and alien voices.
2. Constant repetition of words, often meaningless.
3. A feeling of interference in life from the outside.
4. Lack of interest in success and career growth.
5. Closedness, sloppy appearance.
6. Cognitive signs - a violation of the associative series, a “breakdown” of the cause-effect chain, difficulty in perceiving incoming new information.
7. Mood swings, depression, suicidal tendencies.

Sluggish

Signs of a mental disorder in women that occurs in a latent form are distinguished by the absence of an aggressive state and safety for others. Often, latent schizophrenia does not develop into more severe and dangerous forms. It is characterized by inappropriate behavior of a paroxysmal form: unreasonable jealousy, decreased interest in everyday issues, loss of relationships with children.

Paranoid

Persecution mania is a frequent “guest” in mental disorders. The following signs will help recognize the syndrome of paranoid schizophrenia in women:

1. Denial of reality, a comfortable feeling inside the “own” world.
2. Constant visions, images created by one’s own imagination.
3. Voices that patients hear.
4. Mild speech dysfunction, confusion of words, illogical statements.

Senile

Age-related disease has its own characteristics. In old age, the signs of schizophrenia, manifested by unusual, strange behavior, are considered to be:

1. Partial memory loss.
2. Forgetfulness of current events against the backdrop of an excellent memory of a time long past.
3. Insomnia.
4. Delusional events that do not actually happen: petty theft, bodily harm by relatives.
5. Decreased intelligence, disruption of cause-and-effect functions.

Manic

Sudden outbreaks of violent activity and their alternation with periods of complete fatigue are a reason to be wary. Manic mental health disorder in women is characterized by:

• Sudden mood swings.
• The world is seen either in pink or black colors.
• Impetuosity of action, sudden “illumination” of an idea.
• Fear of persecution and mania of universal conspiracies.
• Obsession with certain actions or rituals.

Alcoholic

In women, constant drinking of alcoholic beverages quickly causes addiction, which can eventually lead to alcoholic schizophrenia. Its signs are:

1. Anxious state.
2. Tactile improbable sensations.
3. Visions, colloquially called “squirrel visions.”
4. Aggression.
5. Increased body temperature.

Neurosis-like

This type of disease has the best prognosis for mental health recovery. Signs that are easily eliminated with proper treatment are:

1. Dissatisfaction with one's appearance, taking the form of ugliness.
2. Obsessive fears, feelings of loneliness.
3. Aggressive or withdrawn state.
4. Tantrums with playing “to the public”, pretentious tricks and theatricality.

Causes

Schizophrenia is transmitted through the female line with a probability of inheritance of up to 14%. Being a carrier of the “wrong” gene, a woman may not suffer from the disease, passing it on to future generations. Modern medicine and psychiatry are not able to accurately indicate the factors that lead to mental disorders. Collectively the reasons are:

1. Heredity. A woman who has received a damaged gene as a “gift” can become schizophrenic as a child or at a later age. Childhood schizophrenia often leads to degradation and developmental cessation.
2. Infectious or viral diseases suffered by the mother during pregnancy. They cause functional disorders in the baby's brain.
3. Disorders of the functions of neurotransmitters responsible for the interaction of the brain and various human systems. They begin to appear in teenagers during hormonal changes.
4. Upbringing. Abandoned, unwanted children or toddlers growing up in families where one or both parents suffer from mental disorders sometimes show signs of schizophrenia.
5. Prolonged stressful situations, neuroses. Loneliness, constant pressure at work, misunderstanding from loved ones lead a woman to obsessive thoughts.
6. Bad habits. Any drugs or alcohol destroy brain neurons. As a result, women develop signs of acquired schizophrenia.

Video: how schizophrenia manifests itself

Classic signs of schizophrenia in women are often accompanied by neurotic attacks, an outburst of emotions or aggression. Manic persecution, desire for litigiousness, apathy in life, emotional poverty in relationships with loved ones “tear” women out of their usual social circle. The earlier schizophrenia is treated, the greater the chances of long periods of remission. Find out what the external signs of schizophrenia are in women by watching the video.

Nowadays, mental disorders occur in hardly every second person. The disease does not always have clear clinical manifestations. However, some deviations cannot be neglected. The concept of normal has a wide range, but inaction, with obvious signs of illness, only aggravates the situation.

Mental illnesses in adults, children: list and description

Sometimes, different ailments have the same symptoms, but in most cases, diseases can be divided and classified. Major mental illnesses - a list and description of deviations may attract the attention of loved ones, but the final diagnosis can only be established by an experienced psychiatrist. He will also prescribe treatment based on symptoms, coupled with clinical studies. The sooner a patient seeks help, the greater the chance of successful treatment. You need to discard stereotypes and not be afraid to face the truth. Nowadays, mental illness is not a death sentence, and most of them can be successfully treated if the patient turns to doctors for help in time. Most often, the patient himself is not aware of his condition, and his loved ones should take on this mission. The list and description of mental illnesses is created for informational purposes only. Perhaps your knowledge will save the lives of those you care about, or dispel your worries.

Agoraphobia with panic disorder

Agoraphobia, to one degree or another, accounts for about 50% of all anxiety disorders. If initially the disorder meant only a fear of open space, now fear of fear has been added to this. That’s right, a panic attack occurs in a situation where there is a high probability of falling, getting lost, getting lost, etc., and fear cannot cope with this. Agoraphobia expresses nonspecific symptoms, that is, increased heart rate and sweating can also occur with other disorders. All symptoms of agoraphobia are exclusively subjective, experienced by the patient himself.

Alcoholic dementia

Ethyl alcohol, when consumed regularly, acts as a toxin that destroys the brain functions responsible for human behavior and emotions. Unfortunately, only alcoholic dementia can be monitored and its symptoms identified, but treatment will not restore lost brain functions. You can slow down alcohol-induced dementia, but not completely cure the person. Symptoms of alcohol-induced dementia include slurred speech, memory loss, sensory loss, and lack of logic.

Allotriophagy

Some people are surprised when children or pregnant women combine incompatible foods, or, in general, eat something inedible. Most often, this is how a lack of certain microelements and vitamins in the body is expressed. This is not a disease, and is usually “treated” by taking a vitamin complex. With allotriophagy, people eat something that is basically not edible: glass, dirt, hair, iron, and this is a mental disorder, the causes of which are not only a lack of vitamins. Most often this is shock, plus vitamin deficiency, and, as a rule, treatment also needs to be approached comprehensively.

Anorexia

In our time of craze for gloss, the mortality rate from anorexia is 20%. The obsessive fear of getting fat makes you refuse to eat, even to the point of complete exhaustion. If you recognize the first signs of anorexia, a difficult situation can be avoided and measures can be taken in time. The first symptoms of anorexia:
Setting the table turns into a ritual, with counting calories, fine cutting, and arranging/spreading food on a plate. My entire life and interests focus only on food, calories, and weighing myself five times a day.

Autism

Autism - what is this disease, and how treatable is it? Only half of children diagnosed with autism have functional brain disorders. Children with autism think differently than normal children. They understand everything, but cannot express their emotions due to impaired social interaction. Ordinary children grow up and copy the behavior of adults, their gestures, facial expressions and thus learn to communicate, but with autism, non-verbal communication is impossible. They do not strive for loneliness, they simply do not know how to establish contact themselves. With due attention and special training, this can be somewhat corrected.

Delirium tremens

Delirium tremens refers to psychosis caused by prolonged drinking. Signs of delirium tremens are represented by a very wide range of symptoms. Hallucinations - visual, tactile and auditory, delusions, rapid mood swings from blissful to aggressive. To date, the mechanism of brain damage has not been fully understood, and there is no complete cure for this disorder.

Alzheimer's disease

Many types of mental disorders are incurable, and Alzheimer's disease is one of them. The first signs of Alzheimer's disease in men are nonspecific and are not immediately obvious. After all, all men forget birthdays and important dates, and this does not surprise anyone. In Alzheimer's disease, short-term memory is the first to suffer, and the person literally forgets the day. Aggression and irritability appear, and this is also attributed to a manifestation of character, thereby missing the moment when it was possible to slow down the course of the disease and prevent too rapid dementia.

Pick's disease

Niemann-Pick disease in children is exclusively hereditary, and is divided according to severity into several categories, based on mutations in a certain pair of chromosomes. Classic category “A” is a death sentence for a child, and death occurs by the age of five. Symptoms of Niemann Pick disease appear in the first two weeks of a child's life. Lack of appetite, vomiting, clouding of the cornea and enlarged internal organs, which causes the child’s belly to become disproportionately large. Damage to the central nervous system and metabolism leads to death. Categories “B”, “C”, and “D” are not so dangerous, since the central nervous system is not affected so quickly, this process can be slowed down.

Bulimia

What kind of disease is bulimia, and does it need to be treated? In fact, bulimia is not just a mental disorder. A person does not control his feeling of hunger and eats literally everything. At the same time, the feeling of guilt forces the patient to take a lot of laxatives, emetics, and miracle drugs for weight loss. Obsessing over your weight is just the tip of the iceberg. Bulimia occurs due to functional disorders of the central nervous system, pituitary disorders, brain tumors, the initial stage of diabetes, and bulimia is only a symptom of these diseases.

Hallucinosis

The causes of hallucinosis syndrome occur against the background of encephalitis, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, hemorrhage, or tumors. With complete clear consciousness, the patient may experience visual, auditory, tactile, or olfactory hallucinations. A person may see the world around him in a somewhat distorted form, and the faces of his interlocutors may appear as cartoon characters or geometric figures. The acute form of hallucinosis can last up to two weeks, but you should not relax if the hallucinations have passed. Without identifying the causes of hallucinations and appropriate treatment, the disease may return.

Dementia

Senile disease is a consequence of Alzheimer's disease, and is often referred to as “senile insanity.” The stages of development of dementia can be divided into several periods. At the first stage, there are memory lapses, and sometimes the patient forgets where he went and what he did a minute ago.

The next stage is loss of orientation in space and time. The patient can get lost even in his own room. This is followed by hallucinations, delusions, and sleep disturbances. In some cases, dementia progresses very quickly, and the patient completely loses the ability to reason, speak and care for himself within two to three months. With proper care and supportive therapy, the prognosis for life expectancy after the onset of dementia is from 3 to 15 years, depending on the causes of dementia, care for the patient, and the individual characteristics of the body.

Depersonalization

Depersonalization syndrome is characterized by a loss of connection with oneself. The patient cannot perceive himself, his actions, words, as his own, and looks at himself from the outside. In some cases, this is a defensive reaction of the psyche to shock, when you need to evaluate your actions from the outside without emotions. If this disorder does not resolve within two weeks, treatment is prescribed based on the severity of the disease.

Depression

It is impossible to answer unequivocally whether it is a disease or not. This is an affective disorder, that is, a mood disorder, but it affects the quality of life and can lead to disability. A pessimistic attitude triggers other mechanisms that destroy the body. Another option is possible, when depression is a symptom of other diseases of the endocrine system or pathology of the central nervous system.

Dissociative fugue

Dissociative fugue is an acute mental disorder that occurs against a background of stress. The patient leaves his home, moves to a new place, and everything connected with his personality: first name, last name, age, profession, etc., is erased from his memory. At the same time, the memory of books read, of some experience, but not related to his personality, is preserved. A dissociative fugue can last from two weeks to many years. Memory may return suddenly, but if this does not happen, you should seek qualified help from a psychotherapist. Under hypnosis, as a rule, the cause of the shock is found, and the memory returns.

Stuttering

Stuttering is a violation of the tempo-rhythmic organization of speech, expressed by spasms of the speech apparatus; as a rule, stuttering occurs in physically and psychologically weak people who are too dependent on the opinions of others. The area of ​​the brain responsible for speech is adjacent to the area responsible for emotions. Violations that occur in one area inevitably affect another.

gambling addiction

Gambling addiction is considered a disease of weak people. This is a personality disorder, and treatment is complicated by the fact that there is no cure for gambling addiction. Against the background of loneliness, immaturity, greed, or laziness, addiction to the game develops. The quality of treatment for gambling addiction depends solely on the wishes of the patient himself, and consists of constant self-discipline.

Idiocy

Idiocy is classified in the ICD as profound mental retardation. The general characteristics of personality and behavior correspond to the level of development of a three-year-old child. Patients with idiocy are practically incapable of learning and live solely by instincts. Typically, patients have an IQ level of about 20, and treatment consists of nursing care.

Imbecility

In the International Classification of Diseases, imbecility was replaced by the term “mental retardation.” Intellectual development disorder in the degree of imbecility represents an average level of mental retardation. Congenital imbecility is a consequence of intrauterine infection or defects in fetal formation. The level of development of an imbecile corresponds to the development of a 6-9 year old child. They are moderately trainable, but it is impossible for an imbecile to live independently.

Hypochondria

It manifests itself in an obsessive search for illnesses in oneself. The patient carefully listens to his body and looks for symptoms that confirm the presence of the disease. Most often, such patients complain of tingling, numbness of the limbs and other nonspecific symptoms, requiring doctors to make an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes, patients with hypochondria are so confident in their serious illness that the body, under the influence of the psyche, malfunctions and actually gets sick.

Hysteria

The signs of hysteria are quite violent, and, as a rule, women suffer from this personality disorder. With hysterical disorder, there is a strong manifestation of emotions, and some theatricality, and pretense. A person strives to attract attention, arouse pity, and achieve something. Some consider this just whims, but, as a rule, such a disorder is quite serious, since a person cannot control his emotions. Such patients need psychocorrection, since hysterics are aware of their behavior and suffer from incontinence no less than their loved ones.

Kleptomania

This psychological disorder refers to a desire disorder. The exact nature has not been studied, however, it has been noted that kleptomania is a comorbidity with other psychopathic disorders. Sometimes kleptomania manifests itself as a result of pregnancy or in adolescents, during hormonal changes in the body. The desire to steal with kleptomania does not have the goal of getting rich. The patient seeks only the thrill of the very fact of committing an illegal act.

Cretinism

Types of cretinism are divided into endemic and sporadic. As a rule, sporadic cretinism is caused by a deficiency of thyroid hormones during embryonic development. Endemic cretinism is caused by a lack of iodine and selenium in the mother's diet during pregnancy. In the case of cretinism, early treatment is of great importance. If, for congenital cretinism, therapy is started at 2-4 weeks of a child’s life, the degree of his development will not lag behind the level of his peers.

"Culture shock

Many people do not take culture shock and its consequences seriously, however, a person’s condition during culture shock should raise concerns. People often experience culture shock when moving to another country. At first a person is happy, he likes different food, different songs, but soon he is faced with the deepest differences in deeper layers. Everything that he is accustomed to consider normal and ordinary goes against his worldview in the new country. Depending on the characteristics of the person and the motives for moving, there are three ways to resolve the conflict:

1. Assimilation. Complete acceptance of a foreign culture and dissolution in it, sometimes in an exaggerated form. One’s own culture is belittled and criticized, and the new one is considered more developed and ideal.

2. Ghettoization. That is, creating your own world inside a foreign country. This is isolated living and limited external contact with the local population.

3. Moderate assimilation. In this case, the individual will retain in his home everything that was customary in his homeland, but at work and in society he tries to acquire a different culture and observes the customs generally accepted in this society.

Persecution mania

Persecution mania - in one word, a real disorder can be characterized as spy mania, or stalking. Persecution mania can develop against the background of schizophrenia, and manifests itself in excessive suspicion. The patient is convinced that he is an object of surveillance by the special services, and suspects everyone, even his loved ones, of espionage. This schizophrenic disorder is difficult to treat, since it is impossible to convince the patient that the doctor is not an intelligence officer, and the pill is a medicine.

Misanthropy

A form of personality disorder characterized by dislike of people, even hatred. What is misanthropy, and how to recognize a misanthrope? The misanthrope opposes himself to society, its weaknesses and imperfections. To justify his hatred, a misanthrope often elevates his philosophy into a kind of cult. A stereotype has been created that a misanthrope is an absolutely closed hermit, but this is not always the case. The misanthrope carefully selects who to let into his personal space and who may be his equal. In severe form, the misanthrope hates all of humanity as a whole and can call for mass murders and wars.

Monomania

Monomania is a psychosis expressed in concentration on one thought, with complete preservation of reason. In current psychiatry, the term “monomania” is considered outdated and too general. Currently, they distinguish “pyromania”, “kleptomania” and so on. Each of these psychoses has its own roots, and treatment is prescribed based on the severity of the disorder.

Obsessive states

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is characterized by the inability to get rid of intrusive thoughts or actions. As a rule, individuals with a high level of intelligence and a high level of social responsibility suffer from OCD. Obsessive-compulsive disorder manifests itself in endless thinking about unnecessary things. How many checks are on the jacket of a fellow traveler, how old is the tree, why does the bus have round headlights, etc.

The second variant of the disorder is obsessive actions, or double-checking of actions. The most common impact is related to cleanliness and order. The patient endlessly washes everything, folds it and washes it again, to the point of exhaustion. The syndrome of persistent states is difficult to treat, even with the use of complex therapy.

Narcissistic personality disorder

The signs of narcissistic personality disorder are not difficult to recognize. prone to inflated self-esteem, confident in their own ideality and perceive any criticism as envy. This is a behavioral personality disorder, and it is not as harmless as it may seem. Narcissistic individuals are confident in their own permissiveness and have the right to something more than everyone else. Without a twinge of conscience, they can destroy other people’s dreams and plans, because it doesn’t matter to them.

Neurosis

Is obsessive-compulsive disorder a mental illness or not, and how difficult is it to diagnose the disorder? Most often, the disease is diagnosed based on patient complaints, psychological testing, MRI and CT scans of the brain. Neuroses are often a symptom of a brain tumor, aneurysm, or previous infections.

Mental retardation

This is a form of mental retardation in which the patient does not develop mentally. Oligophrenia is caused by intrauterine infections, defects in genes, or hypoxia during childbirth. Treatment of oligophrenia consists of social adaptation of patients and teaching simple self-care skills. For such patients there are special kindergartens and schools, but it is rarely possible to achieve development beyond the level of a ten-year-old child.

Panic attacks

A fairly common disorder, however, the causes of the disease are unknown. Most often, doctors write VSD in the diagnosis, since the symptoms are very similar. There are three categories of panic attacks:

1. Spontaneous panic attack. Fear, increased sweating and heart palpitations occur without any reason. If such attacks occur regularly, somatic illnesses should be ruled out, and only then referred to a psychotherapist.

2. Situational panic attack. Many people have phobias. Some people are afraid to ride in an elevator, others are afraid of airplanes. Many psychologists successfully cope with such fears, and you should not delay visiting a doctor.

3. Panic attack when taking drugs or alcohol. In this situation, biochemical stimulation is evident, and a psychologist in this case will only help get rid of the addiction, if any.

Paranoia

Paranoia is a heightened sense of reality. Patients with paranoia can build the most complex logical chains and solve the most confusing problems, thanks to their non-standard logic. - a chronic disorder characterized by stages of calm and violent crises. During such periods, treating the patient is especially difficult, since paranoid ideas can be expressed in delusions of persecution, delusions of grandeur, and other ideas where the patient considers doctors enemies or they are unworthy to treat him.

Pyromania

Pyromania is a mental disorder characterized by a morbid passion for watching fire. Only such contemplation can bring the patient joy, satisfaction and peace. Pyromania is considered a type of OCD, due to the inability to resist the obsessive urge to set something on fire. Pyromaniacs rarely plan a fire in advance. This is a spontaneous lust that does not provide material gain or profit, and the patient feels relief after committing arson.

Psychoses

They are classified according to their origin. Organic psychosis occurs against the background of brain damage, as a result of previous infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis, syphilis, etc.)

1. Functional psychosis - with a physically intact brain, paranoid deviations occur.

2. Intoxication. The cause of intoxication psychosis is the abuse of alcohol, drugs, and poisons. Under the influence of toxins, nerve fibers are damaged, which leads to irreversible consequences and complicated psychoses.

3. Reactive. After suffering psychological trauma, psychosis, panic attacks, hysteria, and increased emotional excitability often occur.

4. Traumatic. Due to traumatic brain injuries, psychosis can manifest itself in the form of hallucinations, unreasonable fears, and obsessive states.

Self-injurious behavior "Patomimia"

Self-harming behavior in adolescents is expressed in self-hatred, and causing pain to oneself as a punishment for one’s weakness. In adolescence, children cannot always express their love, hatred, or fear, and auto-aggression helps to cope with this problem. Often pathomimia is accompanied by alcoholism, drug addiction or dangerous sports.

Seasonal depression

Behavioral disorder is expressed in apathy, depression, increased fatigue, and a general decrease in vital energy. All these are signs of seasonal depression, which mainly affects women. The causes of seasonal depression lie in decreased daylight hours. If loss of strength, drowsiness and melancholy began in late autumn and last until spring, this is seasonal depression. The production of serotonin and melatonin, hormones responsible for mood, is affected by the presence of bright sunlight, and if it is not there, the necessary hormones go into “hibernation”.

Sexual perversion

The psychology of sexual perversion changes from year to year. Certain sexual inclinations do not correspond to modern moral standards and generally accepted behavior. Different times and different cultures have their own understanding of the norm. What can be considered sexual perversion today:

Fetishism. The object of sexual desire becomes clothing or an inanimate object.
Egsbisionism. Sexual satisfaction is achieved only in public, by demonstrating one's genitals.
Voyeurism. Does not require direct participation in sexual intercourse, and is content to spy on the sexual intercourse of others.

Pedophilia. A painful urge to satisfy one’s sexual passion with children who have not reached puberty.
Sadomasochism. Sexual satisfaction is possible only in the case of causing or receiving physical pain or humiliation.

Senesthopathy

In psychology, senestopathy is one of the symptoms of hypochondria or depressive delirium. The patient feels pain, burning, tingling, for no particular reason. In a severe form of senesthopathy, the patient complains of freezing of the brain, itching of the heart and itching in the liver. Diagnosis of senestopathy begins with a complete medical examination to exclude somatic and nonspecific symptoms of diseases of the internal organs.

Negative Twin Syndrome

Negative twin delusion syndrome is also called Capgras syndrome. Psychiatry has not decided whether to consider this an independent disease or a symptom. A patient with negative twin syndrome is sure that one of his loved ones, or himself, has been replaced. All negative actions (crashed a car, stole a candy bar in a supermarket), all this is attributed to the double. Possible causes of this syndrome include the destruction of the connection between visual perception and emotional perception, due to defects in the fusiform gyrus.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation is expressed in bloating, flatulence, and impaired bowel movements. The most common cause of IBS is stress. Approximately 2/3 of all sufferers of IBS are women, and more than half of them suffer from mental disorders. Treatment for IBS is systemic and includes medications to relieve constipation, flatulence, or diarrhea, as well as antidepressants to relieve anxiety or depression.

Chronic fatigue syndrome

It is already reaching epidemic proportions. This is especially noticeable in large cities, where the pace of life is faster and the mental stress on a person is enormous. The symptoms of the disorder are quite variable and treatment at home is possible if this is the initial form of the disease. Frequent headaches, sleepiness throughout the day, fatigue, even after a vacation or weekend, food allergies, memory loss and inability to concentrate are all symptoms of CFS.

Burnout syndrome

Burnout syndrome among medical workers occurs after 2-4 years of work. The work of doctors is associated with constant stress; doctors often feel dissatisfied with themselves, with the patient, or feel helpless. After a certain time, they are overtaken by emotional exhaustion, expressed in indifference to other people’s pain, cynicism, or outright aggression. Doctors are taught to treat other people, but they don’t know how to deal with their own problem.

Vascular dementia

It is provoked by impaired blood circulation in the brain and is a progressive disease. Those who have high blood pressure, blood sugar, or a close relative have suffered from vascular dementia should be careful about their health. How long people live with this diagnosis depends on the severity of the brain damage and how carefully loved ones care for the patient. On average, after diagnosis, the patient's life expectancy is 5-6 years, subject to appropriate treatment and care.

Stress and adjustment disorder

Stress and behavioral adaptation disorders are quite persistent. Violation of behavioral adaptation usually manifests itself within three months, after the stress itself. As a rule, this is a strong shock, the loss of a loved one, a disaster, violence, etc. Behavioral adaptation disorder is expressed in violation of the rules of morality accepted in society, senseless vandalism, and actions that pose a danger to the life of oneself or others.
Without appropriate treatment, stress disorder of behavioral adaptation can last up to three years.

Suicidal behavior

As a rule, adolescents have not yet fully formed their idea of ​​death. Frequent suicide attempts are caused by the desire to relax, take revenge, and get away from problems. They do not want to die forever, but only for a while. Nevertheless, these attempts may be successful. To prevent suicidal behavior in adolescents, prevention should be carried out. A trusting relationship in the family, learning to cope with stress and resolve conflict situations - this significantly reduces the risk of suicidal feelings.

Madness

Madness is an outdated concept to define a whole range of mental disorders. Most often, the term madness is used in painting, in literature, along with another term - “madness”. By definition, insanity, or insanity, could be temporary, caused by pain, passion, obsession, and was generally treated with prayer or magic.

Tafophilia

Taphophilia manifests itself in an attraction to cemeteries and funeral rituals. The reasons for taphophilia mainly lie in cultural and aesthetic interest in monuments, rites and rituals. Some old necropolises are more like museums, and the atmosphere of the cemetery is peaceful and reconciles with life. Taphophiles are not interested in dead bodies or thoughts about death, and only have a cultural and historical interest. As a rule, taphophilia does not require treatment unless visiting cemeteries develops into obsessive OCD behavior.

Anxiety

Anxiety in psychology is unmotivated fear, or fear for minor reasons. In a person’s life, there is “useful anxiety”, which is a defense mechanism. Anxiety is the result of an analysis of the situation and a forecast of the consequences, how real the danger is. In the case of neurotic anxiety, a person cannot explain the reasons for his fear.

Trichotillomania

What is trichotillomania, and is it a mental disorder? Of course, trichotillomania belongs to the group of OCD and is aimed at tearing out one’s hair. Sometimes hair is pulled out unconsciously, and the patient may eat personal hair, which leads to gastrointestinal problems. Typically, trichotillomania is a reaction to stress. The patient feels a burning sensation in the hair follicle on the head, face, body and after pulling it out, the patient feels peace. Sometimes patients with trichotillomania become recluses because they are embarrassed by their appearance and ashamed of their behavior. Recent studies have revealed that patients with trichotillomania have damage in a certain gene. If these studies are confirmed, treatment for trichotillomania will be more successful.

Hikikomori

It is quite difficult to fully study the phenomenon of hikikomori. Basically, hikikomori deliberately isolate themselves from the outside world, and even from their family members. They do not work and do not leave their room unless absolutely necessary. They maintain contact with the world via the Internet, and can even work remotely, but they exclude communication and meetings in real life. Often hikikomori suffer from mental disorders of the autism spectrum, social phobia, and anxiety personality disorder. In countries with undeveloped economies, hikikomori practically does not occur.

Phobia

Phobia in psychiatry is fear, or excessive anxiety. As a rule, phobias are classified as mental disorders that do not require clinical research and psychocorrection can cope better. The exception is already ingrained phobias that go beyond a person’s control, disrupting his normal functioning.

Schizoid personality disorder

The diagnosis of schizoid personality disorder is made on the basis of symptoms characteristic of this disorder.
With schizoid personality disorder, the individual is characterized by emotional coldness, indifference, reluctance to socialize and a tendency to solitude.
Such people prefer to contemplate their inner world and do not share their experiences with loved ones, and are also indifferent to their appearance and how society reacts to it.

Schizophrenia

On the question: is this a congenital or acquired disease, there is no consensus. Presumably, for the appearance of schizophrenia, several factors must combine, such as genetic predisposition, living conditions, and socio-psychological environment. It is impossible to say that schizophrenia is an exclusively hereditary disease.

Selective mutism

Selective mutism in children 3-9 years old manifests itself in selective verbality. As a rule, at this age children go to kindergarten, school and find themselves in new conditions. Shy children have difficulty socializing, and this is reflected in their speech and behavior. At home they may talk incessantly, but at school they will not utter a sound. Selective mutism is classified as a behavioral disorder, and psychotherapy is indicated.

Encopresis

Sometimes parents ask the question: “Encopresis - what is it, and is it a mental disorder?” With encopresis, the child cannot control his stool. He can “big-time” shit his pants and not even understand what’s wrong. If this phenomenon occurs more than once a month and lasts at least six months, the child needs a comprehensive examination, including from a psychiatrist. When potty training a child, parents expect the child to get used to it the first time, and scold the child when he forgets about it. Then the child develops a fear of both the potty and defecation, which can result in mental encopresis and a host of gastrointestinal diseases.

Enuresis

As a rule, it goes away by the age of five, and no special treatment is required. You just need to follow a daily routine, don’t drink a lot of fluids at night, and be sure to empty your bladder before going to bed. Enuresis can also be caused by neurosis due to stressful situations, and traumatic factors for the child should be excluded.

Bedwetting is a major concern in adolescents and adults. Sometimes in such cases there is an anomaly in the development of the bladder, and, alas, there is no treatment for this, except for the use of an enuresis alarm.

Often mental disorders are perceived as a person’s character and they are blamed for things that, in fact, they are not guilty of. The inability to live in society, the inability to adapt to everyone is condemned, and the person turns out to be alone with his misfortune. The list of the most common ailments does not cover even a hundredth part of mental disorders, and in each specific case, symptoms and behavior may vary. If you are worried about the condition of a loved one, you should not let the situation take its course. If a problem interferes with your life, then it needs to be solved together with a specialist.

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