The main signs of psychopathy are. Lack of deep feelings

When we encounter a person whose behavior does not correspond to generally accepted human rules, what do we call him? That's right, a psychopath. Who are psychopaths and why are they dangerous for society as a whole and for each person individually? Can psychopathy be cured and should it be done? Why do psychopaths act in a given situation differently from the actions of ordinary people? Attempts to answer these questions are presented in this article.

Definition of psychopathy

Psychopathy is a pathology of character, moreover, persistent, which is not characteristic of healthy people. Psychopathies appear from birth or in the early years of life and refer to mental personality disorders. Psychopathy accompanies a person all his life and is characterized by overly pronounced character traits on the one hand and underdevelopment of other traits. For example, a person is extremely irritable and excitable, but his behavior control is weakened. Or, a person has overestimated claims and egocentrism, while there is no adequate assessment of their capabilities. Psychopathies are not mental illnesses, but they do not act as a variant of the mental health norm of an individual, that is, this condition belongs to borderline conditions.

In society, similar character traits are often observed in healthy people, but they are balanced, and behavior is within the framework of social norms.

A distinctive feature of character psychopathy is the lack of dynamics throughout life, that is, the state of the psychopath does not worsen, but does not improve over time.

According to statistics, psychopathy occurs in 1 - 2% of all people, and its occurrence increases to 25% in criminal circles. Despite the fact that almost all criminals (maniacs, murderers) are essentially psychopaths, this does not mean that all psychopaths without exception are criminals.

character accentuation

Often, character accentuation is mistaken for psychopathy, although accentuations and psychopathy are completely different things.

If psychopathy refers to the borderline states of the psyche, then accentuation is just a variant of the norm, characterized by the fact that some of the personality traits of a person are too pronounced, while the general warehouse of a person is within the normal range, which looks like disharmony. Character accentuation is quite capable of provoking various mental pathologies (psychosis, neurosis), despite the fact that this condition in itself is not a pathology.

For the occurrence of accentuation, certain conditions are necessary, for example, defects in education, a specific social environment, or psychological trauma.

Causes of psychopathy

To date, psychopathy has not been sufficiently studied, so it is impossible to single out the main factor that contributes to its appearance. In fact, this state is multifactorial, but there is always a trigger factor that affects the character warehouse to a greater extent.

Certain character traits or their pathology are genetically programmed, just like the external features of a person (eye and hair color, ear and nose shape, etc.). And although each of us changes somewhat throughout our lives, develops, tries to coexist in one or another group of people, many of the qualities of our character are already laid down at the stage of intrauterine existence.

So, basically, the causes of psychopathy are congenital, that is, a person is born already with a certain type of character or its anomaly. But also in the occurrence of these states, various unfavorable situations play a role, in which abnormal behavior is fixed, which exacerbates maladaptation. For example, a child grew up in an orphanage, or later a person was imprisoned, captured.

Severe somatic diseases, for example, brain damage, can also provoke a pathological change in character. This is facilitated by:

• bad ecology;
• brain infections (encephalitis, meningitis);
• head injury;
• brain tumors;
• acute and chronic intoxication (poisoning with poisons, nicotine, alcohol, drugs);
• high ionizing radiation.

Due to the action of these factors, painful and almost irreversible changes occur in the brain, the nervous system as a whole, which causes severe mental changes.

As already mentioned, the hereditary transmission of psychopathy is not excluded (if parents have a pathological temperament, then it is possible that the same will happen to their children).

Predisposing factors in childhood

The following factors contribute to the development of psychopathy in children:

• “pulling out” a child from the family (long stay in a sanatorium, for example, a tuberculosis one, or putting him in a boarding school);
• overprotection, contributing to the development of painful self-importance;
• insufficient attention to their own children or its complete absence;
• "shift" of the foster child to the side when your own or "Cinderella" syndrome appears;
• the occurrence of an inferiority complex in a child as a result of increased parental attention to another child;
• cruel upbringing of the child/children;
• the phenomenon of "idol" - when a child painfully perceives the care of other children in the family, as he considers himself "the most - the most."

Classification of psychopathy

There are several classifications of these states. There are the following types of psychopathy:

• nuclear psychopathy, which are determined by the constitutional type of a person and genetically laid down;
• marginal psychopathy, determined by the environment where the child grows and forms as a person (social causes play a role: drunkenness of parents, orphanage, etc.);
• organic psychopathies are caused by damage to the brain, for example, injuries and infections of the brain, including intrauterine and birth.

According to another classification, in which the predominance of the processes of excitation or inhibition in the cerebral cortex is the determining factor, the following types of psychopathy are distinguished:

1. Excitable psychopathy:
   • explosive;
   • epileptoid;
   • paranoid;
   • hysterical;
   • unstable;
   • hyperthymic.
2. Inhibitable psychopathy
   • psychasthenic;
   • anancaste;
   • asthenic;
   • sensitive schizoid;
   • geboid or emotionally dull personality.

A separate column is mosaic psychopathy, which is characterized by signs of several types of these conditions, in other words - mixed psychopathy.

In clinical practice, doctors use the classification of psychopathy according to the main clinical manifestations - forms that include sexual psychopathy (sexual perversions and disorders).

Psychopathies are also divided by severity:

• moderate or 1 degree, characterizing expressed compensation, and breakdowns occur only in certain situations;
• severe or 2nd degree, the slightest reason for a breakdown is enough, compensation is unstable, psychopaths are in constant conflict with others;
• severe or 3rd degree, even the slightest reason is not needed for a breakdown, psychopaths are completely maladjusted, unable to start a family, self-criticism is completely absent.

Clinical picture

This condition is characterized by a variety of symptoms, which are divided into groups depending on the form of psychopathy. Characteristic features of psychopaths are:

Manipulation of others

One of the leading symptoms of psychopathy is the manipulation of loved ones. To achieve their psychopaths use the full range of possible impact (screaming, bad mood or well-being, blackmail and threats to commit suicide or disinherit).

Lack of empathy

Empathy is the ability of a person to empathize with a loved one, animal or plant. Psychopaths completely lack compassion and empathy, they are heartless, although they can understand someone else's pain. You can hardly expect sympathy from such personalities in any situation (death or illness of loved ones, street children or homeless animals).

deceitfulness

Such individuals are distinguished by pathological lies, stories of "real" stories, and if they are convicted of untruth, they categorically refuse everything told earlier.

Promiscuity in intimate relationships

Prone to such people and sexual promiscuity. They easily change, while not feeling remorse.

Lack of deep feelings

Psychopaths cannot experience deep feelings: deep fear, anxiety, affection. Such people are completely incapable of loving anyone (human, animal).

Lack of remorse

A psychopath, even if his own guilt is obvious, will shift it to another person. They have no remorse, no shame, no apology, and no remorse.

Alcoholism/drug addiction

Such people are often characterized by excessive or become drug addicts.

Men are psychopaths

Manifestations of psychopathy in men are noted much more often than in the opposite sex. Men - psychopaths - are incomparable pretenders and are distinguished by hypocrisy. All feelings visible through the eyes of other people on the part of psychopathic men are only visible, since such people do not actually experience them, they simply “play” with them. In addition, men with psychopathy are excellent manipulators, relatives and colleagues suffer from communicating with them. Especially family and close women. Marriage with a man - a psychopath - is almost always a huge psychological trauma for a woman. In relation to the weaker sex, such men are prone to physical and moral violence, they often cheat on women and humiliate them. Also, such men are characterized by immorality and coldness, which means that the personal life of male psychopaths is in emotional chaos.

It is not uncommon for psychopathic men to fail either in education or in professional terms, although this is not a mandatory rule. With tight control (parents), male psychopaths adapt perfectly in terms of career. These are successful entrepreneurs, competent leaders, talented organizers.

Women are psychopaths

Psychopathy in women is much less common than in males, no matter what “advanced” personalities try to explain to us. According to statistics for 1997, signs of psychopathy in women in prisons were found in only 15% of prisoners, while the percentage of male prisoners who are psychopaths is much higher and amounts to 25-30. Women with psychopathy are less aggressive and cruel compared to persons strong sex. Based on the above statistics, they are much less likely to commit illegal acts in an affective state. However, female psychopaths are prone to kleptomania, alcoholism and dependence on psychotropic drugs, often wander and are sexually promiscuous. In family life, such women are scandalous, uncontrollable and "explosive". The life of female psychopaths is notable for disharmony, they are easily “ignited” and either have little or no control over their emotional outbursts, which ultimately can end in depression. Also, such women are distinguished by a tendency to melancholy and a love for "to grieve - to twist."

Women are psychopaths in essence egocentric, they live only indulging their own desires, indifferent to social rules of behavior and relatives.

But there are also apathetic, withdrawn female psychopaths. In this case, the fair sex has significant complexes or a strong, even painful dependence. The behavior of such women - mothers adversely affects their children, which leads to the formation of various borderline or pathological mental states in them.

Children are psychopaths

The initial manifestations of psychopathy in children appear at the age of two or three. But, as a rule, signs of psychopathy occur more often in adolescents. It is possible to suspect a pathology of character in a child if he lacks the ability to empathize and sympathize, the child does not repent for inappropriate behavior, but the leading sign is cruelty (in relation to other children or animals). In adolescence, there is a “not fitting” into the standards of society, a desire to commit immoral acts, drink alcohol or take drugs, break the law (theft, hooliganism). Such teenagers are often registered in the children's room of the police.

The hallmarks of a child - a psychopath:

• the child constantly fights, steals or damages other people's property;
• violates parental prohibitions;
• does not feel guilty for negative actions;
• indifferent to the feelings of other people;
• studies poorly and is indifferent to studies and grades;
• irresponsible, does not want to be responsible for anything;
• do not respond to the threat of punishment;
• fearless, risky;
• egocentric.

Symptoms of various forms of psychopathy

Schizoid

People with this form of character disorder are closed, their inner life prevails, they prefer loneliness, and instead of active communication they prefer to read, contemplate nature, and consider works of art. Such individuals are devoid of spontaneity and impulsiveness. In addition, schizoids have either excessive sensitivity (hyperesthesia) or emotional coldness (anesthesia). Depending on the prevalence of one or another type of sensitivity, schizoids are divided into 2 types: sensitive (hypersthetic) and expansive (cold, emotionally dull).

Sensitive schizoids include overly sensitive and mimosa-like personalities. They experience negative remarks about them for a long time, any, even minor insults and rudeness. Such individuals are wary of the world around them, their attachments are limited. They are modest, dreamy and easily exhausted, but they are not inclined to show emotions violently and are proud to the point of morbidity. In-depth work, but only one-sided, conscientious and thorough. The action of traumatic factors for schizoids leads to their loss of peace of mind, depression and lethargy.

Expansive schizoids are distinguished by decisiveness, the absence of doubts and hesitation, disregard for the views of other people, dryness and formality in relationships. Despite the demanding adherence to principles, such individuals are completely indifferent to the fate of others. Their character is called difficult or even nasty, they are arrogant, cold and incapable of empathy, heartless and cruel. At the same time, this type of schizoids is easily vulnerable, but skillfully hides dissatisfaction and their own insecurity. They may have angry outbursts and impulsive actions in response to life's difficulties.

Outwardly, schizoids are devoid of emotionality, facial expressions and mental flexibility, which makes them look like robots. There is always an invisible barrier between schizoids and those around them, which prevents them from mixing "with the crowd".

asthenic

Psychopaths - asthenics are easily exhausted and irritable, timid, shy and extremely impressionable personalities, prone to self-observation. Self-consciousness of asthenics is dominated by dissatisfaction with oneself, a sense of one's own inferiority, insolvency, disbelief in oneself, low self-esteem, dependence on the opinions of others, fear of upcoming difficulties. They are afraid of responsibility, they are passive, passive, submissive and submissive, and they endure all insults without grumbling.

Some psychopaths - asthenics are sluggish and indecisive personalities, very suspicious and apathetic, or are in a constantly depressed mood. They listen carefully to the slightest sensations of their body, which often leads to the development of “organ neuroses” (cardioneurosis). Asthenics do not tolerate the sight of blood and sudden temperature changes, they react very painfully to rudeness / tactlessness, and are meteorologically labile. When dissatisfied with something, they are either touchy silent or grumble.

As a kind of asthenic psychopathy, a psychasthenic type is distinguished, which is characterized by indecision, anxiety and exaggerated suspiciousness. Psychasthenics are easy to offend, they are shy and timid, but at the same time very proud. They are distinguished by constant “digging” in themselves, obsessive doubts and fears. Any, even a minor change in life (change of job or place of residence) increases their uncertainty and anxiety. On the other hand, they are executive and disciplined individuals, which sometimes comes to pedantry and importunity. Psychasthenics make excellent deputies, but as leaders they are not wealthy (they cannot make decisions and take initiative on their own).

hysterical

These individuals are characterized by an exaggerated demonstration of their emotions and experiences, deep egocentrism, spiritual emptiness, love for external effects. All of the above speaks of their mental immaturity and infantilism. They strive to impress the environment, they crave recognition. Such psychopaths are characterized by Munchausen's syndrome (fiction, fantasy, pseudology), and their feelings are superficial and unstable. Hysterics often commit extravagant acts, dress brightly and even noisily, and are incapable of work that requires perseverance and effort. They also prefer to lead an idle life full of entertainment and get only pleasure from it, show off in society and admire themselves, they tend to "splurge". They consider themselves connoisseurs of philosophy and art, although their knowledge is not deep. They strive to be in the center of attention, which makes it impossible to achieve success in creative or scientific activities.

paranoid

The signs of this form of psychopathy are similar to the schizoid type. Paranoid - psychopaths overestimate their "I", suspicious and irritable, prone to the formation of overvalued ideas. The nature of such personalities is dominated by lack of frankness and willfulness, irritability up to the affectiveness of actions, and logic and reason are suppressed. However, paranoids are distinguished by accuracy and conscientiousness, intolerance to injustice. They are also characterized by a limited outlook and narrowness of interests, straightforwardness and inertness of judgments. In the random actions of others, they always see hostility and some kind of secret meaning. In addition to extreme egocentrism, they are distinguished by inflated conceit and heightened self-esteem. But everything that is outside of one's own "Ego" is absolutely indifferent. Despite the constant opposition of the paranoid to others, he has a well-disguised inner dissatisfaction. Such individuals are distrustful to the point of suspicion, they believe that they are not given due respect, they want to offend and infringe on their rights.

Separately, there is such a type of paranoid psychopathy as expansive paranoid personalities. These people are characterized by pathological jealousy, a tendency to conflict, litigation, truth-seeking and "reformism". Such individuals are absolutely self-satisfied, they are not embarrassed in cases of failure, and the struggle "with enemies" only tempers them and energizes them. Such people are often observed among religious fanatics.

unstable

affective

Psychopaths of the affective circle are also divided into 2 types: cyclothymic and hypothymic. Cyclothymics easily communicate with almost any person, sincere, responsive, pleasant, simple and natural in getting around. They do not hide their feelings, they are distinguished by kindness, friendliness, sincerity and warmth. In ordinary life, these are people - realists, fantasies and abstruse constructions are not characteristic of fantasies and dreams, they accept life in its usual form. Also, cyclothymics are distinguished by enterprise, complaisance and diligence. But the positive mood easily changes in the opposite direction (constant mood swings).

Hypothymic or depressive psychopaths are always in a negative mood (gloominess, despondency, dissatisfaction with everything and unsociableness). In the work, hypothymics are characterized as conscientious, accurate and diligent individuals, but they always strive to see failures/complications in everything. They experience troubles very hard, are able to empathize, but hide their feelings from other people. They are characterized by a pessimistic attitude and low self-esteem. In conversations, they are restrained, they do not express an opinion. They believe that they cannot be right by definition, therefore they are always guilty and insolvent.

excitable

Such psychopaths are characterized by increased irritability, constant mental stress and explosive emotional reactivity, which sometimes reaches inadequate angry attacks. They are demanding of others, extremely selfish and selfish, distrustful and suspicious. Often fall into dysphoria (evil longing). They are distinguished by stubbornness and quarrelsomeness, conflict and dominance, rudeness in communication and aggressiveness in anger. They are prone to inflicting severe beatings and even murder.

Mosaic

Psychopaths with this form of the disorder are characterized by many signs of different types of psychopathy, which means that they experience pronounced difficulties in existing in society. In other words, mosaic psychopathy is a mixed psychopathy, when it is impossible to single out the leading symptoms of one form or another.

Treatment

To diagnose psychopathy, a study of brain functions is used - electroencephalography and special tests for psychopathy are carried out (they can be done independently).

Therapy of a character disorder is necessary only when the pathological traits are so intense that they constitute an existential problem not only for the psychopath's close associates, but also for himself. Treatment of psychopathy includes the appointment of psychotropic drugs, explanatory and family psychotherapy, auto-training and hypnosis.

Drug treatment is selected on an individual basis, taking into account personality traits and psychopathological reactions (a form of psychopathy).

In case of constant emotional fluctuations, antidepressants (Prozac, amitriptyline) are prescribed, in case of anxiety - tranquilizers (phenazepam). Hysterical psychopathy is treated with small doses of antipsychotics (chlorpromazine), and malice and aggressiveness are suppressed with more “serious” antipsychotic drugs (haloperidol, triftazin). For sleep disorders, antipsychotics with a pronounced sedative effect (chlorproxen) are recommended, and for antisocial behavior, “behavior correctors” (neuleptil, sonapax) are used.

Psychopaths - asthenics need to take stimulants (sydnocarb) or natural (herbal) drugs that have a stimulating effect (eleutherococcus, ginseng, zamaniha).

Also, with psychopathy of any form, it is necessary to take multivitamins, immunomodulators and antioxidants.

It is important to remember that when treating with psychotropic drugs, it is strictly forbidden to use alcohol and drugs, since such a combination can lead to the death of the patient.

For the entire period of decompensation with the appointment of treatment, the patient is issued a disability certificate.

Question answer

Question:
My son has been drinking for a very long time (more than 10 years) and firmly. Recently, he has become completely uncontrollable, “explodes” at the slightest remark, refuses to do anything around the house, and began to raise his hand against me. Is he a psychopath or does he already have some kind of mental illness? What to do?

You answered your own question. According to the description, yes, your son is a psychopath and an alcoholic (it is impossible to make another diagnosis in absentia). Of course, he needs treatment, and most likely in a hospital. But an alcoholic is unlikely to voluntarily agree to hospitalization, as well as to outpatient treatment (after all, he will have to give up alcohol). In your case, what remains is an appeal to law enforcement agencies, a court and a decision on compulsory treatment. The person will no longer be the same, since alcohol destroys the nervous system extremely quickly, but some time of compensation for the condition after the therapy is guaranteed.

Question:
My husband has a completely official diagnosis of "excitable psychopathy", he periodically undergoes treatment, tries to restrain himself in life, does not show aggressiveness. Isn't it dangerous to give birth to a child from such a person? Is psychopathy hereditary?

If your husband is aware of his own diagnosis and is trying to fight it, then give birth and do not hesitate. Psychopathy as such is not inherited, but it is possible that the child will have a dysfunction of the nervous system, which is not necessarily accompanied by an anomaly of character.

Question:
I am a "chronic dreamer" - that's what my relatives and even work colleagues say. How to cure it, because constant daydreaming is one of the signs of psychopathy?

Absolutely not. Pills for daydreaming have not yet been invented, and is it necessary to get rid of it? If your dreams interfere with your real life, then you should reconsider them, set yourself realistic goals and try to achieve them. Your daydreaming speaks of a good imagination - direct your energy into a creative direction, try painting, photography, and other creative activities and you will achieve real success.

For the first time in Russian medical literature, the concepts of "psychopathy", "psychopaths" appeared in 1884. Then forensic psychiatrists I.M. Balinsky and O.M. Checkett conducted an examination of a certain Semenova, who was accused of killing a girl, and came to the conclusion that she cannot be considered mentally ill in the generally accepted sense of the word, but it is difficult to recognize her as mentally healthy. The case caused a great public outcry and in the newspapers they began to call Semenova a "psychopath", referring to her difficult character. Until now, in everyday life, “psychopaths” are called people whose behavior brings a lot of anxiety to others, and sometimes contradicts the norms of public morality.

Today, psychopathy refers to stable congenital or acquired character traits that bring disharmony into the human psyche and create significant difficulties in everyday life. As a rule, in psychopathy, some character traits are very pronounced, while others are underdeveloped. For example, irritability and excitability are excessively expressed, and the function of behavior control is reduced. Or so: a high level of claims, egocentrism and the lack of an adequate assessment of their capabilities. Healthy people may have such traits, but they are balanced and their behavior does not go beyond social norms. Psychopathy is quite different from mental illness. Persons with psychopathic tendencies do not worsen over time, but also do not improve - i.e. no dynamics. Also, such people do not have intellectual disabilities, there is no delirium, hallucinations. Psychopaths are characterized by a one-sided perception of the environment, i.e. they see only what meets their expectations, and other information is ignored or denied. Therefore, people with psychopathy often have inadequate self-esteem (both high and low) and cannot learn from their mistakes.

Causes of psychoptia

The causes of psychopathy are not fully understood. Some scientists believe that the character traits that form psychopathy are genetically determined, just like eye color, for example. Others tend to think that the psychopath forms an unfavorable environment. It is also believed that psychopathy is based on an unrecognized organic brain lesion.

Symptoms of psychopathy

External manifestations of psychopathy are extremely diverse. Depending on the prevailing motives in behavior, the following types of psychopathy are distinguished:

1. paranoid psychopathy.Such people tend to be suspicious, they have a heightened sense of justice. They are vindictive, quarrelsome in the team. Communication is overly direct. In the family, these are often jealous spouses. It is not uncommon for paranoid psychopaths to engage in litigation—i.e. initiate litigation for any reason, often there is hypochondria - the belief in the presence of any disease and obsession with one's health.
2. Schizoid psychopathy. These are closed dreamers, eccentrics with non-standard judgments. In everyday life they are stupid, but they are passionate about abstract sciences - philosophy, mathematics. Schizoids are lonely, but not burdened by this. Often indifferent to loved ones.
3. Unstable psychopathy. Such people are distinguished by a lack of willpower. Also, they do not have any interests, their own point of view. They are subject to external influence, suggestible. Such people also have no remorse, they easily give out promises and forget about them. They do not feel affection even for close relatives. At school, they often had behavioral problems; in adolescence, they ran away from home (if the parents tried to somehow discipline the child). As adults, these people are prone to dependency and looking for easy money, without thinking about morality. Therefore, among patients with unstable psychopathy, there are many criminals, alcoholics, and drug addicts.
4. excitable psychopathy. Outwardly, such people can be no different from those around them until their interests are affected. In this case, an inadequate outbreak of anger, irritation, aggression is possible. Sometimes patients regret their incontinence, but do not fully admit their guilt. In childhood, excitable psychopaths constantly had conflicts with their peers, in adulthood they often change jobs, and tend to blame others for all their troubles in life.
5. Hysterical psychopathy. People of this type are characterized by theatrical behavior, the desire to be in the spotlight, high self-esteem. They are brightly dressed, sociable, impressionable, suggestible. Interested in art. They attach great importance to relationships with the opposite sex, they are constantly in a state of love, but deep feelings are not typical for them.
6. Psychasthenic psychopathy. These are anxious, suspicious and insecure people. They are punctual, hardworking, but do not achieve success in life because of the fear of failure and the inability to make decisions on their own. The social circle is small, strongly attached to loved ones. They don't like public attention. Sometimes, to relieve constant anxiety, alcohol can be abused.
7. Asthenic psychopathy. Its main symptom is increased fatigue, reduced performance. Asthenics cannot concentrate on one thing for a long time. They are insecure, impressionable, quickly tired of society. Concerned about their health.
8.affective psychopathy. These people are characterized by frequent mood swings, including for no apparent reason. Sometimes they are active, cheerful, but after a while they become depressed, gloomy. Such differences may be related to the seasons.

These are the main variants of psychopathy. In practice, they are often mixed, i.e. different traits are expressed in the character of patients. Understanding such a variety of options is not easy for a doctor either, as for attempts to self-diagnose psychopathy, they are doomed to failure, because. it is almost impossible for a person without specialization in the field of psychiatry to draw a line between the manifestations of psychopathy and the character traits of a healthy person. Without a psychiatrist's verdict, it is impossible to confidently say whether a person has psychopathic traits, or whether he has a mental illness, such as schizophrenia or depression. Therefore, if there are any of the listed symptoms that negatively affect a person’s life in society, it is better to consult a specialist: a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Timely seeking qualified help will help to establish social functioning and avoid many problems in the future (after all, if a serious mental illness is hidden under the guise of psychopathy, then quickly started treatment significantly improves the prognosis for the patient).

Investigation for suspected psychopathy

When contacting a psychiatrist, most likely, to clarify the diagnosis, an electroencephalogram will be prescribed - a painless method for studying the functioning of the brain, and a psychologist's consultation to identify features of thinking, the state of intelligence, memory. Perhaps the doctor will need to familiarize himself with the data of the examination by a neurologist or urine and blood tests. This is necessary to exclude some diseases in which symptoms similar to manifestations of psychopathy can be observed (for example, thyroid disease, the consequences of a stroke, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy).

Psychopathy treatment

Treatment of psychopathies with medications is carried out if the pathological character traits are so pronounced that they create a significant problem for the patient's everyday life and his environment. With a reduced mood, antidepressants are prescribed (fluoxetine, Prozac, amitriptyline, and others). For anxiety, tranquilizers are used (phenazepam, rudotel, mezapam, and others). If there is a tendency to aggression, the doctor will prescribe neuroleptics for antisocial actions (haloperidol in small doses, sonapax, etaperazine, triftazin). Also, antipsychotics with sedative properties (chlorproxen) are used for sleep disorders, because. psychopaths easily develop dependence on sleeping pills. With severe mood swings, anticonvulsants (carbamazepine) are effective.

It must be remembered that during the treatment with psychotropic drugs, the use of alcohol and, moreover, drugs is unacceptable. this combination can lead to irreversible consequences, up to death. Also, during the period of treatment it is better to refrain from driving, at least it is necessary to clarify this issue with your doctor. It is advisable for relatives of the patient to monitor the dosages of the drug, because. in psychopathy, there is often a tendency to abuse drugs. Without a doctor's prescription in a pharmacy, you can buy mild sedatives, such as valerian, novopassitis, motherwort tincture (if we are talking about excitable psychopathy or anxiety), but you can hardly expect a visible result from them.

Psychotherapy sometimes gives a good result in correcting the manifestations of psychopathy. Methods such as psychodrama are used - this is a type of group psychotherapy in which scenes from everyday life are played out. In Western countries, psychoanalysis is popular - a long-term individual psychotherapy program to identify subconscious complexes and negative attitudes.

It happens that people avoid going to psychiatrists, even if there are expressed indications for this. Fearing publicity or side effects of psychotropic drugs, such patients resort to traditional medicine. But herbalists do not have effective remedies for the treatment of psychopathy. All they can recommend is herbal preparations consisting of valerian, lemon balm, mint, hops and other plants with soothing properties. Perhaps aromatherapy will be offered using essential oils of geranium, lavender, marjoram, or hot baths with some infusions (usually the same lemon balm or coniferous extracts). Most likely, such methods will not bring direct harm to health, but often the passion for traditional medicine prevents the patient from receiving modern medical care, which leads to a deterioration in the condition. In agreement with the doctor, herbal therapy can be used along with the main treatment.

Psychopathy greatly complicates the patient's life in society and often makes his loved ones unhappy. Psychopaths often find themselves in criminal situations, often they make suicidal attempts - sometimes because of the inability to control their impulses, and sometimes for the purpose of blackmail or to attract attention to themselves. Asthenics and psychasthenics, with good intellectual data, cannot achieve recognition because of the peculiarities of their character, and the realization of this fact can lead them to depression. Depression, in turn, often leads to the abuse of alcohol or drugs - this way of relaxation patients consider the simplest and most effective, but in reality the problems only get worse. Timely and proper treatment saves patients and their families from these troubles. Also, a visit to a specialist will help not to miss the onset of more severe mental illness, which from the outside may seem like a manifestation of psychopathy.

Psychiatrist Bochkareva O.S.

O. V. Kebrikov (1968) divided psychopathy into: - nuclear (constitutional) - marginal (acquired)

Constitutional, genuine, "nuclear" psychopathy - unfavorable heredity. They come to light even under the most favorable conditions of education. There are few of them - about 5-10% of all psychopaths. Regional psychopathy, pathocharacterological personality development (PCPD), "acquired" psychopathy are more plastic; in favorable situations, they can be compensated. They are softer.

In the formation of PCPD, the main role is played by improper upbringing. Wagner-Jauregg: “Parents burden children not only with their heredity, but also with their upbringing.” Phenomenon: late depsychopatization. It occurs at the age of 50-55, when vascular changes smooth out psychopathic changes. We can only compensate for psychopaths. Recovery is out of the question...

O. V. Kebrikov (1968) types of education: - hypoprotection or neglect - excitable

Hyper-custody - inhibited (psychosthenic, anxious suspiciousness, he is not used to making decisions and being responsible for them). The desire to protect a child from a cruel world can lead to a psychosthenic psychopath. - "family idol": a hysterical personality. Late child, very desirable. He gets used to the fact that any of his needs are immediately satisfied. - "Cinderella": more often than a boy - a stepfather in the family. When there is another common child. The stepfather begins to force this child to clean up, to do "dirty" work. We went to the zoo, but they didn’t take her ... She feels like a kind of outcast. Psychopathy of an unstable circle.

Regional psychopathies include: - organic psychopathy (some harmful effects affect a child under 3 years old, but there is no intellectual delay, personality traits appear) - psychopathic disorders due to residual organic damage to the GM - the factor acts after 3 years

V. A. Gilyarovsky - "psychopaths are more often made than born."

53. Psychopathy of unstable type. Signs: disregard for the feelings of others, lack of empathy, irresponsibility and disregard for social norms, ease of aggressive outbursts, including cruelty; lack of guilt. The main feature is the constant thirst for easy entertainment and pleasures, an idle lifestyle with the avoidance of all labor. Loneliness is not well tolerated.

54. Excitable psychopathy.(explosive). the main manifestations are excessive excitability, impulsiveness, conflict, up to spitefulness and aggressiveness. At work, they come into open conflicts, which is why they are slowly or not promoted at all. mood is changeable. explosive reactions are intense, but usually short .. sustainable friendships are difficult to establish. speech and movement are very fast. neurological examination often reveals signs of early cerebro-organic failure.

55. Epileptoid psychopathy. In addition to explosiveness, there are states of dysphoria - a gloomy-evil mood, during which patients are looking for something to vent the accumulated evil. Dysphoria lasts from several hours to several days. In passion, during fights, they go berserk - they are able to inflict heavy damage. They take pleasure in torturing, mocking the weak. can get pleasure from hurting themselves with cuts, burns. Suicidal attempts mb both demonstrative for the purpose of blackmail, and during diphoria with the actual intention to commit suicide. The tendency to explosive reactions and dysphoria in epileptoid psychopaths is often combined with general mental rigidity, specific manifestations of which are thoroughness of thinking, accuracy.

56. Psychasthenic psychopathy.(anankastic) is characterized by indecision, constant doubts, excessive forethought regarding a possible course of events that is dangerous for oneself; perfectionism (the desire to always achieve the highest results, to do everything in the best way, regardless of the unimportance of the matter); the need to repeat what has been done. Obsessive thoughts, movements, rituals, fears appear almost constantly, either intensifying or weakening. Pedantry, the desire to foresee and plan everything in advance in the smallest detail, petty observance of the rules serve as hypercompensation with constant fear for the future. This type of psychopathy usually appears from the school years, but intensifies when they begin to live on their own.

57. Schizoid psychopathy. Features: inability to experience pleasure (hedonia), emotional coldness, inability to express warm and hostile feelings towards others; weak reaction to praise and censure; little interest in sexual intercourse with others; a tendency to fantasize about oneself and introspection; lack of close, trusting relationships with others. Closure and uncommunicativeness. They often live by their unusual interests and hobbies, in the field of which they can achieve success. Hobbies and fantasies fill the inner world. Prone to non-conformism - do not like to act like everyone else.

58. Paranoid psychopathy. Excessive sensitivity to the dissatisfaction of their claims; vindictiveness, which does not allow forgiveness of insults, insults and damage. suspiciousness and desire to distort the neutral or friendly actions of others; tendency to pathological jealousy; overconfidence. Convinced of their superiority over others, they always claim an exceptional position, to ensure that everything is done as they see fit. they begin to subtly and even cruelly pursue their imaginary enemies and real opponents, believing that they are pursuing them.

59. Psychopathy of the affective circle. Psychopathy of the affective circle. E. Kretschmer contrasted cycloid psychopathy with schizoid, noting the naturalness of affects and all mental life, the “roundness” of the nature of the cycloid, in contrast to the schematism of schizoids. E. Bleuler (1922) designated the peculiarity of cycloids by the term "syntony". It is easy for these people to communicate with everyone, they are spiritually responsive, pleasant, simple and natural in getting around, freely show their feelings; they are characterized by kindness, friendliness, good nature, warmth and sincerity. In everyday life, cycloids are realists, they are not inclined to fantasies and abstruse constructions, accepting life as it is. Psychopathic personalities of the affective circle are enterprising, complaisant, hardworking. Their main features are emotional lability, mood instability. Joy, "sunny mood" is easily replaced by sadness, sadness, sentimentality is their usual property. Psychogenic and autochthonous phase disorders can occur in them quite often. Such affective instability begins to show up in such individuals even at school age. G.E. Sukhareva notes that in children, affective lability has a periodicity, but the phases are short in time (two or three days), sadness can be replaced by motor restlessness. Throughout life, a periodic change of some states by others is possible, but they are also short-lived. When considering the dynamics of affective psychopathy, the question arises of the relationship of such cases with cyclothymia as an endogenous disease. A number of follow-up studies testify in favor of the independence of affective-type psychopathy (K. Leonhard, 1968, etc.). Depending on the prevailing affect in this group, hypothymics and hyperthymics are distinguished. Hypotimics are born pessimists, they do not understand how people can have fun and enjoy something, even any kind of luck does not inspire hope in them. They say about themselves: “I don’t know how to rejoice, it’s always hard for me.” Therefore, they notice only the dark and ugly sides of life, most of the time they are in a gloomy mood, but they can mask it, hide despondency with ostentatious fun. They react harder to any misfortune than others; in case of failures, they blame themselves.

60. Mosaic psychopathy. In a “pure” form, psychopathy does not always appear, more often it is the so-called “mosaic psychopathy”, when a person carries radicals of various forms of psychopathy.

62. Schizophrenia - a mental illness characterized by disharmony and loss of unity of mental functions (thinking, motor skills, emotions), a long continuous or paroxysmal course and different severity of productive (positive) and negative disorders, leading to personality changes in the form of autism, a decrease in energy potential and emotional impoverishment ( Tiganov A. S., 1999) Disharmony and loss of unity - this is schism (splitting) is the underlying characteristic of schizophrenia. Dementia praecox (dementia praecox)

E. Kraepelin, 1896 - 1899 He divided all mental illnesses according to the principle of course and prognosis.

E. Kraepelin united the following observed before him into a single nosological unit:

1) "dementia praecox" (M. Morel, 1852) 2) hebephrenia (E. Gekker, 1871) 3) catotonia (K. Kalbaum, 1874)

4) chronic delusional psychosis (V. Magnan, 1891) Diagnostic criteria: prehos dementia is a disease that begins at an early age, with a continuous course and ends with an unfavorable outcome in dementia. Then disputes began whether dementia occurs. In schizophrenia, the intellect does not suffer, emotions and will suffer. The concept of a personality defect was formed.

Primary signs of schizophrenia (4 "A") according to E. Bleuler (1911) The term "schizophrenia" belongs to Blayer. This term comes from the word "schism". For a long time, it was not "schizophrenia", "schizophrenia" that sounded. Splitting of the psyche. He attributed to the secondary ones: delirium, hallucinations, senestopathy, etc.

Primary signs (4 "A") 1.Autism – loss of social contacts by the patient

2. Violation Associations (or pathology of thinking) - reasoning, fragmentation, slippage, paralogy, symbolism3. Impoverishment affects - impoverishment of emotionality up to apathy.

4. Ambivalence - schizis - dissociation, splitting between various mental manifestations. So, the basis of schizophrenia is negative disorders. These disorders can only occur in patients with schizophrenia. If negative disorders appear, we can say that the patient has schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia, clinical forms:- simple - paranoid - catatonic - hebephrenic + juvenile malignant schizophrenia (lucid catatonia, hebephrenic, simple)

Types of the course of schizophrenia:- continuously flowing - paroxysmal-progredient (fur-like)

Recurrent (acute attacks, in remission - a fairly benign condition)

The forecast depends on the type of flow: how quickly the defective state will occur (or not at all ...)

Attacks (acute state) and remissions (interictal state) are characteristic.

Schizotypal disorder (sluggish schizophrenia) It can be added to the clinical forms of schizophrenia. - neurosis-like (for example, senestepathic-hypochondriac syndrome)

Psychopathic (heboid syndrome), is a personality disorder or psychopathy that occurs within the framework of schizophrenia

40% of schizophrenics are indolent schizophrenia 4. 1. Continuous type of flow . There are no remissions. Progression: from malignant juvenile schizophrenia to sluggish neurosis-like schizophrenia. An intermediate position is occupied by paranoid schizophrenia. A defective state is quickly formed. 4. 2. Episodic with an increase in the defect (paroxysmal-progressive type of flow) . Remissions of various quality are characteristic. Acute attack (fur coat): hallucinatory-paranoid, affective-delusional, oneiroid-catatonic symptoms. In the interictal period, there is a stepwise increase in the personality defect. The final stage of the course of the disease is a continuous course. 4. 3. Recurrent (periodic) type of flow (ICD-10 F 25 - schizoaffective psychosis). Remissions of sufficiently high quality (up to intermission).

The most acute psychopathological syndromes are characteristic: oneiroid-catatonic and affective. The personality defect is mild. Examples of diagnoses: - schizophrenia sluggish neurosis-like; continuous type of flow; senestepato-hypochondriac syndrome; - schizophrenia; hebephrenic form; continuous type of flow; defective state; - schizophrenia; paranoid form; episodic type of flow; hallucinatory-paranoid syndrome.

63. Simple form of schizophrenia (F 20.6). No or very few productive disorders. Onset in adolescence or early adulthood (13-17 years). Continuous, non-remission course. Clinical manifestations - negative symptoms. "Simplex syndrome" (autization, emotional impoverishment, REP, schism, "metaphysical intoxication", negativism in relation to relatives (mother). Moreover, when he is away, he speaks well of his mother. He communicates with her Poorly Polymorphic, rudimentary productive symptoms Voices, derelease, depersonalization Senestopathy, hypochondriacal disorders But they are blurred and dim.

64. Paranoid form of schizophrenia (F 20.0)"Chronic delusional psychoses" V. Magnan (1891) . The most common form of schizophrenia (about 30-40%) . Favorable prognosis (in terms of defect formation) . Age of onset of the disease - 25 - 30 years . Syndromotaxis of paranoid schizophrenia: neurosis-like syndrome - paranoid syndrome - paranoid (hallucinatory-paranoid) syndrome - paraphrenic syndrome - personality defect (apato-abulic syndrome).

65. Hybephrenic form of schizophrenia (F 20.1)."Hebephrenia" (E. Gekker, 1871). DSM-IV - disorganized form. The most malignant form of schizophrenia. The age of onset of the disease is 13-15 years. Non-remission course (2-4 years - defect). Pfropfschizophrenia - the onset of schizophrenia in early childhood leads to an intellectual defect similar to manifestations of oligophrenia. It is necessary to differentiate. Hebephrenia is a combination of motor and speech excitation with foolishness, labile affect, negativism, regression of behavior. Against this background, personality changes catastrophically increase.

66. Catatonic form of schizophrenia (F 20.2)"Catatonia" by K. Kalbaum, 1874 . Currently rarely diagnosed (4-8% of all Sch) . Clinical picture: motor disorders: catatonic stupor-catatonic excitation. Catatonia + hebephrenia . Catatonia + oneiroid (the most favorable form) . Lucid catatonia (the most malignant). Against the backdrop of clear consciousness. Often we deliberately exacerbate the patient's condition to make it easier to treat. Chronic, protracted, with small manifestations is treated worse.

67. TIR- an endogenous disease that occurs in the form of attacks or phases with affective disorders, light intervals between attacks. MDP, unlike dementia praecox, according to Kraepelin, is characterized by an onset at a later age, a phase course and a favorable outcome. Currently, the concept of MDP is used to designate a group of mental disorders characterized by: 1) the frequency of occurrence of autochthonous endogenous affective disorders in the form of manic or depressive phases 2) their complete reversibility and the development of intermissions with the restoration of PF . Classification of depressions in ICD-10 Mood disorders (F 30 - 39) F 30 Manic episode F 31 Bipolar affective disorder (i.e. MDP). The average age of onset is 30 years. Men and women equally. F 32 Depressive episode F 33 Recurrent affective disorder (only depression). The average age of onset is 40 years. For one man - three women F 34 Chronic affective disorders F 34.0 - cyclothymia F 34.1 - dysthymia The average duration of the depressive phase is 4-9 months. The average duration of the manic phase is 5-6 months. 1. The prevalence of depression. Less than 1% - treatment in a psychiatric hospital 3% - outpatient treatment by a psychiatrist 10% - visits to an internist doctor for somatic complaints (masked depression) 30% - representative surveys of the population (regarding depression)2. Etiology 2.1. Relationship (Genetic): BAR, Monopolar

68. Cyclothymia- This is an analogue of MDP, but at a softer level. And therefore, their own names were created to characterize the phases: subdepression and hypomania. Patients in subdepression will go to a somatologist (they feel unwell), a patient with hypomania will not go anywhere. All the first businessmen were hypomanic... There is one bad nuance: a third of patients with cyclothymia will become patients with MDP. Their hypomania will become mania, and their subdepression will become depression. Cyclothymia is a mental affective disorder in which the patient experiences mood swings between indistinct (close to dysthymic) depression and hyperthymia (sometimes there are episodes of hypomania). Pathological mood changes occur in the form of separate or double episodes (phases), separated by mental health conditions (intermissions), or alternating continuously. The word "cyclothymia" used to be used to describe bipolar disorder, and in the traditional classification it is considered as its mild, unexpressed variant, belonging to the general class of cyclophrenia. In addition, cyclothymia also includes personality disorders of a cycloid nature. In German psychiatry, for deontological reasons, any disease of a manic-depressive nature is called cyclothymia, regardless of the specific form and severity of the disorder. The symptoms of cyclothymia are similar to those of bipolar disorder, but are less severe. The patient experiences phases of depression (depression) followed by periods of high spirits (hyperthymia or hypomania). Episodes of mania or clinical depression rule out the diagnosis of cyclothymia. Symptoms of mild depression are: Decreased interest in socializing, Difficulty making decisions, Concentration problems, Memory problems, Apathy, Hopelessness; Helplessness, Irritability, Lack of motivation, Feelings of guilt, Reduced self-confidence (low self-esteem), Ideas of self-destruction, Decreased or, conversely, increased appetite, Decreased libido, Fatigue, Sleep disorders: insomnia or drowsiness.

70. senile dementia.(senile dementia). Usually develops at the age of 65-85 years. the onset of the disease is always slow, inconspicuous. Personal changes are distinguished by their severity, exaggeration, and faster progression. Patients become characterologically similar to each other. They are characterized by caricature egocentrism, callousness, stinginess, collecting old unnecessary things. elementary biological needs are simultaneously disinhibited. a peculiar hypersexuality appears in the form of an increased interest in young people of the opposite sex. There are signs of mnestic-intellectual insufficiency, which is steadily growing. First of all, mechanical memory guards, then fixation amnesia is revealed, leading first to disorientation in time, and then to the surrounding environment. Memory gaps are often accompanied by false memories (confabulations). Thinking disorders begin with difficulties in abstracting and generalizing, establishing cause-and-effect relationships. senseless chatter. At night, there are often episodes of confused consciousness with a false orientation, preparations for the road. Some patients live to the point of senility. The course of senile dementia is continuous or undulating.

71. Alzheimer's disease. It starts with memory loss. There is a hereditary predisposition. Also - untreated hypertension, a sedentary lifestyle. The GM bark dies. This leads to progressive memory loss, first of all memory for recent events suffers. Dementia develops, the patient needs outside help. From the first signs of forgetfulness to the death of the patient takes 5-10 years. The rate of progression is slow. Suspension of the course of the disease is possible. The diagnosis is made by a neurologist or a psychiatrist. Therapy methods slow down the progression of the disease. Signs of asthma: 1. Repeating the same question 2. Repeating the same story over and over, word for word. Loss of everyday skills such as cooking or cleaning the apartment4. Inability to manage financial affairs, such as paying bills5. Inability to navigate in a familiar place or to place common household items in their familiar places6. Neglect of personal hygiene, statements like "I'm already clean"7. Instructing someone to make decisions in life situations that a person previously coped with on their own . early dementia - Memory loss, impairment of other cognitive abilities. The person cannot find the way. It starts from the age of 60 and earlier. Part of the symptom in AD belongs to the syndromic series of depression. It all starts with depressive complaints: the mood is bad, inhibited, it is difficult to concentrate. The woman ceases to understand how to fill out receipts. Doctors often attribute this to depression, and when memory and intelligence disorders are already blooming, it is too late to treat. Moderate dementia - The areas of the brain that control speech and intellect are damaged. Symptoms: progressive memory loss and general confusion. Difficulty performing multi-step tasks (dressing), problems recognizing loved ones, etc. Severe dementia - They cannot communicate and are completely dependent on outside help. The patient spends most of the time in bed. Severe dementia includes the inability to recognize oneself and relatives, weight loss, convulsions, skin infections, moaning, crying, inability to control pelvic functions. Atrophy - parietotemporal lobes in Alzheimer's disease. With Pick's disease - frontal lobes. Dementia: - lacunar - total In Alzheimer's disease, first lacunar, then total. With Pick's disease - immediately total. Therefore, their behavior differs very much. Vascular: flow in waves (worse - better), atrophic immediately flow with an increase. Loss of memory and intelligence - with atrophic, with vascular - the symptoms can be reversible until a crisis occurs (such as a stroke). One of the first symptoms characteristic of Alzheimer's disease is digital agnosia (they stop recognizing and naming fingers). Afato-aprakto-agnostic syndrome (aphasia, dysarthria, apraxia and gnosis). This is typical for BA. Appearance: apathetic appearance. Aspontaneity, amimicity, speaks in a monotonous voice.

72. Pick's disease. It begins gradually at the age of 40-6 years. At the initial stage, emotional-volitional disorders predominate, and not disorders of the intellectual-mnestic sphere. Particularly characteristic is spontaneousness: indifference, passivity, lack of internal urges to activity. The predominance of increasing intellectual insufficiency (weakening of the ability to generalize and abstract, build adequate judgments and conclusions) over memory disorders. Severe memory impairment occurs late, amnestic disorientation is absent. In the case of peak disease, among the manifestations of total dementia, the leading place is occupied by a speech disorder. It begins with difficulty understanding someone else's speech, impoverishment of one's own speech, and eventually turns into speech helplessness. Speech is saturated with perseverations and echolalia. Some patients develop insanity. They die as a result of secondary infections after -6 years from the onset of a debilitating cerebro-atrophic process.

73. Mental disorders in traumatic brain injury. Mental disorders in traumatic brain injuries are usually correlated with the corresponding stages in the development of a traumatic disease:

mental disorders of the initial period, manifested mainly by disorders of consciousness (stunning, stupor, coma) and subsequent asthenia; acute traumatic psychosis that occurs immediately after a brain injury in the initial and acute periods; subacute or prolonged traumatic psychoses, which are a continuation of acute psychoses or appear for the first time several months after the injury; mental disorders of the late period of traumatic brain injury (long-term, or residual consequences), appearing for the first time after several years or arising from earlier mental disorders. Symptoms and course: Psychiatric disorders that occur during or immediately after an injury are usually manifested by some degree of loss of consciousness (stupor, stupor, coma), which corresponds to the severity of the traumatic brain injury. Loss of consciousness is usually observed with concussion and bruising of the brain. When consciousness returns, the patient has a loss of memory for a certain period of time - following the injury, and often preceding the injury. The duration of this period is different - from several minutes to several months. Memories of events are not restored immediately and not completely, and in some cases - only as a result of treatment. After each injury with impaired consciousness, post-traumatic asthenia is noted with a predominance of either irritability or exhaustion. In the first variant, patients become easily excitable, sensitive to various stimuli, with complaints of superficial sleep with nightmares. The second option is characterized by a decrease in desires, activity, efficiency, lethargy. Often there are complaints of headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, unsteady gait, as well as fluctuations in blood pressure, palpitations, sweating, salivation, and focal neurological disorders.

74. Mental disorders in brain tumors. In the initial stages, neurasthenic or hypochondriacal symptoms are most often observed. Increased irritability, severe fatigue, headaches, and dysmnestic disorders are characteristic. When the condition worsens, stupor may develop, hallucinatory, delusional phenomena occur, affects of fear, melancholy are detected, and drowsiness appears. At the same time, focal symptoms may also occur in accordance with the presence of a certain affected area: paralysis, epileptiform seizures, hyperkinesis. Typically, mental disorders in cases of brain tumors are divided into persistent, tending to increase, and transient, transient. Persistent mental disorders: These include productive and negative manifestations that remain unchanged for a long time, and in the future tend to increase. Sleep disorders are expressed in sleep-wake rhythm disturbance, drowsiness that develops during the day and the appearance of nightmares that tend to stereotypical repetition. Memory disorders are manifested by the development of signs of Korsakoff's syndrome with varying degrees of severity of all its structural components. Such phenomena are more often found in cases of tumor development of the third ventricle, the posterior sections of the right hemisphere. Manifestations of fixative amnesia, paramnesia, amnestic disorientation are clearly expressed. Against the background of the development of Korsakov's syndrome, many patients experience euphoria, anosognosia. With tumors of the left hemisphere, a prolonged anxious depression develops with a loss of emotional responsiveness. Euphoria is an almost obligate symptom in neoplasms in the area of ​​the bottom of the third ventricle, while in patients manifestations of anosognosia are recorded.

Sad depression in brain tumors is combined with motor retardation and an inadequate attitude towards one's disease. Often, such a dreary depression is accompanied by the development of olfactory hallucinations, depersonalization, derealization, and a violation of the “body scheme”. Such depression can be replaced by euphoria when the tumor spreads to the frontal region of the right hemisphere.

Hallucinations (olfactory, tactile, gustatory, auditory) are found in tumors of the temporal lobes of the brain. They are often combined with vegetative-visceral manifestations, such as palpitations, rumbling in the abdomen, hyperemia or pallor of the face, hyperhidrosis. Olfactory hallucinations are quite diverse, patients talk about the smell of burning, rotten eggs, unbearable stench, etc. they feel them either directly near the nose, or coming from the mouth, some say that the body itself smells. Attacks of olfactory hallucinations are sometimes the first symptom of a tumor in the temporal region or the bottom of the third ventricle. Taste hallucinations usually occur later than olfactory ones, they are manifested by a sensation of an unpleasant taste in the mouth, which patients cannot immediately identify. Auditory hallucinations occur with tumors of the right hemisphere, they are quite often acoasms, fragments of some melodies, most often sad, chirping of birds, etc. Auditory hallucinations of a verbal nature are noted in left hemispheric tumors; patients hear someone repeating their name, surname; “voices”, as a rule, monotonous, are heard from outside, sometimes from somewhere far away; "auditory dialogues", imperative hallucinations are not noted.

affective disorders. With tumors of the right hemispheric localization, attacks of sadness, fear, and horror can develop. This is accompanied by a change in facial expressions, flushing of the face, dilated pupils. Affective manifestations can often be accompanied by paroxysmal development of depersonalization, derealization, olfactory hallucinations. With tumors of the frontal localization, transient speech disorders may develop according to the type of motor aphasia (the inability to pronounce individual words against the background of normal speech). In the same way, in some cases of temporal localization of the tumor, phenomena are observed verbal deafness, or sensory aphasia, which resembles the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, when patients do not understand the speech addressed to them and at the same time speak with pressure, uttering separate syllables or short words. A feature of the symptoms is the transient nature of sensory aphasia. Almost constantly with brain tumors, transient disorders of consciousness appear in the form of transient stunning or mild obnubilation, in some cases short-term pareidolia is noted. With an increase in intracranial pressure, the developing stunning may deepen and pass into a soporous or even coma state. When stunned, the patient's attention can only be attracted by a very strong stimulus, patients become lethargic, indifferent to everything that happens, their mental life becomes impoverished, extremely slow. A delirious state in such patients can develop after stunning, or it is replaced by twilight clouding of consciousness. Such a fluctuation of symptoms complicates the diagnosis, requiring the exclusion of dynamic cerebrovascular accident.

75. Mental disorders in infectious diseases. These disorders include psychopathological changes in encephalitis, which occur both during the primary infection of the brain (epidemic, tick-borne, mosquito and other encephalitis), and as a result of complications in common infections (typhoid infections, influenza, etc.). In the acute stage against the background of a feverish state, pathological drowsiness (lethargy) appears. Hence the name - "lethargic encephalitis". Patients sleep day and night, they can hardly be awakened for eating. In addition, delirious disorders and oneiroid can be observed. Delirium is manifested by visual and auditory hallucinations, more often in the form of photopsies and acoasms; sometimes there are verbal illusions, which may be joined by fragmentary delusions of persecution. In a severe course of the disease with severe neurological symptoms, when ptosis, paresis of the oculomotor and abducens nerves, diplopia, impaired coordination of movements, convulsions, myoclonic twitches, etc. develop, there are moussifying and occupational deliriums.

During the development of the acute stage, many patients (about a third) die, some recover completely as a result of treatment. But most often the acute period of the disease passes into the chronic stage, which is called parkinsonian. In the chronic stage, along with mental changes in the form of an apatoabulic state, postencephalic parkinsonism develops. It is the leading symptom of the disease. In addition, depressive disorders with suicidal tendencies are possible, occasionally - euphoria, importunity, petty pedantry, occasionally - hallucinatory-paranoid inclusions, sometimes with elements of the Kandinsky-Clerambault syndrome. Oculogyric seizures often occur: violent abduction of the eyeballs up, less often to the sides for several seconds, minutes or even hours. Oculogyric crises are accompanied by a oneiroid disorder of consciousness with fantastic experiences: patients see another planet, space, underground, etc.

76. Intoxication psychoses. Intoxication psychoses result from acute or chronic poisoning with industrial or food poisons, chemicals used in everyday life, drugs, and medicines. Intoxication psychoses can be acute and protracted. Acute psychoses usually occur with acute poisoning and are most often manifested by impaired consciousness, the structure and depth of which depend on the nature of the toxic agent, the constitution and the acquired characteristics of the organism. Stunning, stupor, coma are the most common forms of impaired consciousness in case of poisoning. Stunning and stupor can be accompanied by chaotic motor excitation. Often, intoxication psychoses are manifested by delirious stupefaction and hallucinatory disorders (with poisoning with atropine, arsenic hydrogen, gasoline, lysergic acid derivatives, tetraethyl lead). In severe cases, the disorder of consciousness takes the form of amentia. Psychoorganic disorders may be limited to asthenoneurotic phenomena; in more severe cases, intellectual-mnestic decline, psychopathic personality changes are observed. Finally, psycho-organic disorders can reach the degree of dementia with gross memory disorders (Korsakov's syndrome), complacently high spirits and foolish behavior (pseudo-paralytic syndrome). These disorders may be accompanied by epileptic seizures and combined with neurological and somatic disorders characteristic of poisoning with a specific toxic substance. Acute intoxication psychoses occur either immediately after the poison enters the body (carbon monoxide; gasoline), or after a latent period that lasts from several hours to several days (tetraethyl lead, antifreeze). The outcome in abortive forms of acute psychoses is usually favorable. After the acute psychosis has passed, psychoorganic disorders of varying severity and structure may remain. In chronic poisoning, mental disorders grow slowly and are manifested mainly by a psycho-organic syndrome. Upon termination of contact with a toxic substance, both a regressive course of mental disorders and their further increase are possible.

Psychopathy (Greek psyche - soul and pathos - suffering) - borderline violation of personality development, characterized by disharmony in the emotional and volitional spheres. This is an incorrect, painful, development of character, an anomaly of character, from which both the person himself and society suffer (“ugliness of character”). Psychopathy is not a mental illness, but it is not a variant of the norm, not health.

Psychopathy is characterized by 3 main features established by the Russian psychiatrist P.B. Gannushkin:

1. The totality of pathological character traits that manifest themselves always and everywhere, in any conditions.

Stability of pathological character traits - they first appear in childhood or adolescence, less often in adults, and persist throughout a person's life; periodically they increase (decompensation) or weaken (compensation), but do not completely disappear.

Violation of social adaptation is precisely due to pathological character traits, and not because of adverse external influences.

Psychopathies are formed when a combination of congenital or acquired in early childhood (in the first 2-3 years) inferiority of the nervous system with the adverse effects of the environment (but at the core is precisely the biological inferiority of the child's nervous system).

There are many causes of psychopathy, the main ones are the following:

hereditary factors - psychopath parents most often give birth to children with a similar pathology (these are the so-called constitutional, genuine psychopathy - the most unfavorable option, they cannot be corrected even with proper upbringing);

alcoholism and drug addiction in parents;

various factors that negatively affect the fetus in the prenatal period of development (alcohol, nicotine, drug intoxication of the mother, medication, poisoning with something, mental trauma and infectious diseases, especially viral ones, malnutrition, severe toxicosis of pregnancy, the threat of abortion, placental abruption and etc.);

birth trauma, asphyxia during childbirth, prolonged difficult labor, forceps, etc.;

traumatic brain injury, brain infections (meningitis, encephalitis), severe poisoning in the first 3 years of a child's life;

prolonged debilitating diseases in the first 3 years of life;

disadvantages of education (atmosphere of scandals, drunkenness, incomplete family, permissiveness, etc.)

Psychopathy should be distinguished from character accentuation.

character accentuation(Latin accentus - stress and Greek charakter - trait, feature) - these are mild deviations of character, sharpening of certain personality traits. This is not a disease, but one of the variants of the norm.

The concept of accentuated personalities was developed by K. Leonhard.

With character accentuation (as opposed to psychopathy):

social adaptation is not broken (or the violation of adaptation is insignificant and temporary);

features of accentuation do not appear everywhere and not always;

a person is aware of his shortcomings and tries to avoid situations that offend him, and with psychopathy, there is an uncritical attitude towards himself and his own behavior.

Both psychopathy and character accentuations with similar manifestations are called the same.

Manifestations of psychopathy are diverse. Despite the rarity of pure types and the predominance of mixed forms, it is customary to distinguish the following classic types of psychopathy:

Explosive (excitable) psychopathy . From early childhood, the child is noted for loudness, slight excitability, restlessness, light sleep with frequent awakenings, twitches. Then the following main pathological features appear:

1. irritability and irascibility, incontinence,

   fits of uncontrollable rage,

   mood disorders (sadness, anger, fear),

   aggressiveness, vindictiveness, despotism,

   tendency to quarrels and fights (aggressive reaction of the type of short circuit “irritant - reaction”),

   the desire to assert itself at the expense of the weak,

   self-centeredness, cruelty, etc.

Behavior at school is uncontrollable, such a child cannot be disciplined. Does not show interest in studies, studies poorly, does not feel the distance between himself and an adult. Most have been drinking alcohol since adolescence, and their pathological character traits are even more pronounced (this is the group with the highest risk of developing alcoholism). They can be energetic and active. Among them are gamblers (as a rule, this takes on a painful character). Conflicts with others go through their whole life and cause a violation of social adaptation: they are intolerant at school, family, in the army, at work.

With excitable psychopathy, others suffer more than the psychopath himself (although he gets it in fights).

Hysterical psychopathy . The first personality deviations appear in children at 2-3 years of age or at preschool age. Children are capricious, touchy, mobile, prone to loin, mimic adults, imitate them; easily remember poems, jokes, anecdotes overheard from adults; they are impressionable and emotional, often the idols of the family. They have high self-esteem.

Hysterical psychopathy is characterized by:

the desire to appear larger than it actually is;

the desire to be the center of attention;

unquenchable thirst for recognition;

selfishness (life at the expense of others), selfishness, indifference to others;

posturing, acts calculated for an external effect;

tendency to lie, fantasize;

the importance of assessing others;

ability to build trust

Such children and adults usually have a good memory, relaxed thinking, quickly master a new profession, but they are not characterized by perseverance and diligence. They only like things that come easy. They prefer professions where they can be seen. They have big problems with honesty and decency (they should never be trusted to manage money). Like all weak personalities, they are cowards, they will betray and sell everyone, because. More than anything in the world, they love themselves. Prone to alcohol abuse.

Unstable psychopathy , in which there is blatant irresponsibility, the absence of permanent attachments; people with such a character easily marry, leave easily, often change their place of work, place of residence (“tumbleweed”), these are people who live in one minute.

4. Asthenic psychopathy . Its main features are:

timidity, shyness, fearfulness;

lack of self-confidence;

lethargy, decreased activity;

vulnerability, mimoznost;

increased fatigue, by the end of the lesson their attention is scattered, they are unable to perceive new material.

Asthenik at home must necessarily rest for a long time before doing homework. Usually such children do not have friends, they cannot call and learn lessons or are embarrassed to do so. Parents should constantly help them with the preparation of homework. They are very worried before any important event - an exam, a speech, etc. A slight complication of the life situation causes them neurotic reactions such as neurasthenia. They cannot carry out assignments, occupy positions associated with great responsibility and the need to lead other people. Moreover, failures in such cases are very painfully experienced.

5.Psychasthenic psychopathy . S.A. Sukhanov called psychasthenics anxious people. Their main features:

indecision, suspiciousness;

tendency to doubt, difficulty in making a decision;

tendency to introspection, mental chewing gum;

a feeling of inferiority, but at the same time expressed pride and increased appreciation;

touchiness;

communication difficulties

From childhood, such people are shy, impressionable and anxious, they are distinguished by low physical activity. At school age, anxiety intensifies, they painfully endure reprimands, repeatedly check the correctness of solving problems, in the classroom they take the longest to complete tests (recheck!). however, most of them are of a thinking type and have a good intellect. They have an inquisitive mind, a desire to get to the bottom of things meticulously, they are excellent performers, they ask a lot of questions (but only to their people), but the call to the board is painful. The “weakest” point is the need to make a quick decision or complete work in a short time .

Psychasthenic psychopathy is the option when the person himself, and not society, suffers the most (they spend their whole lives in a heroic struggle with themselves).

6.paranoid psychopathy . Its distinctive features are

suspiciousness, suspiciousness;

a high degree of readiness for the formation of overvalued ideas (most often the ideas of jealousy, litigation, invention);

selfishness, self-confidence, lack of doubt;

faith in one's infallibility;

intransigence, activity in defending one's idea

heightened self-esteem.

Schizoid psychopathy differs in the following features:

lack of sociability, isolation, isolation, secrecy;

phlegm, but also the ability to explode emotions;

emotional coldness, dryness;

lack of empathy;

greater proximity to nature and books than to peers (such people are always aloof, often lonely);

in friendship - constancy, importunity, jealousy;

one-sidedness inflexibility of judgments (a person can be boring, corrosive)

Cycloid psychopathy, the main symptom of which is a constant change in mood (either high or low) with cycles from several hours to several months.

Pathological drives , which include kleptomania, pyromania, sexual psychopathy (in which sexual satisfaction is achieved only in a perverted way), including:

homosexuality (attraction to people of the same sex);

sadism (satisfaction of sexual feelings when causing pain to a partner);

masochism (satisfaction of sexual feelings when pain is caused by a partner);

pedophilia (sexual attraction to children);

sodomy, bestiality (sexual attraction to animals);

exhibitionism (satisfaction of sexual feelings when the genitals are exposed in front of the opposite sex) and others.

Various psychopathic personalities quite often come into conflict with others. By creating conflict situations themselves, they make themselves even worse, because. during the conflict, an additional psychogenic effect arises and a psychopathic reaction may develop with an exacerbation of abnormal character traits (the teacher must take this into account). A psychopathic reaction occurs suddenly, in response to events of little significance (for a normal person) (for example, someone accidentally touched it while passing by), as a rule, it is inadequate, most often expressed in the form of protest, indignation, anger, anger, rage, and even aggression.

3. Neuroses and neurotic states in children and adolescents

Neurosis is the most common group of neuropsychiatric diseases in children. The manifestations of neurosis in them are very diverse.

The cause of neuroses is interpersonal conflicts (neurotic conflict). Neurosis is a form of mental adaptation (with the manifestation of signs of maladaptation). It is always constitutionally conditioned, connected with the peculiarities of the psyche, and not with the nature of the traumatic situation. The form of neurosis in a person does not change throughout life. The neurotic form of response is laid in childhood as a manifestation of overcompensation of some quality in violation of significant relationships with the microenvironment and has a childish connotation. There are no organic changes in the brain during pregnancy.

An important feature of neurosis is that a person is aware of his illness and strives to overcome it. The ability to adapt to the environment remains.

There are three main forms of neurosis:

Neurasthenia (asthenic neurosis) - the most common form of neurosis. In the development of neurosis in children and adolescents, the main role belongs to stress or chronic psychotrauma , most often associated with conflicts in the family (quarrels between parents, alcoholism, their divorce, a conflict situation due to the lack of work of spouses, a sense of social injustice - the inaccessibility of much that other peers have) or protracted school conflicts. Has the meaning and the wrong approach to education (excessive requirements, unnecessary restrictions), as well as weakening health child due to frequent illnesses, contributes to the development of impotence overloading the child with various activities , primarily intellectual (increased teaching load in specialized schools, additional classes in circles, etc.). However, in itself, the factor of intellectual (as well as physical) overload in childhood and adolescence, although it can cause overwork and asthenia of the nervous system, in the absence of a traumatic situation, it usually does not lead to the development of asthenic neurosis.

Asthenic neurosis in an expanded form occurs only in children of school age and adolescents (in children of early, preschool and primary school age, initial and atypical asthenic reactions are observed).

The main manifestation of neurasthenia is a condition irritable weakness, characterized, one side, increased incontinence, a tendency to affective discharges of discontent, irritability and even anger, often aggression (excessive response to an insignificant occasion), and with another- in mental exhaustion, tearfulness, intolerance to any mental stress, fatigue. Passive defense reactions are excessively expressed. At the same time, volitional activity is reduced, a feeling of hopelessness arises against the background of super-responsibility, the mood is depressed, dissatisfaction with oneself and everyone around is noted, depression is a strong melancholy, accompanied by a feeling of despair and anxiety, there may be suicide attempts (suicide).

With neurasthenia, vegetative disorders are always present: palpitations, a feeling of sinking heart or interruptions, pain in the region of the heart, a tendency to vascular syncope (with a rapid change in body position), a decrease or increase in blood pressure, shortness of breath, increased gag reflex, decreased appetite, superficial sleep, cold snap hands, feet, sweating (hyperhidrosis), which contributes to the child's colds, which in turn aggravate the course of asthenic neurosis.

Hysteria (Greek hystera - uterus) - ranks second in frequency after neurasthenia. It occurs in infantile, hysterical personalities with poor mental adaptation (often with a pyknotic somatic constitution), often in a traumatic situation associated with a contradiction between what is desired and what is actually achievable (poor academic performance, inattention from peers, etc.), with infringed pride, dissatisfied with their position in the team. Its forms are diverse and often disguised as various diseases (“big liar”, “big monkey” - this is how this type of neurosis is figuratively called). Its forms reflect two known animal (and children’s) types of response in the face of danger - “imaginary death” (fading ) and "motor storm" (frightening, avoidance, attack) - seizures (like epilepsy). A hysterical fit usually occurs in the presence of spectators and is aimed at attracting their attention. Partial fixation can be manifested by functional paralysis and paresis, disorders of pain sensitivity, coordination of movements, speech disorders (stuttering, soundlessness up to complete dumbness), asthmatic attacks, etc. situations, justify a child's underachievement or eliminate the need to go to school.

Obsessional neurosis. It occurs more often in asthenics, people of a melancholic warehouse. It is believed that a well-defined obsessive-compulsive disorder cannot arise before the age of 10. This is due to the achievement of a certain degree of maturity of the self-consciousness of the child's personality and the formation of an anxious and suspicious background of the psyche, on the basis of which obsessive phenomena arise. In children of an earlier age, it is expedient to speak not of neurosis, but of neurotic reactions in the form of obsessive states.

There are two types of neurosis:

- neurosis of obsessive fears(phobias). Their content depends on the age of the child. In younger children, obsessive fears of infection and pollution, sharp objects, enclosed spaces predominate. In older children and adolescents, fears associated with the consciousness of their physical "I" dominate. For example, obsessive fears of illness and death, fear of blushing (ereitophobia), obsessive fear of speech in stutterers (logophobia). A special type of phobic neurosis in adolescents is unbearable waiting, which is characterized by anxious anticipation and fear of failure when performing some habitual action (for example, fear of oral answers to the class, despite being well prepared), as well as violation of it when trying to perform.

- obsessional neurosis. However, obsessive-compulsive states of a mixed nature are often encountered. At the same time, the mood tends to decrease, vegetative disorders occur.

Children often have systemic neuroses :

- neurotic stuttering - violation of the rhythm, pace and fluency of speech associated with convulsions of the muscles involved in the speech act. It occurs more frequently in boys than in girls.

- Mutism ( lat. mutus - silence) is a disorder predominantly of school age (in adults - rarely), because the emerging speech of the child is the youngest function of the psyche, therefore it often breaks down under the influence of a wide variety of harmful factors.

Children with mutism need to be treated with care - do not punish, do not ridicule, do not insult, do not put them up to the board "until they speak."

- neurotic tics– various automated elementary movements (blinking, lip licking, twitching of the head, shoulders, various movements of the limbs, torso), as well as coughing, “grunting”, “grunting” sounds (the so-called respirator tics), which arise as a result of the fixation of one or another protective action. Most often observed between the ages of 7 and 12 years. Tics can become obsessive, then they are a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder ;

- anorexia nervosa- refusal to eat;

- neurotic sleep disorder - sleep disturbance, sleep depth with nocturnal awakenings, night terrors, as well as sleepwalking (somnambulism) and sleep-talking.

- neurotic enuresis - unconscious urinary incontinence, predominantly during nocturnal sleep ;

- neurotic encopresis - involuntary excretion of bowel movements that occurs in the absence of disorders and diseases of the lower intestine. As a rule, the child does not feel the urge to defecate, at first does not notice the presence of bowel movements, and only after some time feels an unpleasant odor. Most often occurs at the age of 7-9 years, in boys more often.

Treatment methods for neuroses are based on a combination of pharmacological therapy with various types of psychotherapy.

Buyanov M.I. Conversations about child psychiatry. - M.: Enlightenment, 1992

Buyanov M.I. Fundamentals of psychotherapy for children and adolescents.- M .: Education, 1998

Doroshkevich M.P. Neuroses and neurotic conditions in children and adolescents: Textbook for students of pedagogical specialties of higher educational institutions / - Minsk: Belarus, 2004

Enikeeva D.D. Borderline conditions in children and adolescents: the basis of psychiatric knowledge. Allowance for students. Higher Ped. Educational institutions.-M.: 1998

Fundamentals of psychological knowledge - Uch.posobie. Author-compiler G.V. Shchekin - Kyiv, 1999

list the most common signs of violations of cognitive activity, emotional and volitional activity.

name borderline mental states in children.

explain the need for knowledge about such states for the teacher.

describe different types of psychopathy

after analyzing the causes of psychopathy, to give recommendations for their prevention.

give the concept of neurosis.

talk about the types of neuroses and their prevention.

Questions submitted for independent study:

1. Factors of the risk of mental illness in the era of scientific and technological revolution: urbanization, hypodynamia, informational overwhelm.

Weiner E.N. Valeology: a textbook for universities. - M .: Flinta: Science, 2002. - pp. 68-74; 197-201.

Additional block of information.

The living conditions of modern man are significantly different from those in which his formation as a biosocial being took place. In the early stages of the existence of Homo sapiens, he led a lifestyle close to natural. In particular, he was characterized by a high level of physical activity, which in itself corresponded to the neuropsychic tension necessary in the struggle for existence. People lived in small communities, lived in an ecologically clean natural environment, which could be replaced (but not changed) by the whole community if it became unsuitable for life.

The development of civilization went in the direction of property stratification and professional specialization of people, necessary for mastering new tools of labor, increasing the duration of training and gradually lengthening the period of specialization of a part of the population. From the standpoint of the life of one generation, all these changes occurred rather slowly, against the background of relatively slow changes in the habitat, low population density, and while maintaining a high level of motor activity. All this did not represent any special requirements for the human psyche that went beyond the evolutionary requirements .

The situation began to change from the beginning of the development of capitalism and progressive urbanization, and most radically - in the second half of the 20th century, when the way of life of a person began to change rapidly.

Urbanization(lat. urbanus - urban) - socio-demographic process, which consists in the growth of the urban population, the number and size of cities, which is associated with the concentration and intensification of technogenic functions, the spread of a changed urban lifestyle

Urban population growth is sharp increased the density of human-to-human contacts.. The increased speed of human movement causes an increasing number of interpersonal contacts, and to a large extent - with strangers. From the point of view of the psyche, these contacts are often unpleasant for a person (danger of developing distress). On the contrary, family relationships are beneficial, if, of course, relations between family members are good. However, unfortunately, favorable family relationships occupy only 20-30 minutes a day in the family, according to statistics. Often there is a violation of traditional family ties.

Undoubtedly, some factors of a noticeably changed external environment have an undoubted influence on the psyche of modern man. So, the noise level has increased significantly in the city, where it significantly exceeds the permissible norms (busy highway). Poor sound insulation, included in your own apartment or neighbors TV, radio, etc. make the effect of noise almost constant. They, unlike natural ones (wind noise, etc.), have a negative effect on the entire body and on the psyche in particular: the respiratory rate and blood pressure change, sleep and the nature of dreams are disturbed, insomnia and other adverse symptoms develop. Such factors have a particularly strong impact on the growing children's body, and the level of fear increases more clearly in children.

Special place in a violation of the mental state of a person is played by radioactive contamination(the nervous system is very sensitive to its effects), electromagnetic pollution in the form of radiation from the plexus of wires, electrical appliances (makes a person more aggressive). On the emotional sphere of a person some forms of rock music are extremely unfavorable. which are characterized by a monotonous rhythm, emphasized emotionally intense coloring of the soloists' voices, increased loudness above the norm and a special spectrum of sound.

It should be taken into account that the person himself is a source of weak electromagnetic and other physical fields. Perhaps a large crowd of people (and this is typical for a city) generates electromagnetic waves of various characteristics, which, at an unconscious level, can have a negative effect on the brain.

An indirect effect on the state of the brain, mental health has and chemical pollution of the atmosphere(an increase in carbon monoxide in the inhaled air impairs gas exchange in the brain tissue and reduces its functional characteristics, etc.).

Destruction of the natural human environment(which itself is a particle of nature), replacing it with an artificial environment made of stone and concrete containing isolated spaces, etc. deforms the human psyche, especially the emotional component, disrupts perception, and reduces the health potential.

The scientific and technological revolution led to a decrease in the share of physical labor, that is, to decrease in the level of physical activity(development of hypodynamia). This circumstance violated the natural biological mechanisms, in which the latter was the final link in life activity, therefore, the nature of the flow of life processes in the body changed and, ultimately, the stock of human adaptive capabilities, its functional reserves, decreased.

According to Academician Berg, over the past century, energy consumption for muscle activity in humans has decreased from 94% to 1%. And this indicates that the reserves of the body have decreased by 94 times. Physical inactivity is especially unfavorable in children during the maturation of the body, when energy deficiency limits not only physical development, but also psychological (including intellectual). There may be a need for doping, first psychological, then medicinal and, quite possibly, narcotic.

Hypodynamia turns off the final link of the stress reaction - movement. This leads to stress on the central nervous system, which, in the conditions of already high information and social overload of a modern person, naturally leads to the transition of stress into distress, reduces physical and mental performance, and disrupts the normal functioning of the brain.

Modern life is associated with an exceptionally large flow of diverse information, which a person receives, processes and assimilates. According to some data, every 10-12 years the amount of newly received information in the world corresponds to that which has been accumulated over the entire previous history of mankind. And this means that modern children need to learn at least 4 times more information than their parents at the same age, and 16 times more than their grandparents. But the brain of modern man has remained almost the same as it was 100 and 10,000 years ago. This creates the prerequisites for information overload. In addition, a reduction in the time for processing new information increases neuropsychic stress, which often causes negative reactions and conditions leading to disruptions in normal mental activity. At the same time, the brain tries to protect itself from excessive and unfavorable information, which makes a person emotionally less sensitive, emotionally “dull”, less responsive to the problems of loved ones, insensitive to cruelty, and then to good, aggressive. In some cases, this is already observed in young children.

The considered risk factors, which are typical for most cities, are associated with the so-called diseases of civilization - diseases that are widespread among economically developed countries: hypertension, coronary heart disease, stomach ulcers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, bronchial asthma, neuroses, mental disorders, etc. .

List the main health risk factors associated with the scientific and technological revolution.

Explain the negative impact of urbanization on human mental health.

Describe the relationship between hypodynamia and human mental health

Describe the effect of excess information on the human psyche.

Give the concept of diseases of civilization.

- personality disorder, accompanied by irascibility, quarrelsomeness, conflict and increased aggressiveness. Behavioral disorders are stable, not controlled by volitional effort, make it difficult to adapt in a team and create harmonious close relationships. Intelligence saved. The change in character is stable, not amenable to deep correction and does not progress during life, but can be aggravated under the influence of traumatic circumstances. At the stage of compensation, measures are taken for social, personal and labor adaptation. In the stage of decompensation, psychotherapy and drug therapy are used.

Reasons for the development of excitable psychopathy

The cause of the development of excitable psychopathy is congenital or acquired at an early age features of the nervous system, combined with adverse external influences. If the constitutional features of the patient become the main triggering factor, psychopathy is called nuclear. If the patient's psychopathic traits are formed under the influence of adverse psychogenic influences, they speak of the pathocharacteristic development of the personality or marginal psychopathy.

Nuclear psychopathy is based on biological factors: unfavorable heredity, complicated pregnancy, difficult childbirth and developmental disorders in the first years of a child's life. Regional psychopathy can be provoked by neglect, constant conflicts between parents, defects in education, severe and long-term illnesses, congenital and acquired physical defects.

Excitable psychopathy can be provoked by constant humiliation, gross suppression of the personality, ignoring the feelings and interests of the child, or, on the contrary, admiration, adoration, an uncritical attitude towards his actions, the desire to indulge all his whims and whims. In this case, both the duration of exposure and the characteristics of the character of the child are important. Excitable psychopathy often develops in extroverted individuals with a violent temperament and weak willpower, or in stubborn, persistent children.

With a timely change in social conditions and the creation of a psychologically favorable environment, the process of forming a psychopathic personality stops, the existing violations stabilize or become less pronounced. Regional psychopathy is characterized by greater plasticity. With them, less pronounced behavioral disorders and better social adaptation are observed. The prognosis for marginal psychopathy is more favorable than for nuclear ones.

Symptoms of Excitable Psychopathy

The main symptom of excitable psychopathy is repetitive outbursts of uncontrollable anger that are not appropriate for the circumstances. Any minor event can provoke another fit of rage: improperly prepared (from the patient’s point of view) and not served breakfast on time, poor assessment of the child, a small conflict in the queue or in transport, disagreement of the management with the patient’s position on some professional issue, etc. Usually it is possible to establish a connection between the behavior of others and a flash of anger, however, in some cases, attacks can occur spontaneously, without any external causes.

The degree of compensation can vary significantly. Some patients are well adapted, keep families and work for a long time in one place. Others constantly destroy relationships, cannot get along with anyone, often change jobs or do not work at all. The cause of decompensation is usually acute conflicts and protracted stresses: divorce, rupture of personal relationships, dismissal or the threat of losing a job, somatic illness, financial difficulties, etc.

Character changes in excitable psychopathy are noticeable from the first years of a child's life. In childhood, patients are distinguished by intemperance, a sharp and rapid change of emotions, unbridled, inability to find compromises, a desire to take a leadership position and a tendency to aggressive behavior. They cannot control their emotional reactions through volitional effort or conscious analysis of the situation. The only way to resolve the problem for them is a conflict, often rude, with the use of threats and physical force.

Despite the ineffectiveness of aggression, the frequent escalation of conflicts and the deterioration of relations with others, patients cannot find other, more productive options for solving problems. Both in childhood and as adults, they easily make enemies, which does not have the best effect on their personal relationships and social status. When decompensated in childhood, they often take part in fights and commit hooligan acts, and as adults, they find themselves in the dock in connection with violent crimes.

In close contacts, such traits of explosive psychopaths as increased demands on relatives and friends, captiousness, suspicion, distrust, dominance, quarrelsomeness, selfishness, inability to reckon with the interests and feelings of other people become especially noticeable. In a state of passion, the consciousness of patients narrows, they become capable of extremely cruel acts, including murder. Sometimes there is a tendency to develop addictions and persistently deviant behavior: alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling, sexual perversions, vagrancy, etc.

Diagnosis of excitable psychopathy

The most important diagnostic criteria are aggressiveness, conflict and a tendency to sudden outbursts of anger, which have persisted for many years, against the background of intact intelligence and the ability to critically evaluate their own actions. Psychopathic features are stable and do not progress throughout life. Personality disorders are characterized by totality, global disharmony, and hinder family, social and labor adaptation of the patient.

Often, differential diagnosis is required with neurotic disorders caused by chronic conflict (especially in the presence of severe psychological trauma in childhood). In both cases, persistent personal changes are observed that make professional implementation and building personal relationships difficult. The decisive criterion in such cases is the severity and totality of personal transformation. Personality disorders in neurotic disorders are never so bright and global, sometimes reaching a psychotic level.

Treatment of excitable psychopathy

Despite the widespread prevalence of psychopathy, only a small proportion of patients seek professional help from psychiatrists, being in a state of compensation. Much more often, patients go to the doctor at the stage of decompensation, when complications arise: substance abuse, drug addiction, alcoholism, acute psychotic episodes, depressive disorders, etc. After the elimination of acute symptoms, most patients stop visiting a psychiatrist, and the doctor simply does not have time to do anything. correct psychopathic disorders.

Even with regular visits to a psychiatrist, the treatment of excitable psychopathy is a formidable task. In fact, the psychiatrist needs to rebuild the core of the patient's personality: his system of values, attitudes, attitude towards himself and others. In most cases, it is absolutely unrealistic to solve such a problem, therefore, in practice, the therapy of psychopathy consists in a targeted effect on the most problematic areas. Elimination or mitigation of gross violations contributes to the improvement of the patient's family and social adaptation, which, in turn, increases the chances of achieving sustainable compensation.

Most experts assign the main role of psychotherapy, considering it the most effective way to form the optimal style of the patient's relationship with others. Both individual therapy and group classes are used. Foreign experts believe that the best result is achieved with the use of long-term in-depth psychotherapy (psychoanalysis), but there is still not enough data to objectively assess this opinion.

In acute traumatic situations, they work with the current state of the patient, help the patient at least partially revise internal standards and life attitudes, and provide psychological support. Psychological correction is carried out against the background of drug treatment. To reduce excitability, drugs from the group of neuroleptics are prescribed; antidepressants are used to normalize mood in depression and subdepression. To eliminate persistent malicious dysphoria, valproic acid, carbamazepine are used.