Not everyone can boast of a strong nervous system. The rhythm of human life is constantly accelerating, and this leads to the fact that people sleep less and work more. Constant companions both at home and at work are informational, emotional overload and stress. Even the most restrained people break down, because the accumulated irritability finds a way out sooner or later. Frequent stimulants of nervous breakdowns are family conflicts and difficulties at work.
The definition of "neurosis and neurotic state"
The World Health Organization has published statistics that report that 400 million people are experiencing some form of mental illness. According to the same organization, the most common disorder is neurosis and neurotic condition.
A state of neurosis is a functional mental disorder characterized by reversibility, provoked by prolonged or acute traumatic factors of the external or internal environment.
Neurotic syndrome in humans is expressed in a state of dissatisfaction and psychological distress.
Neurosis characteristics
Human neurosis, like any other disorder, has its own characteristics and properties.
Firstly, the source of neurosis is psychogenic. Secondly, the disorder is reversible in time. Thirdly, the form of the disease is protracted. Fourth, neurosis and neurotic conditions do not lead to progressive personality changes. Fifth, the patient adequately and critically treats his condition.
The concept of neurosis in the Western and domestic scientific world
Domestic scientists have developed a classification and identified three basic elements. So, here are these types of neuroses: neurosis of obsessive states, neurasthenia and hysteria. Soviet psychiatrists in the 70-80s of the twentieth century also added such a neurotic syndrome as neurotic depression to the typology presented.
Western scholars include neurosis of fear, hypochondria, anxiety and neurotic phobia as a disorder.
Neurotic conditions in children are also not so rare. The child inherits some properties of the character and habits of the mother or father, which have destructive tendencies. Inadequate educational measures (too strict or too kind parents, indulging their children, lack or excess of love) also affect the occurrence of this disorder in children.
In adults, neurotic reactions can occur as a result of a serious illness, prolonged stress, loss of a loved one, problems in personal or family life, extreme use of physical and mental resources without a corresponding break. High-dose alcohol and drug use also contribute to the development of neurosis.
Symptoms of Neurosis
An interesting fact is that the patient for many years may not recognize the symptoms of neurosis as pathological patterns of his body. And only when he becomes ill, he will turn to a specialist. What is the matter? The answer is simple: after all, people are accustomed to perceive fatigue, inexplicable anxiety as something ordinary, and not as a neurosis. Patient reviews of their condition show us a picture of this disorder. In the event that the listed symptoms begin to interfere more and more with life, a person understands that, probably, something was wrong with him. Also, the neurotic will have an unstable mood. Vulnerability, indecision, resentment, poor resistance to stress - all this tells us about the disease.
The most important characteristic that defines the essence of a neurotic disorder is contradictions in a person’s value system, which give rise to a lack of a specific worldview, fluctuations in desires and aspirations, and an unstable attitude towards oneself and the world around.
Specific mental illnesses (obsessions, compulsive actions, overeating, bulimia, anorexia, depression) often become companions of neurosis.
The three main types of neurosis
Types of neurosis, identified by Soviet scientists, we will consider in more detail. Let's get down to the first view.
Neurasthenia (asthenic neurosis)
This disorder is characterized by the following asthenic manifestations:
- High level of mental and physical fatigue.
- Distraction.
- Lack of focus.
- Low working capacity.
- An increased need for rest, which helps to restore strength.
It should be noted that a high level of mental exhaustion and hypersthesia (high irritability) are also present with neurasthenia. Neurotics can not restrain their emotions, they are rather quick-tempered, they are characterized by constant internal tension. Little things that a person simply didn’t notice before are now very annoying and cause a storm of emotional reactions that can end in tears.
Headache, sleep disturbance and various
psychosomatic disorders of the systems are signs of a disease such as asthenic neurosis. Symptoms and treatment will be evaluated by a specialist and will help a person recover.
Obsessive Neurosis
The clinical picture of this neurosis is numerous "obsessions." Neuroses and neurotic conditions of this category include such various phobias: agoraphobia, sociophobia, fear of disease, claustrophobia, etc.
The presented disorder tends to be a protracted course, when compared with other types of neurosis. In the case of preservation of symptoms, that is, when new symptoms do not appear, the patient adapts to phobia and tries to avoid situations where fear may manifest itself. It turns out that the disease does not change the way of life of a person too much.
Hysteria
The disorder has motor and sensory disturbances, and also manifests itself in problems of autonomic functions that mimic anatomophysiological diseases (conversion).
Movement disorders include hysterical paralysis and paresis, tick, tremor and other various voluntary movements. It turns out that a person can be both immobilized, and move arbitrarily.
Sensory disorders include the occurrence of anesthesia, excessive sensitivity (hypersthesia) and hysterical pain (headache, squeezing temples).
Anorexia nervosa, enuresis, and stuttering are also a neurosis. Symptoms and treatment are determined by a physician specializing in human psychology.
Causes of a Neurotic State
The cause of any neurosis is a conflict that can come from both the internal and external environment, or from both at the same time. Conflicts provoked by the external environment are conflicts of interpersonal relations and a person’s confrontation with the outside world. To resolve the situation, sometimes it’s enough just to change the environment, which will bring greater psychological comfort than the previous one. But if a person has an intrapersonal conflict, then a change of atmosphere is a temporary and short-lived measure.
The second type of conflict - the internal one - often proceeds latently and may not be generally recognized by a person, but this does not mean at all that its destructive influence will be less, on the contrary, even stronger. This is because the personality acts under the influence of conflicting desires and aspirations.
An internal conflict situation arises if the children's precepts laid down by the parents begin to conflict with the reality, needs and desires of the individual. Each person who has a neurosis is characterized by his personal individual picture of conflicts and contradictions.
Prevention and treatment
In order to get rid of the neurotic state, doctors recommend making changes to their lifestyle. For example, a person can devote more time to walks, sports, stop drinking alcohol, eat fast food. The new environment, for example, new cities, countries, travels, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Scientists claim that people with hobbies feel much better than those who are not keen on anything.
There are times when at times of excitement and anxiety a person washes dishes, windows, floors, cleans, that is, does something, thus freeing up internal energy. Yoga and autogenous workouts help maintain mental health.
Doctors advise to walk more in the park, forests, work in the garden, because the green color positively affects the nervous system of a patient with a neurosis. Green shades soothe a person, eliminate irritability, help to eliminate fatigue, insomnia and establish spiritual harmony. In psychiatric clinics, green is used in the treatment of hysterical patients.
Also, in specialized institutions for the treatment of neurosis, doctors use various diets, taking vitamins, physical activity, nootropic drugs, antidepressants and tranquilizers. There is also psychological help. Psychologists and psychotherapists work with patients, conducting individual consultations and trainings. The psychotherapist must create conditions that will help the patient develop a new attitude.
Conclusion
Drug treatment of neurotic disorders is not highly effective. Taking drugs, a person can suffer from a disease for several years or even tens of years. The danger of such treatment lies in the possibility of dependence on tranquilizers or other drugs. Therefore, psychotherapy is an essential element of treatment.
Doctors can use both short-term techniques to relieve the intensity of the symptom and long-term psychotherapy, which will help determine the source of the neurosis and resolve the conflict. A person in the process of work personally grows and develops new patterns of behavior. Such therapy can last for two to three years. It depends on the complexity of the individual patient history.
Life with a person who has developed a neurotic state is very difficult, and sometimes simply impossible. Neurotic is very demanding. All your attention and love should belong only to him. If you reduce the concentration of love and care, then the reaction in the form of resentment will be immediate. He begins to find fault and thereby discourages his partner's love and desire to take care of him.
Such a person constantly whines and complains to people around him, talks about his fears and burdens his relatives and relatives without realizing it. Such complaints are generally incomprehensible to people, because in front of them is a healthy-looking person, and he says that everything is bad. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the neurotic suffers greatly and is experiencing his condition. In this regard, it is better not to delay, but to immediately contact a specialist and take a course of psychotherapy, understand yourself, your thoughts and desires. Only a man can help himself.