The category of affective psychoses includes a group of disorders that develop in patients with the onset of extreme shock and severe stress. These pathologies arise on the basis of the development of affect, they are characterized by the periodicity of phases. In this article, we will find out what the symptoms are when an affective psychosis appears, and the main patterns of the course will also be presented.
Development feature
A feature of the development of affective type psychosis is:
- The suddenness of formation. This form appears, as a rule, without any previous symptoms.
- Strictly two-phase course of the disorder. As these phases it is worth considering mania and depression.
Provoking factors of the disease
Affective psychoses, as a rule, can be caused by the following factors:
- The presence of strong fluctuations in the hormonal level in the human body.
- Genetic predestination.
- Concomitant somatic pathology. It can be hormonally determined. In addition, for this pathology, the residence of certain periods is characteristic, for example, puberty, menopause, menopause, pregnancy and the like.
- The use of antidepressants.
The main trigger factor
Affective psychoses in psychiatry are diagnosed quite often. The main provocative factor causing the onset of such a condition is the presence of a person within the framework of an extreme situation for his psyche. This may be, for example, a situation of obvious threat to life. In addition, figuratively speaking, the mind can perceive the usual situation as a threatening death for the body or simply conjectures circumstances to such a state. Through the mind, the appearance of pain along with suffocation or other similar sensations can be staged.
Narrowing of consciousness
Conditions within the framework of affective psychosis are characterized by a narrowing of the level of consciousness. It is also accompanied by inadequate thinking for the environment. All this, as a rule, is reflected in behavior and speech. Deviations in such functions arise as a result of sharp changes in the energy of the brain due to the accumulation in the blood of under-oxidized waste products under the influence of a stress factor. These products become toxic substances, the so-called hallucinogens.
A person experiences the first experience of being in an affective state as a fetus in the womb. The process occurs under the influence of brain hypoxia, which is determined by the behavior, as well as the energy of the pregnant woman.
Risk category
Persons of both sexes are included in the risk category. But mainly women with such a personality warehouse, in which the psychopathic and hysterical component predominates, fall into it. In addition, this category includes people with a psyche that was deformed as a result of injuries. Neuroinfections can also affect such changes in the structure of the nervous system.
Recurrent depression has a nosological position among affective psychoses.
Features of the disease
The difference between this type of psychosis and bipolar disorder, which proceeds in two phases, is that the latter type forms mixed states as a result of its course, in which the symptoms of depression are replaced by signs of mania or vice versa. The development of psychotic states of affective genesis occurs as a result of a change in the depressive and manic phases.
What are the differences?
The difference between the two is diametrically opposed behavior patterns. They can also be distinguished by changes in speech and movements, which are characterized either by unusual animation, or by depression of the patient's psyche. The classic sign of the first phase is the presence of dreary depression, but the disorder may have features of an alarming, hypochondriacal or hysterical nature.
Prevailing emotions
The prevailing emotion becomes, as a rule, the appearance of despondency along with depression, passivity and indifference in behavior. All this is determined by the circumstances of the seemingly hopelessness from the situation that traumatizes the human psyche. Moreover, absolutely all thoughts of the patient are concentrated on it. Symptoms of affective psychosis in each person manifest themselves in different ways.
The patient’s statements are filled with self-incrimination, as well as all kinds of ideas of their own futility and sinfulness. Or this condition can be expressed in the framework of accusations against others, which become especially persistent due to concern about the state of health of the opponent. The manifest and reactive forms of depression are accompanied by severe negative vegetation. Physically, this usually manifests itself in the form of an increased heart rate, spikes in blood pressure, shortness of breath and sweating. An improvement in mood can be noted in the evening. True, a night's sleep is extremely upset, it is intermittent and filled with nightmares. Appetite, as practice shows, is usually reduced.
Excessive dramatization
In case of bipolar affective psychosis, excessive dramatization with complaints of fate and life circumstances may be accompanied by general motor inhibition along with a slowdown in the rate of speech and thought processes. At the same time, both speech and thinking do not differ in the richness or variety of their shades. The duration of the presented depression, in which complaints of mental pain often take the character of a physical sensation, is a time span of three to six months. The general structure of the depressive phases themselves is up to eighty percent of their total volume.
It is also worth noting that among affective psychoses, the manic-depressive variant is quite common.
The atypical behavior and movements are characteristic of the manic phase of this form of psychosis, which is explained by the patient being in a state of inexplicable and incomprehensible euphoria in situations in which it is a matter of self-assessment of his activity.
The patient is in a state of undue complacency, experiencing pleasant sensations from his mobility. At the same time, he also speaks a lot and eagerly, accompanying the speech with rich gestures. The patient is contacted, but against the backdrop of all this, his attention is extremely superficial, and the actions are not thought out and justified.
All the behavior of the patient as a whole gives the impression of some random movements and unconscious arousal. In addition, the general behavior of the patient seems unproductive. A kind of movement is happening just for the sake of it. Actions do not bring any fun or joy. The patient is caused by an explosion of irritation along with anger at any very slight criticism from the outside or when listening to adequate questions.
Thought activity
Mental activity, as well as speech against the background of the disorder, are also characterized by a low level of concentration of attention, which is accompanied by superficial unconsciousness along with fading. The emotions of a patient with bipolar affective psychosis are shallow and uniform, they are interrupted by flashes of absolutely unmotivated anger. Disorders of appetite and sleep can complement the overall picture of the phase. Its duration is sometimes up to one year. The exception is mania, which grows over five days and lasts about six months.
It is interesting to note that up to twenty percent of patients with this psychopathology suffer from the classic mania of fun, which lasts up to four months with the advent of delusional disorders directly at the peak of affect.
Diagnosing Affective Psychosis
In the context of establishing a diagnosis, the following factors are of great importance:
- Clinic with a characteristic biphasic component.
- The presence of a connection with fluctuations in the hormonal activity of the human body.
- The presence of a genetic determinant and the transition of the disease from generation to generation.
In order to confirm the diagnosis, specialists also use instrumental methods of conducting the study:
- Performing electroencephalography.
- Conducting computed tomography of the brain.
- Taking analyzes of biological materials of the body. Thus, a clinical and biochemical blood test is needed.
In order to diagnose, it is also advisable to invite an oncologist, as well as an ophthalmologist, pediatrician and other specialists.
Methods and techniques for the treatment of affective psychoses
Treatment directly depends on which phase the disease is at a particular moment. With exacerbation, drug directions are especially actively used. During remission, specialists resort, as a rule, to psychotherapeutic methods of influencing patients. Directly to the methods of psychotherapy include the following techniques:
- Hypnotic therapy.
- Group or individual occupational therapy.
- Art therapy.
- Psychoanalysis.
- The implementation of relaxation therapy.
Medication
Drug exposure is carried out based on the phase of the pathology. In the depressive phase, specialists use the following drugs:
- Medicines that inhibit inhibition of the nervous system.
- Drugs that contribute to a general increase in mood, improving the tone of the body as a whole.
- Medicines whose effects are aimed at preventing muscle stiffness and slowing down motor activity.
Medications from the first category include antipsychotics, which improve the clarity of thinking. These include Risperidone, Eglonil, and others. The use of benzodiazepine drugs, which include “Phenazepam”, makes it possible to reduce the overall level of depression and anxiety, reducing the manifestations of fear and muscle stiffness. Such tablets artificially reduce the excitability thresholds of subcortical structures. The use of normotimics (lithium salts) promotes a mood boost. In turn, the category of antidepressants, which includes Sertraline and similar drugs, mitigates the effects of longing and hopelessness. A group of anticholinergic drugs, among which one can name Akineton and its analogues, significantly reduce muscle stiffness and contribute to greater freedom of movement.
Directly in the manic phase, it is desirable to prescribe the following drugs:
- Medicines with antipsychotic effects. Among them are drugs such as Fluanxol and Solian.
- Preparations related to the benzodiazepine series. In this case, we are talking about "Zopiclone" and "Oxazepame." These drugs have a sedative effect on the patient’s body, helping to restore sleep and reduce anxiety.
- Preparations related to the normotimic spectrum. These include Kontemnol and Aktinerval; they allow you to control the level of emotional state.
- Anticholinergics, including Cyclodolum and the like. Such drugs reduce the side effect of antipsychotics, preventing excessive excitability on the part of brain neurons.
Symptoms and treatment of affective psychosis are often interrelated.
Preventative measures
Conditions of psychosis, which can lead to vital longing, subject to proper and timely treatment, can be completely reversible. Thus, with timely treatment, it is possible to achieve positive changes in the psyche, as well as completely restore all its functions.
Conclusion
Measures to prevent manic-affective psychoses are primarily the preservation of the nervous system. Moreover, it must be protected from psychological trauma and neuroinfections. It is also extremely important to observe the norms of the duration of work and rest, maintaining an adequate and healthy psychological climate in any team. In addition, it is necessary to take measures aimed at maintaining the body in a state of full working capacity and the tone required for life. Also, for a healthy psycho-emotional state, a person needs regular receipt of positive emotions.