In the world there are a huge number of different diseases. However, today mental illnesses, various mental disorders and deviations are still very little studied. In this article I want to tell you exactly what megalomania is.
Illness or ...?
Trying to determine the concept, you can encounter many problems. After all, a modern person uses this phrase - “megalomania” - quite often uses it in everyday life. It can be applied to bosses, people of show business and other personalities whose behavior causes indignation among others. But in addition to its everyday use, such a phrase also exists in medicine. And it has a completely clear designation.
About the concept
So, at first it’s worth understanding the concept itself. What is megalomania? If we consider the etymology of the word, then translated from Greek it is "too big", "exaggerated." Only after this, you can draw certain conclusions for yourself.
If we strictly follow the medical dictionary, it says that megalomania is such a kind of behavior, a person’s consciousness, when he exaggerates his value, mental abilities, talents, importance and power too much. As for science, this section deals with the section of the pathology of the psyche, which most often defines this condition as a component of paranoia or a symptom of manic syndrome.
Where does the disease come from?
The reasons should also be considered. When can delusions of grandeur arise? It risks manifesting itself if a person has progressive paralysis (or Bayle's disease), as well as brain syphilis. These diseases have several stages: from the onset to the development of the disease (from the general weakness of the body to complete insanity or even insanity).
Mania of greatness is a symptom that can both manifest itself and go unnoticed. This is especially true for syphilis. Here this disorder manifests itself if the disease does not make itself felt for several years due to the fact that it proceeds in a special, milder form (however, this happens only in 5% of patients). An interesting fact is that this state of the brain can also occur with affective psychosis, when a person begins to suddenly have new ideas, an extremely painful reaction to various external stimuli is found, and excessive eloquence may occur.
A few words about schizophrenia
Quite often, this disorder is a symptom of a disease such as paranoid schizophrenia. Mania of greatness in such a situation is a kind of obsession. In this situation, excessive self-love and the exaltation of one's “I” acts as a litmus test . Most often, a person is haunted by this mental disorder precisely at the time of hallucinations or a delusional state. Then she is sick and feels herself an extremely important person.
Most common cases
However, more often than usual, in addition to the above options, such a mental disorder can occur as a result of a strong dissatisfaction of a person with his own person. Irritation can be appearance, lack of education or an unsatisfactory place of work, as well as many other points. In such a situation, a person tries to correct the situation himself using the methods available to him: go to study, change jobs and improve his appearance. However, all this will already be accompanied by a certain overestimation of one's own significance and too abrupt exaltation of what until recently was a flaw.
In this case, it is worth noting that megalomania is difficult to distinguish, it is almost impossible to identify if you do not seek medical help (which is extremely rare). But even after the definition, this disorder (if we only talk about its presence) is not considered to be any special one that deserves much attention in the section of mental disorders.
Clinical picture
When considering this mental disorder, it is also important to find out what signs of megalomania exist. As already mentioned, this state of mind is difficult to distinguish. However, the following symptoms may become beacons to its definition: poor mood, the severity with which the patient throws others around.
To determine this disorder at the beginning of its occurrence, it takes quite a lot of time. To do this, you will need several tests, as well as observation by a specialist who will draw the necessary conclusions after a certain time. Most often, this deviation is manifested by a sharp change in mood, as well as if a person is almost always in an anxious state.
The following symptoms may also be characteristic of patients: talkativeness, increased activity, and even sexual concern. Moreover, such people have a pronounced concentration on their ideas and positive aspects. They completely reject and are not even interested in the opinions of others at their own expense. It is also worth noting that with such a mental disorder, a person may experience aggression. It is directed mainly to close people. The patient becomes a tyrant at home, not embarrassed by the assault and other manifestations of his "importance".
Treatment
What treatment can a person with megalomania get? It will not be possible to get rid of this mental disorder on your own, for this you will need the help of a specialist. To do this, a person should seek the help of a psychologist, who in some cases can redirect treatment to another doctor - a psychiatrist.
It is worth noting that you can cope with this disorder if you carefully follow all the recommendations of the attending physician and go through all the sessions on time. In such a situation, medical treatment simply will not be required, nor will it be necessary to identify the patient in a hospital. However, if delusions of grandeur are part of a more complex disease, antipsychotics or lithium preparations may be prescribed . Also, the patient is likely to be placed in a hospital, where he will receive comprehensive treatment not only for megalomania, but also for the disease that led to the appearance of this disorder.