In our difficult time, situations often happen when an event that has just happened does not fit in one’s head. An emotional hole can become so deep for a person that it is not possible to get out of it independently. In such circumstances, the nervous system does not survive, and a reactive disorder occurs. The consequence may be pseudo-dementia. What is this violation, what are its symptoms, types and how to treat it?
Why there is a violation
The main reason causing reactive psychosis is the loss of any values by a person. They can relate to the life and health of the patient himself and his close people, material well-being, personal freedom, social status. When a person is deprived of these benefits or there is a serious risk of their loss, a similar situation begins to contradict his emotional state very strongly, which causes a psychogenic disease.
The main cause of the disorder is a reaction to stressful circumstances. It occurs when a person experiences a serious emotional shock. At the same time, those people who have suffered brain injuries in the past, have a hysterical disposition of character, and suffer from sleep disorders or alcohol dependence are at risk. Especially vulnerable during stressful situations are adolescents and people who are in the menopause. After all, a vegetative factor is imposed on the state of the psyche.
Also, the disease can occur due to:
- Alcohol abuse.
- Concomitant somatic disorders.
- Lack of sleep and chronic fatigue.
- Drafting into the army without the desire of a draftee.
- Job loss.
- Unsolvable long time family problems.
- Treason and betrayal by loved ones.
- Deaths of loved ones (cases of exacerbation caused by the death of a pet are known).
- Thefts, attacks, threats to life and health from offenders.
- Diagnosis of cancer. It is estimated that approximately 85% of patients experience a psychogenic disease after diagnosis. At the same time, a depressed state makes one even refuse a hypothetical chance of recovery. This only brings death.
- Disaster Response.
What is the disease dangerous?
With protracted forms, the primary stage in patients (usually depression) is unnoticed by most people around. Against the background of impaired passion, a permanent defeat of the functions of the psyche occurs. If recovery does not occur, then a complex of negative symptoms is formed, which can be characterized in the diagnosis as delirium and hallucinations. Their main danger lies in committing suicide or harming the sick themselves by negligence. Most often, protracted forms are observed against the background of a shock situation.
In an unprepared person, psychosis develops quite quickly. Control weakens, for which the frontal lobes are responsible. The configuration of nerve connections is undergoing changes. The human brain is trying to solve a difficult situation for him. Mental degradation can go as far as pseudo-dementia and puerilism, when a person demonstrates the behavior of an infant. The most serious consequence is a paranoid state in which hallucinations and delusions come to the fore in the patient’s mind.
Diagnostics
As a rule, this disorder can be diagnosed within a few hours after the trauma has occurred. With adequate treatment, the prognosis is usually favorable. The likelihood of symptoms indicates the likelihood of eliminating the symptoms, the absence of schizophrenia in the family. It is necessary to conduct differential diagnostics with such disorders as drug poisoning, withdrawal symptoms, schizophrenia, delusional and affective disorders.
Main categories
This condition has another name - psychogenic disorders. By the nature of the course, two types of these violations are distinguished:
- Hypokinetic - a condition in which a person develops a hysterical stupor - he is immobilized, loses the ability to speak.
- Hyperkinetic - on the contrary, is characterized by a manifestation of strong physical overexcitation. However, with both forms of disturbance, consciousness becomes turbid, and vegetative symptoms are also noted: tachycardia, pressure drops.
In accordance with the nature of the symptoms, the following types of reactive psychoses are distinguished:
- Acute - arise due to exposure to serious stressful circumstances. For example, it can be a threat to a person’s life or news of the death of a loved one.
- Subacute - are most often found in psychiatric practice. Awareness of the events takes place gradually. Often, paranoid conditions, stupor, and depression develop. The condition is characterized by depression, sensitivity, irritability and aggression. Patients can become too touchy, their behavior is characterized by theatricality, as they are trying by all means to attract attention.
- Protracted. The main symptom of reactive psychosis of this type is its duration (six months, a year or more). Most often, the patient gradually develops symptoms of pseudo-dementia, delusional fantasies. Pueryl syndrome may also occur.
In psychiatric practice, several variants of hysterical reactive psychosis are distinguished, the symptoms of which are described below.
Ganser Syndrome
Represents confusion, in which a person gives answers to questions completely out of place. He behaves in a pointed manner, and also can not navigate in time and place.
Puerilism
This violation is characterized by children's behavior, when the patient retains some adult skills (smoking, the use of cosmetics, etc.), but in general his manners become similar to children's. He burrs, distorts words, plays toys, cannot answer simple questions or perform any actions. The term “puerilism” was first introduced by E. Dupre at the end of the 19th century, which was engaged in the study of types of acute reactive psychosis.
Sometimes puerilism occurs simultaneously with hypochondriacal symptoms, when the patient begins to look for signs of a dangerous somatic disorder. In a separate form, such a variant of the course of psychosis as puerilism is relatively rare.
Feral Syndrome
It can also be one of the effects of stress. The behavior of the patient with this violation resembles the habits of the animal, there is a twilight state of consciousness. A person can completely lose control of himself, begin to growl, crawl, eat with his hands. Such symptoms, as a rule, are observed in the last stages of reactive psychosis and have a general degenerative effect on the psyche.
It should be noted that acute affective-shock reactions often occur in people who face imprisonment or who are under judicial supervision.
Pseudo-dementia
Otherwise, this disorder is called false dementia. Its symptoms are very similar to signs of ordinary dementia, but there are still differences. As for pseudo-dementia, it occurs abruptly and immediately. Its cause, as a rule, are some stressful situations. Pseudo-dementia is characterized by impaired memory and speech, poverty of affect. There is no meaning in phrases pronounced by patients. As a rule, a person with a similar diagnosis is poorly oriented in space, looks completely inadequate. He may wear pants on his head or try to eat raw foods.
Psychogenic depression
It can also be one of the serious consequences of stress or prolonged severe experience. It is expressed in increased emotional sensitivity of a person, suspiciousness, pedantry. Patients, as a rule, are fully focused on a negative situation. Because of this, they look anxious, tense.
Features of psychogenic stupor
With this violation, as a rule, disorders develop rapidly due to the strongest emotional experience. A person is completely immobilized, loses the ability to move around, talk. Subsequently, he does not remember anything of what happened.
Psychogenic psychopathy
When this disorder occurs, the person is clearly in an agitated state. Affective signs of completely opposite emotions may arise in him alternately. For example, with tragic events it can be joy, and with positive events it can be longing. Often, when psychopathy occurs, patients begin to engage in violent and often completely unnecessary activities.
Crazy fantasies
This is one of the possible consequences of stress, in which a person has fantastic thoughts and ideas of delusional content. He begins to actively share with the surrounding details of his flight to the moon and other fantastic things. Can plan to implement completely unrealistic things. Often a similar psychosis occurs in prisoners serving a prison term, since their psyche cannot reconcile themselves with reality.
Other symptoms
In addition to these disorders, patients may experience:
- Chronic fatigue, lethargy, decreased ability to work.
- Eating Disorders.
- Insomnia.
Depending on individual characteristics, violations can be expressed to a greater or lesser extent. Often, the patient can "play" in an energetic and active person. The course of the pathology, as a rule, is even, with periodic exacerbations after traumatic memories.
Therapy
Treatment of reactive psychosis should be aimed at eliminating the causes that caused the attack initially. If this succeeds, then it is very likely that the patient’s symptoms will decrease significantly, and he will recover. An affective state does not need treatment, because the symptoms disappear on their own after the traumatic situation has been resolved. When the shock goes into a longer disorder, the help of a psychiatrist is needed. In such situations, treatment in a hospital is indicated:
- Therapy should be carried out only after examination and only under the supervision of the attending physician.
- With psychomotor agitation, the patient is prescribed Chlorpromazine or Levomepromazine.
- In reactive depression, drugs from the category of tranquilizers. This is Medazepam, Diazepam, and so on. Antidepressants can also be prescribed - Sertraline, Amitriptyline, Fluoxetine.
- In paranoid disorders, antipsychotics are prescribed, for example, Haloperidol.
- With hysterical psychoses, both antidepressants and antipsychotics are indicated.
Drug treatment is carried out only as prescribed by the doctor, before using drugs, you must consult a specialist.
Relapse prevention of reactive psychosis
It is believed that about 80% of cases of patients suffer the symptoms of the disorder repeatedly. However, some measures can prevent relapse:
- Continuous use of medicines prescribed by your doctor. This is one of the main points to get rid of the disorder. After the first manifestation of psychosis, you need to take medication for about 12 months.
- Regular psychotherapy. Helps to recover from psychosis, restore its condition.
- Timely rest, limiting the use of coffee. To do this, you need to draw up the correct daily routine.
Psychosis is a disease that responds well to treatment. Do not be afraid or shame because of your condition. After all, timely access to a qualified doctor will be a reliable guarantee of cure.