Neurosis is most often a shallow mental disorder that occurs due to the impact on the personality of various kinds of psychological injuries. To date, about 3-20% of the world's population has experienced neurosis. Most often , teenagers suffer from neurosis in adolescence - in about a third of cases.
Due to neurosis, a breakdown of the relationship system occurs, which most affects self-attitude. A teenager may have either too low self-esteem or contradictory. Conflicts of a personal nature also play a large role in the development of the problem.
In the case of adolescents, conflicts in the family are extremely negative for psychological health. Some children begin to develop a neurosis, others suffer from impaired behavior and drives.
What causes the development of the disease
There are only two reasons that can trigger the development of neurosis in adolescents. These include directly the causes of a psychological nature, as well as physiological - a type of nervous system.
The following points can be attributed to the characteristics of the nervous system, due to which neurosis develops in adolescents:
- A teenager is too sensitive or emotional. Such children react very actively to a variety of events.
- They cannot defend their interests and feel helpless.
- Suffer constant anxiety. They have some fears and a tendency to worry.
- They are very sensitive - they can remember some insults or unpleasant situations for a long time.
- Introversion is observed - the child holds all his feelings, emotional feelings, contradictions in himself.
- They have too high a need for quick self-assertion.
Neuroses in adolescents arise due to a weak nervous system and too high psycho-emotional stress. Causes of a psychological nature most often manifest themselves during an age crisis. In the case of adolescents, this is the age of 12 to 16 years. In this case, in addition to possible psychological trauma received earlier, constant mood swings, hormonal changes, and too frequent depression over trifles begin to make themselves felt.
Symptoms of puberty neurosis
The main signs of neurosis include the following points in behavior:
- Constant irritability and sudden mood swings.
- Teenagers become very vulnerable, vulnerable, sensitive. If the child hides all this, as an addition, a more serious symptom will appear - introversion.
- Symptoms of neurosis in adolescents in most cases are severely depressed mood and frequent depression.
- A variety of phobias or fears arise.
- A teenager with a neurosis will often have tantrums, which can manifest themselves in a variety of ways.
Types of Neurotic Disorder
The symptoms of neurosis in children and adolescents are of several types. Having correctly determined the form of this disease, you can prescribe the appropriate treatment. Therefore, in the case of a neurotic disorder, it is necessary to seek help from a specialist.
Neurasthenia
The disease is manifested by very strong and rapid fatigue. A teenager constantly feels tired, his performance decreases, he is very annoyed, cannot enjoy his previously beloved occupation, feels internal stress, suffers from headaches, frequent dizziness, and sleep problems appear over time. In the presence of neurasthenia, mental stress increases several times, the child cannot concentrate his attention on something specific, associations or memories constantly arise that distract.
There is another type of manifestation of neurasthenia. It manifests itself in the form of severe physical weakness. With any load, depletion occurs, muscle pains appear and the teenager cannot fully relax. The basis of this type of neurosis is considered to be a psychological conflict. There is a contradiction between what a child can actually do and too high demands on himself.
Obsessive Neurosis
The disease is characterized by a constant obsessive state. A teenager suddenly has a variety of thoughts, memories, doubts, fears, ideas that are completely unrelated to the events and thoughts that are present at the moment. In this regard, the child perceives them as emotionally unpleasant, but at the same time the subconscious mind passes them off as their own. In this case, the patient begins to actively fight them. Sometimes a teenager comes up with whole rituals, which, in his opinion, help to protect themselves from sort of failures or troubles.
The main psychological factor in this situation can be called, on the one hand, the contradictions between the needs of a child of an internal nature, and on the other hand, conflicts between moral principles.
Hysterical type neurosis
Hysterical neurosis can have a variety of symptoms that will differ from each other depending on the situation.
- Mental symptoms include: fears, loss of memories, manifestations of a hypochondriac nature.
- Motor: disturbances in movement and gait, mutism, paralysis, paresis, seizures, hyperkinesis.
- Sensory: deafness, blindness, hyperesthesia or hyposthesia.
- Vegetative-somatic: disturbances in the work of the cardiac and respiratory system, sexual disorders, problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
It is rare to encounter situations where, due to a conflict, a hysterical seizure occurs that occurs directly in the presence of the “offender”. During a seizure, a teenager may make movements resembling cramps, or cry or scream loudly. Most often, this occurs in individuals of the hysteroid type.
Depressive neurosis
In this case, the teenager wants and does everything possible to retire. At the same time, depression and depressed mood are constantly present . In this state, a teenager is capable of rash actions.
Hypochondriac neurosis
It arises from a strong fear in a teenager to get any disease. Neurosis in adolescence must be treated comprehensively. It is also important to consider various factors: the psychological state, physiological signs of the disease.
Treatment of neurosis in adolescents
It is necessary to treat the disease with the help of the following specialists:
- Neurologist. It will help to cure precisely neurological disorders. If there is a need, he will prescribe special sedatives, will conduct the necessary diagnostics.
- Child and family psychologist. It will help restore the psychological health of the adolescent and the favorable climate in the family, choose the most suitable model for raising a child in each individual case.
- Psychotherapist for psychotherapy of neurosis in adolescents. This doctor treats obsessive conditions, can conduct several hypnosis sessions if necessary. In the treatment of adolescent neurosis, it is the therapist who plays the most important role.
- Other specialists of a narrow profile. You may need to consult a psychiatrist or endocrinologist. You can treat neurosis with the help of an acupuncturist, massage therapist, reflexologist.
If you approach the treatment of adolescent neurosis in a comprehensive manner, then you can completely get rid of all the symptoms present. But you should always remember that the vulnerability of the nervous system is a property that will haunt the child throughout his life. Psychotherapy of neurosis in children and adolescents can effectively get rid of this ailment.
Neurosis prophylaxis
A huge role is played by preventive measures against neurosis at a young age. So that the symptoms and treatment of neurosis in a teenager do not become part of his life, it is necessary to prevent the appearance of this ailment. An important role in this situation should be played by parents. To make your child’s mental health as strong as possible, you should always try to follow these very simple recommendations.
- The teenager should have the most clearly formed daily regimen. Thanks to this, it will be possible to stabilize the work of the unbalanced nervous system.
- It is worthwhile to carefully monitor the load on the child. If you just noticed the first symptoms of a neurological disorder, you should immediately consult a neurologist. He will help you choose a special supportive course of treatment. It is also worth discussing the issue with educators in order to slightly reduce the daily burden on the teenager.
- Be sure to ensure that the child engages in a feasible sport or performs simple exercises. This will quickly relieve psychological stress.
- If your family has psychological problems, then you should not postpone a visit to a family psychologist.
- If possible, let the child visit a child psychologist. Also pick out a few stress management options. It can be a fairy tale, art or game therapy.
- It is advisable to use improvised means of relaxation at home. You can do yoga with teens. This will allow you to relax and relieve nervous tension.
As Alexander Zakharov claims in his book, it is much easier to prevent neurosis in children and adolescents than to cure it later. Of course, there are chances for a full recovery, especially if you turn to specialists in time for help.