Psychiatric pathologies have existed at all times. Previously, clinics for the mentally ill were considered a scary place. After all, the methods of treating such diseases were barbaric. They are currently being revised. Therefore, mentally ill people and their relatives began to seek help more often. Nevertheless, a downward trend in psychiatric pathologies is not observed. This is due to the emergence of new ailments that arise as a result of changes in society. Such pathologies include a tendency to computer games, an addiction to the Internet, a commitment to extremist organizations.
Mentally ill people: signs, photo
The treatment of patients suffering from such ailments, we will consider below. In the meantime, let's talk about how to understand when it comes to pathology.
It is worth knowing that it is not always possible to distinguish a mentally ill subject from a healthy one. Often during remission, patients seem to be quite adequate. Mentally ill people freely move around the city and lead a normal lifestyle. This helps them to adapt to public life and does not infringe on human rights. Nevertheless, some patients require constant care. Otherwise, they pose a danger to themselves and others. Such people immediately stand out in the crowd for their antisocial behavior. Some patients look normal, but their mental abnormality can be understood by communicating with them. Therefore, it is important to know how mentally ill people differ. Signs of pathology are listed below.
- Pronounced asocial behavior. These people often talk to themselves, use profanity. Their words are sometimes not related in meaning. In some cases, they try to attract the attention of others: they shout, express aggression, and begin inappropriate conversations. Most often, these people do not pose a danger to others.
- Mental retardation. Diseases accompanied by this symptom include Down syndrome, dementia. With a mild degree of pathology, patients can lead an independent life, engage in physical labor or simple mental activity. In severe cases, they are always accompanied by relatives. Patients with mental retardation are harmless mentally ill people. The signs, photos and characteristics of a person suffering from this pathology are usually not difficult to determine in comparison with healthy subjects. The difference is not only in behavior, but also in appearance (wide nose bridge, small head size, flattened cranial arches, enlarged tongue).
- Violation of orientation in the self, pronounced changes in memory. Such pathologies include Peak, Alzheimer's disease. Patients do not understand where they are, who is next to them, confuse past events with the present.
- Paranoid syndrome, various types of delirium. Often considered a manifestation of schizophrenia.
- Refusal to eat, unwillingness to get out of bed, dress, etc. Such symptoms indicate an unfavorable form of schizophrenia (catatonic syndrome).
- The appearance of obsessions, depressive and manic states.
- Split personality.
The treatment of mental illness is based on the provision of moral assistance to a person. Not only the doctor should conduct interviews with the patient, but close people are required to support him and not to allocate him from society.
Causes of Mental Illness
Naturally, mentally ill people did not become so accidental. Many pathologies are considered congenital and, when exposed to adverse factors, manifest at a certain point in life. Other diseases relate to acquired ailments, they arise after stressful situations. The following causes of the appearance of mental disorders are distinguished:
- Inheritance of pathology. It is believed that some diseases arise due to the presence of mutant genes.
- Adverse effects on the mother during pregnancy. These include: the use of narcotic substances, chemical agents, previous stress, infectious pathologies, taking medications.
- Infringement of personality development during its formation (cruelty, aggression towards a child).
- Severe stresses - the loss of loved ones, your favorite job, dissatisfaction with life and the inability to change something.
- Alcoholism and drug addiction.
- Progressive brain damage, tumors.
Mentally ill people: symptoms of mental illness
The clinical picture depends on the kind of pathology that the patient suffers. Nevertheless, there are some general characteristics of the ailments. Thanks to them, you can understand the difference between mentally ill people. Their symptoms may not always be expressed, but sometimes they occur. We have already mentioned some of them.
Obvious symptoms also include:
- Change in the appearance of a person. In some cases, mentally ill people do not care for their appearance, wear untidy clothes. With congenital syndromes, a change in the structure of the skull is noted. Also, the main symptom is the expression of the eyes that is unusual for healthy people. They may reflect anxiety, fear, aggression, lack of mental activity.
- Coprolalia is an unmotivated use of profanity in speech.
- Changing mood: the transition from a depressed state to gaiety, arousal (mania).
- Hallucinatory syndrome.
Diagnosis of psychiatric pathologies
If you go to the clinic, all mentally ill people are examined. Conversations are held with them, they are offered to undergo psychiatric tests. Diagnosis is based on the external manifestations of the disease, assessment of the patient’s consciousness, its orientation in time, space, self. The story of relatives about the person’s behavior during life, about the changes that happened to him is also significant.
Methods of treatment for mentally ill people
The main way to treat mentally ill people is psychotherapy. Its advantage lies in the possibility of elucidating the causes of the development of pathology and the impact on human consciousness. During the conversation, the patient tries to understand himself and acknowledge his illness. In this case, he has a desire to heal. Drug treatment is used for attacks of mania, depression, hallucinations. The drugs “Carbamazepine”, “Haloperidol”, “Amitriptyline” are used.
Features of mentally ill people
Despite the disease, people with mental disorders often have great potential. Psychiatric pathologies are combined with the development of intuition, various talents, the ability to see the future, etc. Often, mentally ill patients are excellent artists, poets and writers. There is currently no scientific explanation for this phenomenon.
Is it possible to cure mentally ill people?
Unfortunately, psychiatric illnesses are difficult to treat. It is impossible to completely get rid of a pathology if it is congenital or caused by dystrophic lesions of the brain. Diseases that appear against the backdrop of a nervous breakdown, alcoholism and drug addiction are treatable. With the right mood of the patient and prolonged psychotherapy, you can achieve persistent remission and even recovery.