Psychoprophylaxis is a combination of various measures aimed at examining and thoroughly studying the causes that led to the occurrence of certain deviations in behavior and deviations. Also, this area is responsible for the timely identification and elimination of such consequences. Psychological prevention is a general direction of practical activity and a section of training programs in medical and practical psychology.
Official definition
A similar industry occupies an important place in domestic medical practice. In particular, Russian health care today is actively identifying precisely the preventive direction, be it related to therapy, surgery, infectious diseases or psychology. In the latter case, doctors take preventive measures in identifying various kinds of disorders. Within the framework of the discipline, the dynamics of a person’s neuropsychic state is studied quite widely under his usual conditions — in everyday life and during his labor activity.
In fact, this area is one of the general sections of prevention. Socio-psychological methods that are used in the study and diagnosis are quite diverse and may also include some physiological ways of influencing the patient. In addition, within the framework of the discipline, the effect on the individual of various harmful factors in the workplace is examined, whether it is vibration, intoxication, regular labor stress or the specific nature of the activity.
Methods used
Specialists carry out work using several proven schemes. In total, five common methods of psychological prophylaxis are currently used:
- Primary and early diagnosis. The presence of a number of diseases and mental disorders is checked. It is carried out both in children and in adults.
- The examination procedure for a particular category of citizens. For example, military, students or employees of certain industries.
- Organization of specialized medical care. The data from dispensaries, day or night stationary institutions, as well as sanatoriums of a neuropsychiatric direction are taken into account.
- Collection of information during the initial inspection. Compilation of a detailed medical history, identification of mental disorders, deviant behavior, as well as a detailed analysis of the resulting clinical picture.
- The implementation of health education.
Psychological prophylaxis is very closely associated with psychotherapy, and therefore it prescribes primarily the impact on the patient in order to eliminate any emotional or behavioral deviations from him, to correct interpersonal relationships and to establish family problems.
Work with teenagers
It can include various forms and is usually carried out by trained teachers or doctors in educational institutions. Psychological prevention of adolescents can be organized in the form of group training or individually. In the first case, collective discussions are held with the aim of teaching children new life skills and social skills. Teens are shown how to communicate with adults and peers, build friendships with each other and smooth out conflict situations that arise in any society.
Among other options for group training can be noted learning assertiveness. The methodology is based on the postulate that deviant behavior is caused primarily by an unstable emotional background and its disturbances. For the prevention of such conditions, it is necessary to cope with stressful situations in a timely manner, properly listen to your own thoughts and feelings, and, of course, be able to express them in a form acceptable to society. This is exactly what teachers teach children of different ages. Resistance training helps to get acquainted with the influence of destructive factors on the social behavior of an individual. At it, students will master the skill of resistance to negative circumstances and form a positive outlook on various aspects of life.
Suicide Attempt Prevention
The study of suicidal behavior by scientists gave impetus to the development of this direction. It is recognized that it is possible to increase the effectiveness of psychological prevention methods for suicidal behavior only if you cover as many factors as possible and their relationships that create the basis for such fabrications and actions in patients.
Suicide prevention includes compliance with all social and legal guarantees of citizens, regular educational activities and psychological training at work or in other public institutions, support in various conflict situations, in the professional and domestic spheres.
Basic principles of influence on consciousness
Scientists have developed a number of techniques that have shown the greatest effectiveness in the practice of psychological prevention. Among the basic principles of influence on consciousness, the following can be distinguished:
- An attempt to direct the result of the patient's activities to future achievements.
- The complexity of the impact. Work immediately in all areas - in the personal, family, social and work.
- Targeting prevention. Search for a specific target audience by age, gender, social characteristics and other parameters.
- Creating genuine interest in the participants, their motivation and instilling in them a certain level of responsibility for the result.
- The need to minimize any negative consequences in combination with a positive presentation of information.
Prevention levels
Specialists distinguish three main levels, depending on the degree of a person’s mental health, the fact of being in a risk zone and the severity of pathologies. Various experts of a wide profile take part in primary prevention.
In secondary psychological prevention, attention is already focused on suppressing and preventing relapses of specific known abnormalities and diseases that can manifest themselves in certain conditions and circumstances. If the nature of the deviations is chronic, then the measures are mainly aimed at the rehabilitation of patients, since they usually lose the opportunity to lead a full life in society at this stage.