Neurological symptoms of mental disorders. Neuropsychiatric disorders What are the other main signs of mental disorders: memory impairment

Mental disorders- in a broad sense, this is a disease of the soul, meaning a state of mental activity that is different from healthy. Their opposite is mental health. Individuals who have the ability to adapt to daily changing life conditions and resolve everyday problems are generally considered mentally healthy individuals. When this ability is limited, the subject does not master the current tasks of professional activity or the intimate-personal sphere, and is also unable to achieve the designated tasks, ideas, goals. In a situation of this kind, one can suspect the presence of a mental anomaly. Thus, neuropsychiatric disorders refers to a group of disorders that affect the nervous system and behavioral response of the individual. The described pathologies may appear as a result of deviations occurring in the brain of metabolic processes.

Causes of mental disorders

Due to the numerous factors that provoke them, neuropsychiatric diseases and disorders are incredibly diverse. Disorders of mental activity, whatever their etiology, are always predetermined by deviations in the functioning of the brain. All causes are divided into two subgroups: exogenous factors and endogenous. The former include external influences, for example, the use of toxic substances, viral diseases, injuries, and the latter include immanent causes, including chromosomal mutations, hereditary and gene ailments, mental development disorders.

Resistance to mental disorders depends on the specific physical characteristics and the general development of their psyche. Different subjects have different reactions to mental anguish and problems.

There are typical causes of deviations in mental functioning: neurosis, depressive states, exposure to chemical or toxic substances, head injuries, heredity.

Worry is considered the first step leading to exhaustion of the nervous system. People often tend to draw in their fantasy various negative developments of events that never materialize in reality, but provoke excessive unnecessary anxiety. Such anxiety gradually escalates and, as the critical situation grows, it can transform into a more serious disorder, which leads to a deviation in the mental perception of the individual and to dysfunctions in the functioning of various structures of internal organs.

Neurasthenia is a response to prolonged exposure to traumatic situations. It is accompanied by increased fatigue and exhaustion of the psyche against the background of hyperexcitability and constant over trifles. At the same time, excitability and grumpiness are protective means against the final failure of the nervous system. Individuals are more prone to neurasthenic states, characterized by an increased sense of responsibility, high anxiety, people who do not get enough sleep, and are also burdened with many problems.

As a result of a serious traumatic event, which the subject does not try to resist, hysterical neurosis occurs. The individual simply “runs away” into such a state, forcing himself to feel all the “charm” of experiences. This condition can last from two to three minutes to several years. At the same time, the longer the period of life it affects, the more pronounced the mental disorder of the personality will be. Only by changing the attitude of the individual to his own illness and attacks, it is possible to achieve a cure for this condition.

In addition, people with mental disorders are prone to a weakening of memory or its complete absence, paramnesia, and a violation of the thought process.

Delirium is also a frequent companion of mental disorders. It is primary (intellectual), sensual (figurative) and affective. Primary delirium initially appears as the only sign of impaired mental activity. Sensual delirium is manifested in the violation of not only rational cognition, but also sensual. Affective delirium always occurs along with emotional deviations and is characterized by imagery. Also, overvalued ideas are distinguished, which mainly appear as a result of real-life circumstances, but subsequently take on a meaning that does not correspond to their place in the mind.

Signs of a mental disorder

Knowing the signs and characteristics of mental disorders, it is easier to prevent their development or to identify deviations at an early stage than to treat an advanced form.

Signs of a mental disorder include:

- the appearance of hallucinations (auditory or visual), expressed in conversations with oneself, in response to interrogative statements of a non-existent person;

- unreasonable laughter;

- difficulty concentrating when performing a task or a thematic discussion;

- changes in the behavioral response of the individual in relation to relatives, often there is a sharp hostility;

- in speech there may be phrases with delusional content (for example, “I myself am to blame for everything”), in addition, it becomes slow or fast, uneven, intermittent, confused and very difficult to perceive.

People with mental disorders often seek to protect themselves, and therefore lock all doors in the house, curtain windows, carefully check every piece of food, or completely refuse meals.

You can also highlight the signs of mental deviation observed in the female:

- overeating leading to obesity or refusal to eat;

- alcohol abuse;

- violation of sexual functions;

- depression of the state;

- fast fatiguability.

In the male part of the population, signs and characteristics of mental disorders can also be distinguished. Statistics show that the stronger sex is much more likely to suffer from mental disorders than women. In addition, male patients are characterized by more aggressive behavior. So, common signs include:

- inaccurate appearance;

- there is sloppiness in appearance;

- can avoid hygiene procedures for a long time (do not wash or shave);

- quick mood swings;

- mental retardation;

- emotional and behavioral deviations in the childhood age period;

- personality disorders.

More often, mental illnesses and disorders occur in the childhood and adolescence age period. Approximately 16 percent of children and adolescents have mental disabilities. The main difficulties children face can be divided into three categories:

- a disorder of mental development - children, in comparison with their peers, lag behind in the formation of various skills, and therefore experience difficulties of an emotional and behavioral nature;

- emotional defects associated with severely damaged feelings and affects;

- expansive pathologies of behavior, which are expressed in the deviation of the baby's behavioral reactions from social norms or manifestations of hyperactivity.

Neuropsychiatric disorders

The modern high-speed life rhythm makes people adapt to various environmental conditions, sacrifice sleep, time, and energy in order to do everything. A person cannot do everything. The price of constant haste is health. The functioning of the systems and the coordinated work of all organs is directly dependent on the normal activity of the nervous system. The impact of external environmental conditions of a negative orientation can cause mental disorders.
Neurasthenia is a neurosis that arises against the background of psychological trauma or overwork of the body, for example, due to lack of sleep, lack of rest, prolonged hard work. The neurasthenic state develops in stages. At the first stage, aggressiveness and increased excitability, sleep disturbance, inability to concentrate on activities are observed. At the second stage, irritability is noted, which is accompanied by fatigue and indifference, decreased appetite, discomfort in the epigastric region. Headaches, slowing or increased heart rate, and a tearful state may also be observed. The subject at this stage often takes "to heart" any situation. At the third stage, the neurasthenic state passes into an inert form: the patient is dominated by apathy, depression and lethargy.

Obsessive states are one of the forms of neurosis. They are accompanied by anxiety, fears and phobias, a sense of danger. For example, an individual may be overly worried about the hypothetical loss of some thing or be afraid of contracting one or another ailment.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is accompanied by repeated repetition of the same thoughts that are not significant for the individual, a series of obligatory manipulations before any business, the appearance of absurd desires of an obsessive nature. At the heart of the symptoms is a feeling of fear to act contrary to the inner voice, even if its requirements are absurd.

Conscientious, fearful individuals who are unsure of their own decisions and subordinate to the opinion of the environment are usually subject to such a violation. Obsessive fears are divided into groups, for example, there is a fear of darkness, heights, etc. They are seen in healthy individuals. The reason for their origin is associated with a traumatic situation and the simultaneous impact of a specific factor.

It is possible to prevent the appearance of the described mental disorder by increasing confidence in one's own significance, developing independence from others and independence.

Hysterical neurosis or is found in increased emotionality and the desire of the individual to draw attention to himself. Often such a desire is expressed by rather eccentric behavior (deliberately loud laughter, affectation in behavior, tearful tantrums). With hysteria, there may be a decrease in appetite, fever, weight changes, nausea. Since hysteria is considered one of the most complex forms of nervous pathologies, it is treated with the help of psychotherapeutic agents. It occurs as a result of a serious injury. At the same time, the individual does not resist traumatic factors, but “runs away” from them, forcing him to feel painful experiences again.

The result of this is the development of pathological perception. The patient likes being in a hysterical state. Therefore, such patients are quite difficult to get out of this state. The range of manifestations is characterized by scale: from stamping feet to rolling in convulsions on the floor. By his behavior, the patient tries to benefit and manipulates the environment.

The female sex is more prone to hysterical neuroses. Temporary isolation of people suffering from mental disorders is useful in preventing the onset of hysterical attacks. After all, as a rule, for individuals with hysteria, the presence of the public is important.

There are also severe mental disorders that occur chronically and can lead to disability. These include: clinical depression, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, identities, epilepsy.

With clinical depression, patients feel depressed, unable to enjoy, work and conduct their usual social activities. Persons with mental disorders caused by clinical depression are characterized by bad mood, lethargy, loss of habitual interests, lack of energy. Patients are not able to "pick up" themselves. They have insecurity, low self-esteem, increased guilt, pessimistic ideas about the future, appetite and sleep disorders, and weight loss. In addition, somatic manifestations can also be noted: dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, pain in the heart, head and muscles.

The exact causes of schizophrenia are not known for certain. This disease is characterized by deviations in mental activity, logic of judgments and perception. Patients are characterized by detachment of thoughts: it seems to the individual that his worldviews were created by someone else and a stranger. In addition, withdrawal into oneself and into personal experiences, isolation from the social environment is characteristic. Often people with mental disorders provoked by schizophrenia experience ambivalent feelings. Some forms of the disease are accompanied by catatonic psychosis. The patient may remain immobile for hours, or express motor activity. With schizophrenia, emotional dryness can also be noted, even in relation to the closest.

Bipolar affective disorder is called an endogenous ailment, expressed in phase changes of depression and mania. Patients have either a rise in mood and a general improvement in their condition, or a decline, immersion in spleen and apathy.

A dissociative identity disorder is a mental pathology in which the patient has a "separation" of the personality into one or more components that act as separate subjects.

Epilepsy is characterized by the occurrence of seizures, which are provoked by the synchronous activity of neurons in a certain area of ​​the brain. The causes of the disease can be hereditary or other factors: viral disease, traumatic brain injury, etc.

Treatment of mental disorders

The picture of the treatment of deviations in mental functioning is formed based on the anamnesis, knowledge of the patient's condition, and the etiology of a particular disease.

Sedatives are used to treat neurotic conditions due to their calming effect.

Tranquilizers are mainly prescribed for neurasthenia. Drugs in this group can reduce anxiety and relieve emotional tension. Most of them also reduce muscle tone. Tranquilizers are predominantly hypnotic rather than causing perceptual changes. Side effects are expressed, as a rule, in a feeling of constant fatigue, increased drowsiness, and disorders in remembering information. Negative manifestations also include nausea, low blood pressure and decreased libido. Chlordiazepoxide, Hydroxyzine, Buspirone are more commonly used.

Antipsychotics are the most popular in the treatment of mental pathologies. Their action is to reduce the excitation of the psyche, reduce psychomotor activity, reduce aggressiveness and suppress emotional tension.

The main side effects of neuroleptics include a negative effect on skeletal muscles and the appearance of deviations in dopamine metabolism. The most commonly used antipsychotics include: Propazine, Pimozide, Flupentixol.

Antidepressants are used in a state of complete depression of thoughts and feelings, a decrease in mood. The drugs of this series increase the pain threshold, thereby reducing the pain of migraines provoked by mental disorders, improve mood, relieve apathy, lethargy and emotional tension, normalize sleep and appetite, increase mental activity. The negative effects of these drugs include dizziness, tremor of the limbs, confusion. The most commonly used as antidepressants Pyritinol, Befol.

Normotimics regulate inadequate expression of emotions. They are used to prevent disorders that include several syndromes that manifest themselves in stages, for example, with bipolar affective disorder. In addition, the described drugs have an anticonvulsant effect. Side effects are manifested in trembling of the limbs, weight gain, disruption of the digestive tract, unquenchable thirst, which subsequently entails polyuria. It is also possible the appearance of various rashes on the skin surface. The most commonly used salts of lithium, Carbamazepine, Valpromide.

Nootropics are the most harmless among drugs that help cure mental pathologies. They have a positive effect on cognitive processes, enhance memory, increase the resistance of the nervous system to the effects of various stressful situations. Sometimes side effects are expressed in the form of insomnia, headaches and digestive disorders. The most commonly used Aminalon, Pantogam, Mexidol.

In addition, hypnotechniques, suggestion are widely used, less commonly used. In addition, the support of relatives is important. Therefore, if a loved one suffers from a mental disorder, then you need to understand that he needs understanding, not condemnation.

In our troubled times, you rarely see anyone with a serene expression on their faces. The increasing pace of life, the avalanche of unresolved issues, the solution of numerous problems confront each of us in all their acuteness and frightening proportions. Whether it's a schoolboy trying to understand a difficult subject for him; a teenage girl living with her stepfather; the father of a large family, looking for means to feed his children; a teacher hoping for an increase in the pay of his hard work, an entrepreneur who wants to increase the profits of his business - all, without exception, go through a period of testing the strength of their nervous system.
If we estimate in memory, we can remember only a few friends or acquaintances who themselves managed to cope with their condition in difficult life circumstances and remain calm, keeping a clear head while solving current problems.
The problem of good remains a hot topic today. About those types of neuropsychiatric disorders that we inevitably have to deal with in everyday life most often, and we will talk in this article. MirSovetov deliberately tried to get away from strict medical terminology in order to present everything in an accessible form for a wide range of readers.

neuroses

The first step to exhaustion of the nervous system is elementary. Agree, how often we begin to imagine incredible things, drawing various horrors, and then it turns out that all the worries are in vain. Then, as a critical situation develops, anxiety can result in more serious nervous disorders, which leads to violations not only of a person’s mental perception, but also to failures of various systems of internal organs.
In our lives, we most often encounter such a type of neuropsychiatric disorders as neuroses, the number of manifestations of which boggles our imagination. For example, anxiety neurosis leads to stomach ulcers, problems in the heart; motor neurosis (tics, involuntary twitching of body parts or stuttering) - to the impossibility of performing natural body movements.
Under the word "neurosis" an extensive group of mental disorders is combined. The cause of neurosis can be any difficult event for a particular person or a problem that lasts for a long time (in the family, at work). This naturally affects both the mental state (resistance to psychological stress is minimal) and the physiological state (rapid heartbeat, disruption of the stomach, etc.).
As an example of events leading to neurosis, MirSovetov can cite the fear of losing loved ones, the threat of parting with a loved one, worries about possible material crises or downgrading in career status. If a person is in a frantic cycle of urgent matters, tries to redo them in a short time and does not have time, if he does not get enough sleep, is malnourished, if he suffers some kind of serious illness - all this also sooner or later leads to a mental disorder.
What is important: with neuroses, a person’s consciousness is clear, he can give a satisfactory explanation of what is happening and seeks to get out of traumatic circumstances. In women, the frequency of manifestation of this is much higher than in men, which is explained by a special type of organization of their emotionality and perception of current events. They are more open, take their experiences to heart, worrying about the slightest reason. As for men, their logical component prevails over emotions and sensitivity, which helps them to give an assessment of situations detached from feelings and undertake a search for a rational solution to the problem.
Other forms of neurosis - neurasthenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, hysteria - are more profound manifestations of a person's mental state and are their clinical variants.

Neurasthenia

Such a mental disorder as neurasthenia occurs in response to prolonged exposure to a traumatic situation and is accompanied by a person’s high fatigue, exhaustion of mental activity against the background of excessive excitability and constant grumpiness over trifles. Moreover, excitability and irritability are protective methods against the final destruction of nerves. People with a sense of duty and anxiety, as well as those who do not get enough sleep and are burdened with many worries, are especially prone to neurasthenia.
A mental disorder develops slowly, while the symptoms characteristic of a general neurosis become more complicated and sensitivity to external influences, such as air temperature, brightness of lighting, and the strength of tactile touches, become aggravated. Everything is perceived by the patients quite sharply and causes a strong outbreak of irritability and discontent. In addition to external stimuli, internal changes in the state (headache, palpitations, heaviness in the stomach, weakness in the legs, etc.) are very disturbing, deterioration in thought processes, memory is also noticeable, attention is weakened, overall performance decreases, rest does not bring the desired relief. In the sexual sphere, women's desire is reduced, men can suffer, and these factors often lead to additional problems in family relationships, up to their break.
In order to prevent the development of neurasthenia, MirSovetov recommends reasonably alternating work with proper rest and walks in the fresh air. If it is impossible to eliminate the impact of a traumatic situation, it is useful to do some simple thing that will help distract from negative thoughts.

obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is accompanied by repeated repetition in the mind of a person of the same thoughts that have no significance for him, a series of obligatory movements before any business, the emergence of absurd obsessive desires. At the heart of the emotions of people in this state is a feeling of fear and fear to act contrary to the inner voice, no matter how absurd it may be.
Conscientious, fearful people who are unsteady in their decisions and dependent on the opinions of strangers are more likely to suffer from such a mental disorder.
There is a separate group of obsessive fears, for example, fear of the dark, fear of spiders, fear of heights, etc. They occur in quite healthy people, the cause of their occurrence is associated with a combination of a traumatic situation and this particular factor, for example, the fear of the dark can stem from childhood memories, when the child was specially frightened with all sorts of monsters and horror stories before going to bed.
It helps to avoid the occurrence of such a mental disorder, confidence in one's own significance, the development of independence and independence from others. Children need to be protected from “terrible” literature unusual for their age, from monster toys, to exclude the methods of threats in their upbringing.

Hysterical neurosis

Pathological perception develops, for the patient being in a hysterical state becomes pleasant, it is very difficult to get him out of this state. The range of manifestations is very wide: from stamping feet, pulling out hair to rolling on the floor in convulsions, so the patient derives certain benefits and can manipulate both his loved ones and strangers. For example, capricious children, deprived of attention, try to attract their parents to themselves with such manifestations, a hysterical wife can achieve the desired thing from her husband in this way, etc. Fulfilling whims and demands creates something like a conditioned reflex when a person, falling into hysteria, gets what he wants, the behavior is fixed and becomes a personal feature. Moreover, women are more prone to such mental disorders.
Hysterical neurosis can last from several minutes, hours to several years, and the longer it spreads, the stronger the mental disorder can be, and only by changing a person’s attitude to his illness and seizures can this disease be stopped.
MirSovetov draws your attention to the fact that in order to prevent attacks of hysterical neurosis, temporary isolation of a person from others is useful - as a rule, this condition passes quickly, because. the presence of the public creates the conditions for demonstrating their desires and an imaginary grave condition.

Depression

Neurotic disorders also include depression, which is characterized by a lack of joy, a pessimistic perception of life, sadness and unwillingness to change anything in one's life. It can be accompanied by insomnia, refusal to eat, from sexual intercourse, lack of desire to do one's own business, including one's favorite thing. Often the manifestation is expressed in a person's apathy to what is happening, melancholy, he seems to be in his own dimension, does not notice the people around him. For some, depression motivates them to turn to alcohol, drugs, and other unhealthy drugs. The aggravation of depression is dangerous because the patient, losing criticality and adequacy of thinking, can commit suicide, unable to withstand the burden of the severity of this disease.
Depression is hard to bear if a person lives alone, therefore MirSovetov recommends to relatives and friends not to leave such a person alone with him, unobtrusively involve him in the general rhythm of life, without overloading him with business. When communicating with him, remind him more often that this state is temporary, and soon he will come to life again, he will be, as before, cheerful, be sure to support in him faith in your recovery.
You can avoid the development of depression on your own by properly organizing your daily routine and rest, in which there should not be much space for idle and aimless pastime. An interesting hobby, hobbies, a variety of activities and have a positive effect on overall well-being, charging with vigor and energy.

In the continuation of this article, we will talk about how to become a psychotherapist for yourself, in more detail, in the form of advice, we will tell you how you can protect yourself from all the mental disorders mentioned in this material, and even, on the contrary, improve your mental state.

Neuropsychiatric disorders are human conditions in which consciousness changes and acquires the character of destructive behavior.

This term is somewhat controversial and is interpreted differently by lawyers, psychiatrists and psychologists.

According to the ICD, a mental disorder is not the same as mental illness or mental illness. This term generally characterizes various types of failures of the human psyche.

From the position of psychiatry, it is not possible to determine the biological, medical and social symptoms of a mental disorder in all cases. Only sometimes the basis of this violation can be a physiological violation in the work of the body. Hence, the ICD-10 uses the term "mental disorder" rather than "mental illness".

All failures in the human psyche are caused by improper functioning of the brain, which can happen for two reasons:

• exogenous (external) cause - poisoning with toxic substances, alcohol, drugs, the effects of radiation, infectious and viral diseases, psychological trauma, physical effects on the brain (strike), disruption of the vascular network.
• endogenous (internal) cause - violations in the set of chromosomes, hereditary diseases transmitted genetically.

However, science has not yet fully figured out why mental disorders occur. Although these diseases affect almost twenty-five percent of the inhabitants of the Earth.

The main reasons for the development of mental disorders include biological and psychological environmental factors. Mental disorders are often passed on from parents to children, so that members of the same family are often similar to each other. Psychological factors are a combination of genes and environment.

Provoking factors are also some diseases. This is an increased level of sugar in the blood, infections, sclerosis of cerebral vessels, circulatory disorders in the brain.

A great danger is alcoholism and, which negatively affect the central nervous system and completely change the character of a person.

Sad autumn weather or failures in personal life can cause mental breakdowns in any person, so during this period it is worth resorting to the help of vitamin complexes that have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and the whole body as a whole.

Classification

WHO, for the convenience of psychiatrists, has developed a system in which mental disorders are differentiated by cause and symptoms.

• Disorders caused by brain damage

These are the states in which a person stays after TBI, strokes and some other systemic diseases. It is possible to damage both higher brain functions (the ability to remember, think and learn new things), and the occurrence of "plus-symptoms" (delusions, mood swings).

• Mental disorders due to alcohol or drug use

Conditions that occur when taking non-drugs (sedatives, barbiturates, hallucinogens, some chemical compounds).

• Schizophrenia and schizo-like disorders

Symptoms of mental disorders

1. Sensopathy - abnormal nerve and tactile sensitivity:

• (hypersensitivity to normal stimuli);
• (reduced sensitivity to normal stimuli);
• senestopathy (sensations of pressure, burning, scratching in various parts of the body);

1. Hallucinations:

• true (the patient sees the object "outside himself");
• false (the patient sees the object "inside himself");
• (the patient perceives the real object with distortions);
• metamorphopsia (change in the perception of the size of one's body).

The process of thinking can change: become fast and incoherent, or, conversely, slowed down.

Mental illness is a whole group of mental disorders that affect the state of the human nervous system. Today, such pathologies are much more common than is commonly believed. Symptoms of mental illness are always very variable and varied, but they are all associated with a violation of higher nervous activity. Mental disorders affect the behavior and thinking of a person, his perception of the surrounding reality, memory and other important mental functions.

Clinical manifestations of mental diseases in most cases form whole symptom complexes and syndromes. Thus, in a sick person, very complex combinations of disorders can be observed, which only an experienced psychiatrist can assess for an accurate diagnosis.

Classification of mental illness

Mental illnesses are very diverse in nature and clinical manifestations. For a number of pathologies, the same symptoms may be characteristic, which often makes it difficult to diagnose the disease in a timely manner. Mental disorders can be short-term and long-term, caused by external and internal factors. Depending on the cause of the occurrence, mental disorders are classified into exogenous and exogenous. However, there are diseases that do not fall into one or the other group.

Group of exocogenic and somatogenic mental illnesses

This group is quite extensive. It does not include a wide variety of mental disorders, the occurrence of which is caused by the adverse effects of external factors. At the same time, endogenous factors may also play a certain role in the development of the disease.

Exogenous and somatogenic diseases of the human psyche include:

• drug addiction and alcoholism;
• mental disorders caused by somatic pathologies;
• mental disorders associated with infectious lesions located outside the brain;
• mental disorders arising from intoxication of the body;
• mental disorders caused by brain injuries;
• mental disorders caused by an infectious lesion of the brain;
• mental disorders caused by oncological diseases of the brain.

Group of endogenous mental illnesses

The occurrence of pathologies belonging to the endogenous group is caused by various internal, primarily genetic factors. The disease develops when a person has a certain predisposition and the participation of external influences. The group of endogenous mental illnesses includes diseases such as schizophrenia, cyclothymia, manic-depressive psychosis, as well as various functional psychoses characteristic of older people.

Separately, in this group, one can single out the so-called endogenous-organic mental illnesses that arise as a result of organic damage to the brain under the influence of internal factors. These pathologies include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Huntington's chorea, atrophic brain damage, and mental disorders caused by vascular pathologies.

Psychogenic disorders and personality pathologies

Psychogenic disorders develop as a result of the influence of stress on the human psyche, which can occur against the background of not only unpleasant, but also joyful events. This group includes various psychoses characterized by a reactive course, neuroses and other psychosomatic disorders.

In addition to the above groups in psychiatry, it is customary to single out personality pathologies - this is a group of mental diseases caused by abnormal personality development. These are various psychopathy, oligophrenia (mental underdevelopment) and other defects in mental development.

Classification of mental illness according to ICD 10

In the international classification of psychosis, mental illness is divided into several sections:

• organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders (F0);
• mental and behavioral disorders arising from the use of psychotropic substances (F1);
• delusional and schizotypal disorders, schizophrenia (F2);
• affective disorders associated with mood (F3);
• neurotic disorders caused by stress (F4);
• behavioral syndromes based on physiological defects (F5);
• mental disorders in adults (F6);
• mental retardation (F7);
• defects in psychological development (F8);
• behavioral disorders and psycho-emotional background in children and adolescents (F9);
• mental disorders of unknown origin (F99).

Main symptoms and syndromes

The symptomatology of mental illness is so diverse that it is rather difficult to somehow structure the clinical manifestations characteristic of them. Since mental illness negatively affects all or practically all the nervous functions of the human body, all aspects of his life suffer. Patients have disorders of thinking, attention, memory, mood, depressive and delusional states occur.

The intensity of the manifestation of symptoms always depends on the severity of the course and the stage of a particular disease. In some people, the pathology can proceed almost imperceptibly to others, while others simply lose the ability to interact normally in society.

affective syndrome

An affective syndrome is usually called a complex of clinical manifestations associated with mood disorders. There are two large groups of affective syndromes. The first group includes states characterized by a pathologically elevated (manic) mood, the second group includes states with a depressive, that is, depressed mood. Depending on the stage and severity of the course of the disease, mood swings can be both mild and very bright.

Depression can be called one of the most common mental disorders. Such states are characterized by extremely depressed mood, volitional and motor inhibition, suppression of natural instincts, such as appetite and the need for sleep, self-deprecating and suicidal thoughts. In particularly excitable people, depression can be accompanied by outbursts of rage. The opposite sign of a mental disorder can be called euphoria, in which a person becomes careless and contented, while his associative processes are not accelerated.

The manic manifestation of the affective syndrome is accompanied by accelerated thinking, fast, often incoherent speech, unmotivated elevated mood, and increased motor activity. In some cases, manifestations of megalomania are possible, as well as an increase in instincts: appetite, sexual needs, etc.

obsession

Obsessive states are another common symptom that accompanies mental disorders. In psychiatry, such disorders are referred to as obsessive-compulsive disorder, in which the patient periodically and involuntarily has unwanted, but very obsessive ideas and thoughts.

This disorder also includes various unreasonable fears and phobias, constantly repeating meaningless rituals with which the patient tries to alleviate anxiety. There are a number of features that distinguish patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders. First, their consciousness remains clear, while obsessions are reproduced against their will. Secondly, the occurrence of obsessive states is closely intertwined with the negative emotions of a person. Thirdly, intellectual abilities are preserved, so the patient is aware of the irrationality of his behavior.

Consciousness disorders

Consciousness is usually called the state in which a person is able to navigate in the world around him, as well as in his own personality. Mental disorders very often cause, in which the patient ceases to perceive the surrounding reality adequately. There are several forms of such disorders:

View	Characteristic
Amnesia	Complete loss of orientation in the world around and loss of ideas about one's own personality. Often accompanied by threatening speech disorders and hyperexcitability
Delirium	Loss of orientation in the surrounding space and self in combination with psychomotor agitation. Often, delirium causes threatening auditory and visual hallucinations.
Oneiroid	The patient's objective perception of the surrounding reality is only partially preserved, interspersed with fantastic experiences. In fact, this state can be described as half-asleep or a fantastic dream.
Twilight clouding of consciousness	Deep disorientation and hallucinations are combined with the preservation of the patient's ability to perform purposeful actions. At the same time, the patient may experience outbreaks of anger, unmotivated fear, aggression.
Ambulatory automatism	Automated form of behavior (sleepwalking)
Turning off consciousness	Can be either partial or complete

Perceptual disturbances

Perceptual disturbances are usually the easiest to recognize in mental disorders. Simple disorders include senestopathy - a sudden unpleasant bodily sensation in the absence of an objective pathological process. Seneostapathia is characteristic of many mental illnesses, as well as hypochondriacal delusions and depressive syndrome. In addition, with such violations, the sensitivity of a sick person may be pathologically reduced or increased.

Depersonalization is considered more complex violations, when a person ceases to live his own life, but seems to be watching it from the side. Another manifestation of pathology can be derealization - misunderstanding and rejection of the surrounding reality.

Thinking disorders

Thinking disorders are symptoms of mental illness that are quite difficult to understand for an ordinary person. They can manifest themselves in different ways, for some, thinking becomes inhibited with pronounced difficulties when switching from one object of attention to another, for someone, on the contrary, it is accelerated. A characteristic sign of a violation of thinking in mental pathologies is reasoning - the repetition of banal axioms, as well as amorphous thinking - difficulties in orderly presentation of one's own thoughts.

One of the most complex forms of impaired thinking in mental illness is delusional ideas - judgments and conclusions that are completely far from reality. Delusional states can be different. The patient may experience delusions of grandeur, persecution, depressive delusions, characterized by self-abasement. There can be quite a few options for the course of delirium. In severe mental illness, delusional states can persist for months.

Violations of will

Symptoms of a violation of will in patients with mental disorders are a fairly common phenomenon. For example, in schizophrenia, both suppression and strengthening of the will can be observed. If in the first case the patient is prone to weak-willed behavior, then in the second he will forcibly force himself to take any action.

A more complex clinical case is a condition in which the patient has some painful aspirations. This may be one of the forms of sexual preoccupation, kleptomania, etc.

Memory and attention disorders

Pathological increase or decrease in memory accompanies mental illness quite often. So, in the first case, a person is able to remember very large amounts of information that are not characteristic of healthy people. In the second - there is a confusion of memories, the absence of their fragments. A person may not remember something from his past or prescribe to himself the memories of other people. Sometimes whole fragments of life fall out of memory, in this case we will talk about amnesia.

Attention disorders are very closely related to memory disorders. Mental illnesses are very often characterized by absent-mindedness, a decrease in the concentration of the patient. It becomes difficult for a person to maintain a conversation or focus on something, remember simple information, as his attention is constantly scattered.

Other clinical manifestations

In addition to the above symptoms, mental illness can be characterized by the following manifestations:

• Hypochondria. Constant fear of getting sick, increased concern about one's own well-being, assumptions about the presence of any serious or even fatal disease. Depressive states, increased anxiety and suspiciousness have development;
• - chronic fatigue syndrome. It is characterized by the loss of the ability to conduct normal mental and physical activity due to constant fatigue and a feeling of lethargy, which does not go away even after a night's sleep. Asthenic syndrome in a patient is manifested by increased irritability, bad mood, and headaches. Perhaps the development of photosensitivity or fear of loud sounds;
• Illusions (visual, acoustic, verbal, etc.). Distorted perception of real-life phenomena and objects;
• hallucinations. Images that arise in the mind of a sick person in the absence of any stimuli. Most often, this symptom is observed in schizophrenia, alcohol or drug intoxication, some neurological diseases;
• catatonic syndromes. Movement disorders, which can manifest themselves both in excessive excitement and in stupor. Such disorders often accompany schizophrenia, psychoses, and various organic pathologies.

You can suspect a mental illness in a loved one by characteristic changes in his behavior: he stopped coping with the simplest household tasks and everyday problems, began to express strange or unrealistic ideas, and shows anxiety. Changes in the usual daily routine and nutrition should also alert. Outbursts of anger and aggression, long-term depression, suicidal thoughts, alcohol abuse or drug use will be signals of the need to seek help.

Closure

Inhibition of thinking

Hysterical laughter

Concentration disorder

Sexual dysfunction

Uncontrolled overeating

Refusal of food

addiction to alcohol

Problems with adaptation in society

Conversations with myself

Decreased performance

Learning difficulties

Feeling of fear

A mental disorder is a wide range of ailments that are characterized by changes in the psyche that affect habits, performance, behavior and position in society. In the international classification of diseases, such pathologies have several meanings. ICD code 10 - F00 - F99.

A wide range of predisposing factors can cause the appearance of a particular psychological pathology, ranging from traumatic brain injuries and aggravated heredity to addiction to bad habits and poisoning with toxins.

There are a lot of clinical manifestations of diseases associated with a personality disorder, in addition, they are extremely diverse, which makes it possible to conclude that they are of an individual nature.

Establishing the correct diagnosis is a rather lengthy process, which, in addition to laboratory and instrumental diagnostic measures, includes the study of a life history, as well as an analysis of handwriting and other individual characteristics.

The treatment of a particular mental disorder can be carried out in several ways - from the work of appropriate clinicians with the patient to the use of traditional medicine recipes.

Etiology

Personality disorder means a disease of the soul and a state of mental activity that is different from healthy. The opposite of such a state is mental health, inherent in those individuals who can quickly adapt to the daily changes of life, solve various everyday issues or problems, and also achieve their goals and goals. When such abilities are limited or completely lost, one can suspect that a person has one or another pathology on the part of the psyche.

Diseases of this group are caused by a wide variety and multiplicity of etiological factors. However, it is worth noting that absolutely all of them are predetermined by a violation of the functioning of the brain.

Pathological causes against which mental disorders can develop include:

• the course of various infectious diseases, which can either themselves negatively affect the brain, or appear against the background;
• damage to other systems, for example, a leak or a previous one, can cause the development of psychosis and other mental pathologies. Often they lead to the appearance of a disease in the elderly;
• traumatic brain injury;
• brain oncology;
• congenital defects and anomalies.

Among the external etiological factors, it is worth highlighting:

• effects on the body of chemicals. This should include poisoning with toxic substances or poisons, indiscriminate intake of drugs or harmful food components, as well as the abuse of addictions;
• prolonged influence of stressful situations or nervous strains that can haunt a person both at work and at home;
• improper upbringing of a child or frequent conflicts between peers lead to the appearance of a mental disorder in adolescents or children.

Separately, it is worth highlighting the burdened heredity - mental disorders, like no other pathologies, are closely related to the presence of such abnormalities in relatives. Knowing this, it is possible to prevent the development of a particular disease.

In addition, mental disorders in women can be caused by labor.

Classification

There is a division of personality disorders that groups all diseases of a similar nature by predisposing factor and clinical manifestation. This enables clinicians to make a faster diagnosis and prescribe the most effective therapy.

Thus, the classification of mental disorders includes:

• a change in the psyche that was caused by drinking alcohol or using drugs;
• organic mental disorders - caused by a violation of the normal functioning of the brain;
• affective pathologies - the main clinical manifestation is a frequent change of mood;
• and schizotypal diseases - such conditions have specific symptoms, which include a sharp change in the nature of the individual and the lack of adequate actions;
• phobias and. Signs of such disorders may occur in relation to an object, phenomenon or person;
• behavioral syndromes associated with impaired eating, sleep or sexual relations;
• . Such a violation refers to borderline mental disorders, since they often occur against the background of intrauterine pathologies, heredity and childbirth;
• violations of psychological development;
• activity and concentration disorders are the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents. It is expressed in disobedience and hyperactivity of the child.

Varieties of such pathologies in representatives of the adolescent age category:

• prolonged depression;
• and nervous character;
• drancorexia.

Types of mental disorders in children are presented:

• mental retardation;

Varieties of such deviations in the elderly:

• marasmus;
• Pick's disease.

Mental disorders in epilepsy are most common:

• epileptic mood disorder;
• transient mental disorders;
• mental seizures.

Long-term drinking of alcoholic beverages leads to the development of the following psychological personality disorders:

• delirium;
• hallucinations.

Brain injury can be a factor in the development of:

• twilight state;
• delirium;
• oneiroid.

The classification of mental disorders that have arisen against the background of somatic ailments includes:

• asthenic neurosis-like state;
• korsakov's syndrome;
• dementia.

Malignant neoplasms can cause:

• various hallucinations;
• affective disorders;
• memory impairment.

Types of personality disorder formed due to vascular pathologies of the brain:

• vascular dementia;
• cerebrovascular psychosis.

Some clinicians believe that selfie is a mental disorder, which is expressed in the tendency to very often take their own photos on the phone and post them on social networks. Several degrees of severity of such a violation were compiled:

• episodic - a person is photographed more than three times a day, but does not upload the resulting pictures to the public;
• medium-heavy - differs from the previous one in that a person uploads photos to social networks;
• chronic - pictures are taken throughout the day, and the number of photos posted on the Internet exceeds six.

Symptoms

The appearance of clinical signs of a mental disorder is purely individual in nature, however, all of them can be divided into a violation of mood, mental abilities and behavioral reactions.

The most obvious manifestations of such violations are:

• causeless change of mood or the appearance of hysterical laughter;
• difficulty concentrating, even when performing the simplest tasks;
• conversations when no one is around;
• hallucinations, auditory, visual or combined;
• a decrease or, conversely, an increase in sensitivity to stimuli;
• lapses or lack of memory;
• difficult learning;
• misunderstanding of the events taking place around;
• decrease in efficiency and adaptation in society;
• depression and apathy;
• a feeling of pain and discomfort in various areas of the body, which in fact may not exist;
• the emergence of unjustified beliefs;
• sudden feeling of fear, etc.;
• alternation of euphoria and dysphoria;
• acceleration or inhibition of the thought process.

Similar manifestations are characteristic of a psychological disorder in children and adults. However, there are several of the most specific symptoms, depending on the gender of the patient.

Representatives of the weaker sex may experience:

• sleep disturbances in the form of insomnia;
• frequent overeating or, conversely, refusal to eat;
• addiction to the abuse of alcoholic beverages;
• violation of sexual function;
• irritability;
• severe headaches;
• causeless fears and phobias.

In men, unlike women, mental disorders are diagnosed several times more often. The most common symptoms of a disorder include:

• inaccurate appearance;
• avoidance of hygiene procedures;
• isolation and resentment;
• blaming everyone but yourself for your own problems;
• a sharp change in mood;
• humiliation and insult of interlocutors.

Diagnostics

Establishing the correct diagnosis is a rather lengthy process that requires an integrated approach. First of all, the clinician must:

• to study the life history and medical history of not only the patient, but also his closest relatives - to determine the borderline mental disorder;
• a detailed survey of the patient, which is aimed not only at clarifying complaints regarding the presence of certain symptoms, but also at assessing the patient's behavior.

In addition, the ability of a person to tell or describe his disease is of great importance in diagnosis.

To identify pathologies of other organs and systems, laboratory tests of blood, urine, feces and cerebrospinal fluid are indicated.

Instrumental methods include:

Psychological diagnostics is necessary to identify the nature of changes in individual processes of the activity of the psyche.

In cases of death, a pathoanatomical diagnostic study is carried out. This is necessary to confirm the diagnosis, identify the causes of the onset of the disease and death of a person.

Treatment

The tactics of treating mental disorders will be compiled individually for each patient.

Drug therapy in most cases involves the use of:

• sedatives;
• tranquilizers - to relieve anxiety and anxiety;
• neuroleptics - to suppress acute psychosis;
• antidepressants - to combat depression;
• normotimics - to stabilize mood;
• nootropics.

In addition, it is widely used:

• auto-training;
• hypnosis;
• suggestion;
• neurolinguistic programming.

All procedures are carried out by a psychiatrist. Good results can be achieved with traditional medicine, but only if they are approved by the attending physician. The list of the most effective substances is:

• poplar bark and gentian root;
• burdock and centaury;
• lemon balm and valerian root;
• St. John's wort and kava kava;
• cardamom and ginseng;
• mint and sage;
• cloves and licorice root;

Such treatment of mental disorders should be part of complex therapy.

Prevention

In addition, you must follow a few simple rules for the prevention of mental disorders:

• completely abandon bad habits;
• take medications only as prescribed by the clinician and with strict adherence to the dosage;
• avoid stress and nervous tension as much as possible;
• comply with all safety rules when working with toxic substances;
• undergo a complete medical examination several times a year, especially for those people whose relatives have mental disorders.

Only with the implementation of all the above recommendations can a favorable prognosis be achieved.