Hysteria can rightfully be called a product of the 21st century. After all, this disease in most cases develops against the background of stressful situations, which are very, very many in the life of a modern person. However, it must be understood that this violation is not just a bad mood, theatrical tearfulness, or a tendency to roll up scandals. It represents a mental illness that requires its own treatment.
General Description
Hysterical neurosis (synonyms - hysteria, conversion disorder) is a group of neurotic diseases that are characterized by a wide range of neurological and mental disorders, as well as the patient's focus on attracting attention.
Neuroses in psychiatric science is a category of diseases that are manifested by disorders in the functioning of the central nervous system of a temporary nature due to mental trauma. Patients are always aware of the presence of the disease, their perception of reality is not disturbed.
The patient may exhibit various motor orsensitive functions (for example, paralysis, blindness, etc.), which seem to be due to organic causes, although the latter is not true.
Risk factors for disease
As a rule, with hysterical neurosis, the patient tries to attract the attention of other people, behaving in a defiant way. In addition to the symptoms that he has, he can invent new ones, as he suffers from a high level of suggestibility.
Such a violation should be treated by a doctor, otherwise it can go into a neglected form, acquire a severe form of hysterical psychopathy. This leads to absolute asocialization of a person. The main risk factors for hysterical neurosis include:
- Severe or very prolonged emotional stress. In particular, people with an unstable psyche are affected by it. In this case, an attack of the disease can be caused even by a petty quarrel or a bad mood.
- The presence of an intrapersonal psychological conflict or some kind of external problems, for example, the situation of choosing a place of study, work, etc.
- Severe trauma in the past, prolonged exposure to a difficult psychological environment, emotional stress, such as being in prison.
Scientists note: as a rule, the symptoms of hysterical neurosis in women appear more often than in the stronger sex. Children are also susceptible to this disorder, especially if one or both parents are alcohol dependent or have personality disorders.
Why is this disorder more common in women? Psychiatrists attribute this primarily to their greater sensitivity and vulnerability. Ladies are much more sensitive to difficult situations and conflicts, and can also get upset over insignificant details.
The main causes of manifestations of hysterical neurosis also include such features as hyperresponsibility, a strong sense of anxiety (for example, for the he alth of relatives and friends), the presence of a conflict situation (for example, a quarrel with loved ones, a threat to life and he alth, divorce).
Also, people with a schizoid disorder or those belonging to an excitable personality type are also prone to this disorder. The first manifestation of the disease, as a rule, is noted in adolescence.
People with an unstable mentality who always listen to other people's opinions and do not make independent decisions can suffer from a violation. Neuroses of this type are also not uncommon in creative personalities in moments of a creative crisis.
Symptoms
In psychiatry, a lot is known about hysterical neurosis at the moment. This disease is associated with processes occurring in the brain, which affect the human psyche in different ways. Symptoms of the disorder are individual and can vary widely:
- Motility disorders, limb paralysis may occur. The patient is sometimes unable to get out of bed to attend to himself.
- Speech becomes slurred and lacks logic.
- Changes in voice - a person may speak in a whisper or inraised voices.
- The eyelid or any other muscle may twitch, tremors may appear.
- Hysterical neurosis is characterized by a very violent emotional reaction to various kinds of information. The patient may sob, laugh out loud, throw objects and perform various actions that could attract the attention of others.
- Some patients may have a seizure, ending in fainting. In addition, the disorder may be accompanied by disturbances in the functioning of the stomach and intestines, changes in taste and color sensations.
- Sometimes a rash, itching occurs on the skin.
- Sensitivity disturbances may be observed - for example, the patient says that "the legs are like strangers, they do not obey."
- Soreness at a specific point on the body or area. Sometimes there are pains of a diffuse nature. The severity of pain experiences in this case can be different - from mild to intense.
- Hysterical deafness is usually observed in one of the ears. This symptom is accompanied by an apparent loss of auditory sensitivity.
Vegetative symptoms in hysterical neurosis are varied. A hysterical fit, which even a he althy person can experience at least once in a lifetime, is just a disorder in the functioning of the vegetative department. In this case, even a slight external influence can be the cause. One person will calmly endure rudeness in a public place, another may have a nervous breakdown on this basis.
Hysteria in the weaker sex
Hysterical neurosis in women may have specific symptoms. Most often, young people are susceptible to the disease, who have increased suggestibility, always crave to be in the spotlight. An interesting fact about this disease is that the word "hysteria" itself comes from the Greek word "hystera", which means "womb".
Female hysteria manifests itself as follows:
- Sexual abuse.
- Pain in the heart, stomach.
- Increase or decrease in blood pressure.
- Sleep disorders.
- Overwork.
- Depression and many other symptoms.
Diagnostic features
It is necessary to distinguish hysterical neurosis from panic attacks or, for example, epilepsy. The diagnosis is made on the basis of neurological observations and the exclusion of organic causes of the disease. An important point is the concentration of the patient's attention on the exclusivity of their suffering, "enjoyment of the disease", as well as the dependence of the intensity of symptoms on the number of spectators watching.
Besides this, hysteria has characteristic features, given which the doctor may suspect this particular disease. For example, with paralysis, the patient cannot control the limb in any way, but his range of motion is preserved. Or he will experience difficulty with coordination of movements in a standing position, however, as soon as the patient lies down on the sofa, all functions are restored. An experienced neurologist will always notice these inconsistencies and refer the patient to a psychiatrist.
Another characteristic feature -the unwillingness of the patient to believe that all his symptoms are "invented." A person may refuse to go to a psychiatrist for a long time - after all, in his opinion, he does not have any mental abnormalities. This is especially true in situations where a person has really recently suffered a serious illness. Then he can believe to the last that he is dealing with the consequences of the disease, and absolutely everything is in order with his psyche.
Treatment of hysterical neurosis
Typically, therapeutic measures are as follows:
- Elimination of traumatic conditions.
- Creating favorable conditions for a good rest.
- Psychotherapy.
- Hypnotic suggestion.
- Physiotherapy activities.
- Occupational Therapy.
- Normalization of the sexual sphere.
- Autotraining.
In some cases, the treatment of hysterical neurosis is carried out with the help of small doses of medications. Tranquilizers are used ("Sibazon", "Diazepam", etc.), sedatives (for example, "Nitrazepam"), antedepressants ("Amitriptyline"), drugs of the category of neuroleptics ("Eglonil", "Etaperazine").
All drugs are taken only on prescription. Before use, you should consult a specialist.
Disorder in children and its causes
The main cause of hysterical neurosis in children is the desire to attract the attention of otherspeople, especially mothers and fathers. The child at the same time feels that he is not noticed, and tries to get the attention he needs through illness. In addition, he may show symptoms of hysteria in a stressful situation, especially one related to his personal failures or setbacks.
In this case, it is difficult for a small patient to come to terms with the fact that he was not up to par, so his body works in a similar way.
Of course, not all babies develop symptoms of this disorder. In order for this to happen, the child must be emotional and sensitive by nature, have unstable self-esteem, and depend on the opinions of others. All babies are inherently self-centered, but sometimes it happens that a child or teenager holds a very high opinion of himself. And then reactions to failures will be very painful for him.
Sometimes doctors diagnose these disorders in babies who have experienced severe stress. This may be a move, a divorce of mother and father, a change of team in connection with the transition to another class, or the death of one of the close people. However, similar to the case with adult patients, the stressful situation is not the main reason for the onset of symptoms of hysteria. She is more of an excuse.
Symptoms in young patients
This disorder can occur in children of different age categories, including adolescents. The most common factors that cause hysterical neurosis in a child or adolescent aredifficulties in the family, errors in education. With constant exposure to a traumatic factor, the symptoms of the disorder may worsen.
In children, hysteria can manifest as:
- Crying, screaming.
- Strong whims.
- Frequent headaches.
- Loss of appetite.
- Intestinal spasms.
- Demonstrative behavior - falling with beating on the floor.
As a rule, children with similar symptoms are characterized by exposing their experiences and fears for show. They want to be given more attention - for example, to get their favorite toy.
In older children, including adolescents, there may be a change in skin sensitivity, much less often - blindness and other signs of hysteria that occur in adults. It should also be noted that the disorder may worsen during puberty, but generally has a fairly favorable prognosis.
Treatment methods for babies
Hysterical neurosis in adolescents and children is much easier to treat than in adult patients. Therefore, doctors often manage to do without the use of serious drugs. However, this always requires the participation of parents, who often have to change their relationship with the child and the style of communication with him in order to get rid of the symptoms of hysteria.
Currently, there are a large number of treatments for hysterical neurosis in children. When the doctor makes a diagnosis, he draws up an action plan. With an adequate approach, the effect is observed after a few procedures. As a rule, in the casechild hysteria is assigned a certain type of psychotherapy. Consider how to treat hysterical neurosis in young patients.
- Psychotherapy - primarily aimed at improving the family climate.
- Art therapy. Here the psychotherapist works with what the child can do with his hands - draw, mold.
- Fairy tale therapy. In this direction, information is conveyed to the baby with the help of images, fairy tales.
- Drug therapy is rare. Medicines are usually prescribed in small doses.
Prevention and prognosis
If the patient receives timely and adequate treatment, as a rule, the prognosis is favorable (especially when it comes to hysterical neurosis in children and adolescents).
You can prevent the development of a disorder with the help of adequate educational measures, taking into account the individual psychological characteristics of the child.
If the disease lasts for a long time, and the patient does not receive appropriate treatment, then this can lead to a chronic state of neurosis.
Preventive measures include:
- Building relationships within the family.
- Normalize the regime of work and rest.
- Good nutrition and sleep.
- Sanatorium vacation.
- Tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages are excluded.
- Adequate sports loads are shown.
Hysteria is a collection of bodily, neurological and mental disorders that can be effectively treated if treatedspecialist was timely. Like many other diseases, this neurosis is easier to prevent than to cure.
