"Delirium" - how often people say this word, trying to express their disagreement with some ideas. But in fact, delirium is nothing more than a manifestation of the disease in terms of mental he alth. One of the most severe forms of delusional disorder is paraphrenic syndrome. It is sometimes called delusions of grandeur. Let's analyze this syndrome in more detail.
What does megalomania have to do with it?
The paraphrenic syndrome is characterized by an overestimation of its own importance. A person begins to compare himself with someone great, becomes obsessed with the idea of \u200b\u200bhis own uniqueness and his own superiority.
Many begin to think that they have superpowers, and sometimes even consider themselves the chosen ones, those with whom the higher mind communicates. All this megalomania leads to hallucinations, because it is thanks to them that the patient manages to believe that he is really special.
The line between lies and disease
Paraphrenicthe syndrome can be confused with a love of fantasizing. For example, for the schizoid type, it is just typical to withdraw into one's inner world and one's fantasies. Inventing his own world, a person, meanwhile, begins to believe that everything is really the way he thought up for himself. In paraphrenia, false stories are also observed, but if in schizoid disorder they always go in the same line, then in a delusional patient they are always different, change and do not fit together.
Fictional characters are not just non-existent people, they are those who simply cannot exist in the world: people with tentacles and three heads, dead famous personalities. Even having caught such a delusional patient in a lie, one can be sure that he will continue to assure that all this is in fact the truth. Paraphrenic syndrome manifests itself in everything, except for the plausibility of statements, they are always untrue, and any sane person can understand this.
General symptoms
Paraphrenic syndrome is characterized by several types of symptoms:
• Hallucinatory type. The patient has verbal hallucinations. In other words, he hears voices from outside or inside himself. It is they who inspire fanatical ideas, distort reality. They are often called pseudohallucinations.
• Systematized type. Delusional thoughts are already firmly fixed in the mind of the patient, become persistent. If with the hallucinatory type there is still a chance that a person can independently realize the nonsense of his ideas, then with this type it becomesimpossible. Gradually, thoughts begin to be structured, but in the wrong direction.
• Confabulatory type. It develops in a single combination with the first two types. Memories are being replaced by false ones. A person begins to talk about the events of the past in a different color, with other details or facts. Along with this, megalomania begins to develop. The stories from the past are mostly related to something that made the patient special, not like everyone else.
• Mental automatism. The patient begins to communicate with fictional characters. Fictional in the sense that these people are not actually talking to him. These may be those who are living today, or those who have long since died. There may be aliens or other fantastic creatures. Along with this, the person begins to assure everyone that he has abilities that he did not have before. For example, the ability to manipulate people, read their thoughts, move objects, dissolve in the outside world, be invisible.
Symptoms borrowed from other disorders
In addition to its symptoms, paraphrenic syndrome has the same manifestations with other syndromes, namely:
• Capgras syndrome. There is a substitution of strangers for familiar people and vice versa. Real friends, close people and even family members are perceived as strangers and previously unfamiliar. But those whom the patient never knew become dear and close. He begins to take his surroundings for disguised strangers who are trying to seize his disposition andtrust.
• Fregoli's syndrome. One and the same person in the eyes of the patient begins to take on the appearance of different people. For example, having seen a friend, the patient may first recognize him, at the next meeting consider him some famous athlete, and subsequently even a creature from a fairy tale. At the same time, he will sincerely believe that this is really so.
Features of speech
Paranoid, paranoid, paraphrenic syndromes are all characterized by clearly impaired speech. It is replete with facts of a universal scale, various figures and calculations, comparisons. The patient, in every possible way trying to prove his significance for the whole world, cites scientific facts proving this. He begins to talk about what is known only to him alone, about unknown events, wars in outer space. At the same time, any disagreement with his point of view will be constantly refuted.
Varieties
Like any other syndrome, paraphrenia has its varieties:
• Melancholic paraphrenia. This is a variety closely associated with depression. It occurs already at a later age. It is dangerous because delusional ideas, instead of elevating a person to the rank of special, which would be better than self-flagellation, just lead to self-flagellation. A person is sure that he deserves humiliation, and at every opportunity he tries to humiliate himself.
• Involutional paraphrenia. Also common in older patients. A feeling of persecution begins, that everyone around is a danger. Man,believing that it carries something unique, it tries in every possible way to save it from external fictional enemies. Paraphrenic syndrome of this type leads to deceptions of memory (a person begins to get confused in it, deliberately replacing some facts in memories), sudden mood swings, changes in speech at the time of exacerbation of delirium.
• Presenile paraphrenia. It occurs in women aged 45 to 55 years. It is characterized by the idea of greatness at the expense of connection with someone even greater. For example, delusional fantasies of a sexual relationship with an alien mind may arise. At the same time, auditory hallucinations in every possible way feed the belief in the veracity of these circumstances.
• Acute paraphrenia. This is more of an attack of schizophrenia than a paraphrenic syndrome. The medical history confirms this in all cases. Delirium in this case is sensual and figurative. Patients claim that they really feel everything they talk about. For example, how a fictional character touches them.
• Erotic paraphrenia. Affects women more than men. Almost all patients have a poor family life, which becomes the impetus for the development of this kind of delirium. Hallucinations are accused of immorality, while threatening sexual violence for this. The accusations may be about cheating on your spouse. It comes on in old age and is paroxysmal in nature.
• Late paraphrenia. The latest of all types, since it is diagnosed at the age of 70-80 years. It seems to patients that they are being harmed, offended. Refers tosenile schizophrenia and difficult to cure.
Causes of the syndrome
Syndrome can occur on its own, or it can only be a sign of some disease. It can be caused by: schizophrenia, manic syndrome, psychosis (especially senile). The reason may also be:
• Genetic predisposition to the occurrence of mental illness. Don't be surprised if a mentally ill child becomes delirious.
• Problems with brain activity. Any disturbance in his work from birth or due to some kind of injury or disease such as meningitis.
• Abuse of narcotic, psychotropic drugs and alcohol.
Treatment
Treatment of the disorder is possible. It is carried out in several stages. First, patients are prescribed antipsychotic drugs, they help stabilize the general condition of the patient and, in addition, reduce delirium. If there is also a depressive disorder, the doctor prescribes antidepressants. In large dosages, drugs are taken by patients while in hospital, at home only a small dose of drugs continues to be taken. The final stage of treatment is the passage of a course of psychotherapy with a specialist.
Prevention
Knowing what paraphrenic syndrome is, and starting its treatment in a timely manner, you can protect yourself or your loved ones. The more neglected the symptoms are, the more difficult it is to cure them. Certainly, most of the patientsmanages to recover, but this does not happen to everyone. At risk are the elderly, whose he alth must be carefully monitored and do not forget to visit a psychiatric dispensary for examination at least once every six months.
