Ganser syndrome is a syndrome that is classified as a number of mental disorders of an artificial nature. For this disease, the patient's manner of action is inherent, imitating the behavior of patients with mental or physical ailments. In reality, there is no disease of the symptoms depicted.
Discovery and characterization of the Ganser syndrome phenomenon
The full name of the person who first described this syndrome is Ganzert Siegbert Josef Maria. He is German by nationality. In 1897, he characterized this disease as a twilight disorder of consciousness.
Twilight disorder of consciousness is such a psychiatric phenomenon, which is characterized by a disturbance of consciousness, which manifests itself in disorientation in space, but at the same time, habits and actions brought to automatism are preserved. This is the best way to explain the effect of a person's stable assertion in his individual perception of the environment. But at the same time, in reality, the first place in the patient's imagination is occupied by irrational realism.
Description of Ganser syndrome
The syndrome predominantly occurs in prisoners. Usually people from among experienced criminals are exposed to it, therefore in medical practice it was informally called "prison psychosis".
The disease is quite rare, and acutely ending emotional pathologies and hysterical seizures with further selective memory loss contribute to its development. This phenomenon bears some resemblance to schizophrenia.
It is important to be able to distinguish this phenomenon from the usual pretense. After all, it is inherent in a person to pretend for personal gain, but Ganser's syndrome is a serious he alth problem, which is based on certain life difficulties.
Characteristic symptoms of the disease
The syndrome is characterized by an acute course. However, the duration of the attacks is small - they last from several hours to two or three days. When the patient's consciousness becomes clear, his condition immediately improves significantly.
Characteristic symptoms of Ganser syndrome:
- Mimorech - the patient's answers do not correspond to the essence of the question. Although the question was quite clear and understandable.
- Mimic actions are actions that are performed inconsistently with given commands (sometimes they reach the point of absurdity and absurdity).
- Pseudo-dementia is a patient's mental state that is very similar to dementia (dementia). However, it is caused by other mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression or hysteria.
- Puerilism is a hysterical psychosis, which is characterized by childish behavior onagainst the backdrop of denial of awareness of reality.
- Hysterical constriction of consciousness is a violation of consciousness, in which it changes to such an extent that its conscious part turns off and a limited group of emotions and ideas begins to dominate.
- Hysterical paralysis - invented he alth problems, a constant simulation in which the patient himself begins to believe.
At the initial stage, the disease is accompanied by increased distraction, fear, anxiety, visual hallucinations.
Causes of disease development
The syndrome has not yet been studied to perfection, so there is not enough information in medicine about the causes that contribute to its occurrence and development. Among the majority of reputable experts in their field, there is an opinion that the provoking factor of the disease is a strong stressful situation. The reinforcing factor is the desire of the individual to evade responsibility for their actions and avoid unpleasant situations.
There are also physical circumstances:
- prolonged alcohol abuse;
- serious head bruises;
- traumatic brain injury.
A comorbidity in Ganser's syndrome is a personality disorder. Most often it is some kind of theatrical or asocial disorder.
Asocial personality disorder with such a diagnosis as Ganser's syndrome, the symptoms are as follows: aggressive and irresponsible acts, disregard for generally accepted norms of behavior and moral principles.
Person sufferinga theatrical disorder, tries to behave in such a way as to receive an approving review from the outside. Often such patients are tormented by an obsession with becoming indispensable. To achieve this goal, they will behave in a way that attracts maximum attention.
A characteristic feature of this disease is the fact that more often this disease affects males. The disease begins to develop mainly at the stage of early adolescence.
Diagnosis of disease
This diagnosis is not easy to confirm. The reason for this is not only the predisposition to the inventions of such a patient, but also the great rarity of this disease. Before talking about such a problem as the treatment of Ganser's syndrome, the specialist needs to exclude other possible problems. They, too, could cause similar symptoms.
In the process of diagnosing a disease such as Ganser's syndrome, the syndrome is studied from the point of view of the mental and physical impact on the well-being of the person. In monitoring the patient, it is necessary to involve his close relatives. It is required that they carefully observe his behavior and record all important points.
If no physical causes are found, then the patient will have to deal with a psychotherapist. It is a specialist of this profile who has all the necessary knowledge and skills to distinguish fictitious violations of the patient's behavior from serious he alth problems.
Ganser syndrome: symptoms and treatmentdiseases
The main task during the treatment of such a disease as Ganser's syndrome is to minimize the possible danger that the patient poses to himself and those around him. If it is necessary to isolate him from society, then hospitalization is carried out.
Admission to the clinic is quite rare. Mostly it is enough to eliminate the stress factor that provokes the onset and development of the syndrome, and over time, the signs of the disease disappear.
Treatment methods
The main methods that are used to treat Ganser syndrome:
- supportive care;
- watching for a relapse.
The use of medication is generally not required. Medications are resorted to only in the event of burdensome accompanying circumstances. For example, personality disorder, anxiety, and depression.
If the stressful situation has been blocked and its consequences removed, then in a few days the syndrome recedes.
Prevention of Ganser syndrome
The syndrome described in this article has no individual specific prevention.
In theory, everyone is at risk of getting such a disease. It is quite difficult to detect Ganser syndrome. Symptoms of the diagnosis of this disease can not always be correctly identified. However, timely treatment of this disorder gives each person a chanceget rid of him once and for all.
Each person chooses his own destiny, so it is quite possible to live in such a way that the Ganser syndrome cannot reach you. To do this, you just need to be honest, respect the law and take care of yourself. Also, each person should personally monitor their he alth and turn to professionals in time, especially in case of suspicion of something amiss. Everyone deserves to be he althy!
