In psychiatry, stupor is a movement disorder in which the patient falls into complete immobility, accompanied by mutism and an almost complete absence or extreme weakening of the reaction to external stimuli. This phenomenon is one of the few that can cause a lot of anxiety for those who first encountered it. But to understand the phenomenon, you need to arm yourself with some knowledge.
In order to answer the question "Stupor - what is it?", it is necessary to list the main types of this condition that modern psychiatry distinguishes.
Catonic stupor
The most common type of pathology, characterized by the patient's numbness in a position with uncomfortably bent limbs. That is, the position of the body is not entirely characteristic of a person. The patient ceases to contact with others, does not pay attention to what is happening around, as if under hypnosis, even if the situation is a clear threat to life. The most striking examples characterizing catatonic stupor and what it is are, for example, cases when the patient remained lying inunnatural posture in a room engulfed in fire, showing no signs of anxiety and not reacting to pain. Everyone can fall into a stupor under the influence of stress.
Such a manifestation of catatonic syndrome begins, as a rule, with the masticatory muscles, later descending into the cervical region, and ends with numbness of the limbs. Such nerve paralysis can be caused by any stressful situation, for example, fear, shock, fright.
Stupor with wax flexibility
A type of disorder in which the patient freezes, for example, with an uncomfortably raised leg, arm, or both arms. A person also does not react to what is happening around, stops answering questions uttered in an ordinary measured voice. However, the patient can communicate in whispers, and at night get up, move around the room, take care of himself, eat, and even answer questions. That is, in an unconscious state, he can come out of a state of stupor.
Negativistic stupor
Quite often, a psychiatric medical history includes the term "Negativistic stupor". This kind of stupor is distinguished by the fact that the patient actively resists all attempts to change his position. It is very difficult to get him out of bed, but if this is possible, it is even more difficult to put the patient back. Often, the negativistic stupor is accompanied by an exacerbation of the patient's spirit of contradiction and even aggressive behavior.
Muscular stupordaze
As a rule, when answering the question "Stupor - what is it?", professional psychiatrists invariably note the numbness of the muscles of patients. The most pronounced condition qualifies as stupor with muscle numbness. With it, the patient most often takes an intrauterine position, all his muscles are tense, and his eyes are closed. The position of the embryo in this case is not chosen by chance, thus the numb one creates a kind of protection. This posture is closely associated with a sense of security and peace. It is inherent in a person at the genetic level. Most of these patients refuse to eat.
Depressive stupor
Depressive stupor - what is it? Another condition that the psychiatric history knows very well. Depressive stupor is a consequence of severe endogenous depressive disorders. In addition to numbness, it is characterized by a pained or melancholy expression on the face of the patient.
However, he continues to take care of himself, carry out all vital functions and even sometimes makes contact. Often, numbness and detachment are replaced by unexpected bouts of activity and bursts of energy. Suffice it to recall how grief or depression is depicted in films: the hero, sitting by the window, looks at one point. At the same time, he can drink tea or smoke, looking for salvation and solace in this.
Apathetic stupor - what is it?
In terms of its symptoms, it is somewhat similar to depressive. However, such a stupor can be called one of the milder forms of the disorder. Howas a rule, the patient lies in a static position, although he answers questions, he is monotonous, monosyllabic, with a large time delay. The quality of appetite and sleep is significantly impaired. When visiting relatives or friends, the patient shows quite adequate emotions, is able to answer questions and independently compose phrases quickly and meaningfully.
Stupor can be attributed to borderline conditions, which are caused by a strong nervous shock that arose as a protective reaction of the body to an irritant.
Treatment of the disease can be carried out both at home and in the hospital. However, the main condition is the obligatory consultation and supervision of a psychiatrist or psychoanalyst.
