In our age of frequent stress and anxiety, a diagnosis such as neurosis no longer surprises anyone. Nervous disorders are very common. They affect both men and women, both adults and children, both young and old. Such conditions worsen the quality of life, adversely affect the relationship between people, harm the physical and mental health of the individual.
Therefore, it is very important to know the main symptoms of neurosis in adults and children. The early recovery of a person depends on how early the manifestations of the ailment were discovered. Since the symptoms and treatment of neurosis in adults and children are interconnected, enough attention should be paid to this disease in order to detect the disease in time and begin timely and effective therapy.
Definition of ailment
Before you get acquainted with the symptoms of neurosis in women and men, you need to find out what this disease means. Many confuse this ailment with severe mental disorders or mild emotional disturbances. However, this is wrong.
Neurosis is a cross between a mental illness and just a bad mood. On the other hand, a bad mood, if not controlled, can easily develop into a complex psychological problem.
So, neurosis is a disorder of the nervous system, marked by prolonged symptoms of moderate severity. An illness can bother a person for years and without proper treatment develop into a serious pathology. According to statistics, twenty percent of the inhabitants of our country suffer from various neuroses. Among them, twice as many women as men.
Why does this ailment arise? What is his provocateur? How can a disease be diagnosed and cured? Read about all this below.
The main cause of the manifestation of the disease
Although it is commonly believed that neurosis appears against a background of external factors, numerous studies have shown that the development of the disease is a consequence of internal conflicts and problems. External factors can give impetus to the onset of the disease, that is, they are the cause of its occurrence. The true reason lies much deeper.
Experts say that a lot depends not on circumstances, but on how we relate to them. Have you noticed how two different people, finding themselves in the same situations, react differently to them? Someone refers to failures and even tragedies calmly, steadfastly enduring all difficulties and problems and going forward with his head held high. Another person constantly whimpers and complains, becomes nervous and irritable, he likes to revel in his own problems and personal grief.
It immediately becomes clear which of these two abstract personalities is more prone to neurotic disorders.
Of course, not everything always depends on the person himself and his attitude to difficulties. What else could adversely affect the individual’s nervous system?
We all come from childhood
It's no secret that upbringing has a huge impact on our entire lives. What our parents laid us becomes our essence, our second self.
What will happen to the child whose father or mother (and maybe both parents at the same time) behaved unbalanced? Frequent quarrels between spouses, adult nervousness, their aggressiveness or prolonged despondency will be imprinted in the memory of the child who has observed all this and will shake his young psyche. In adulthood, such a baby, without realizing it, will imitate his parents, adopting their worldview and reaction to difficulties.
Moreover, parents can, with good intentions, develop excessive nervousness in their child. For example, constant adult monitoring can make a teenager embittered and aggressive. The child’s motivation for constant victories will grow in him an abnormal fear of defeat and mistakes, fixation on failures, and self-doubt.
Therefore, all parents should remember that it depends on what atmosphere prevails in their family whether the child will grow up happy and cheerful or frightened and nervous.
On the other hand, the cause of neurosis in both children and adults can be not only education. Complicated pregnancy and difficult childbirth can adversely affect the nervous system of a person and his psyche.
Do not lose weight and heredity. A lot depends on the genes, but not all.
External causes
What situations or circumstances may lead to the development of neurosis? Most often, two factors have a negative effect on the human nervous system:
- A single strong impact of a negative nature that can instantly affect the emotional and psychological state of an individual.
- Prolonged negative manifestations that gradually traumatize the human psyche.
The factors listed above include death or serious illness of a loved one, a chronic illness of the person himself, family troubles, divorce, change of scenery, moving, job loss, financial difficulties, constant overwork, frequent stresses, unfulfilled desires and ambitions, viral infections, bad habits and etc.
There are several types of disease. Below we discuss the signs and symptoms of neurosis in accordance with their classification.
Manifestations of neurasthenia
Neurasthenia (or nervous weakness) is the most common form of the disease, as it is provoked by constant overstrain and stress - the one without which it is unthinkable to imagine the life of a modern person.
How does this type of neurosis manifest itself? Symptoms in women and men are mostly similar. Most often, neurasthenia is manifested in:
- constant feeling of tiredness;
- uncontrolled irritability;
- the inability to master your feelings and emotions;
- tearfulness, resentment;
- distraction, inability to concentrate on something;
- sleep disorders (insomnia or, conversely, a constant desire to sleep);
- loss of appetite;
- apathy, indifference to the environment, to that which previously brought pleasure or joy;
- loss of physical and mental stamina;
- wave-like mood (emotions are replaced one after another);
- headache, often worsening at the end of the day;
- interruptions in the work of the heart;
- pain in the stomach;
- loss of interest in intimate life.
Manifestations of Anxiety Disorder
How is this type of disease expressed? An uncontrolled and overwhelming feeling of anxiety is the main symptom of neurosis. A person’s condition worsens for no apparent reason, simply under the influence of his own negative thoughts and emotions. The patient may fear for his future or the future of his loved ones. Or he may experience panic in some circumstances (fear of the possibility of war, the likelihood of illness, the commission of a mistake, and so on).
According to reviews, the symptoms of this type of neurosis can provoke sleep disturbances, headaches, mood swings, depression, indifference. Moreover, the patient may be disturbed by heart palpitations, shortness of breath, changes in blood pressure, increased sweating, nausea, diarrhea, and so on.
According to experts, the disease is paroxysmal. That is, a person is constantly worried about causeless fears, which can intensify for no particular reason and manifest in the form of panic attacks, tearfulness and irritability.
Manifestations of hysterical neurosis
Symptoms of this disease are especially pronounced due to its features. A characteristic sign of this type of ailment is an obsessive, sometimes uncontrollable desire of the patient to attract the attention of others. The patient begins to roll up the so-called tantrums, characterized by excessive demonstration and playing in public. Any little thing causes violent attacks of sobs and screams.
The patient begins to manipulate others, find in himself severe forms of ailments and even imitate their symptoms.
And the reason for this behavior lies in the fact that the psyche of the patient was injured due to extreme stress or negative circumstances. Hysterical seizures can have different forms of expression:
- Vegetative disorders. They appear in vivid fantasies or in violation of consciousness and even convulsions. The patient may “rage,” tearing his clothes apart, tearing out his hair, inflicting wounds on himself or bumping his head against the walls. In the process of an attack, a person behaves extremely aggressively, throws objects falling into his arms at others, laughs hysterically, and swears. The seizure itself usually ends with sobs sobbing.
- Sensory Disorders Manifested in loss of sensitivity. A person does not feel pain and inconvenience, can cause injury to himself, and all in order to draw attention to his own person. This behavior may be accompanied by involuntary stuttering, loss of hearing and vision.
- Motor impairment. The patient ceases to feel his body. This is manifested in impaired coordination, paralysis of the arms or legs, tremors, loss of voice, nervous tic.
Manifestations of obsessive states
This is a very insidious disease, since its symptoms can be perceived as harmless quirks or a distinctive character. What is the manifestation of neurosis of obsessive states? Symptoms of the disease are not always unambiguous.
A person may have some kind of annoying thought that will frighten him or prevent him from carrying out the usual things. Following his ideas, the patient begins to do certain things, and he does this with great care.
The main symptoms of an obsessive neurosis may be the following feelings or sensations:
- Fear of contracting a disease or contaminating something.
- Sexual desires and ideas of a sadistic nature.
- Obsession in religious dogmas or moral ideas.
- Fear of causing trouble to others or to oneself.
- Excessive desire for order, symmetry, cleanliness.
- The passionate desire to have something or, conversely, to get rid of something.
- Superstition, excessive faith in luck.
Manifestation of depressive neurosis
This disease develops on the basis of an already established diagnosis - depression. The main symptoms of this type of disorder are constant bad mood, inability to enjoy even the happiest and most fun moments, insomnia. Other manifestations include:
- Arrhythmia.
- Dizziness.
- Tearfulness.
- Disturbances in the work of the digestive tract.
- Coldness in intimate life.
General symptoms
There are a number of common symptoms of neurosis in adults and children. First of all, these include sharp mood swings, constant overstimulation and agitation, an aggressive reaction to troubles or mistakes (both of the patient himself and those around him), inconsistency of behavior, inconsistency in actions, excessive self-doubt, self-criticism, or, conversely, excessive self-esteem, narcissism, fixation on one thing, excessive vulnerability and resentment, bouts of groundless anxiety or fear.
As you can see, neurosis not only affects the patient’s emotional and mental well-being, but also his relationships with family and friends, work colleagues and just acquaintances. Moreover, the danger of such conditions lies in the fact that they have a negative impact on the physical health of the patient. Typically, neurosis is accompanied by an accelerated heartbeat and malfunctioning of the heart, increased fatigue, sleep disorders, stomach pain, diarrhea or constipation, frequent urination, excessive sweating, inability to concentrate, memory loss, trembling hands and feet, bouts of headache and dizziness, darkening in eyes, loss of appetite or, conversely, overeating, decreased potency, disorientation. The symptoms listed above can mean serious problems with vital organs. We will discuss this a bit below.
Men and women
Which of the above diseases are most common in women? Representatives of the fair sex are most prone to neurasthenia, which manifests itself in uncontrolled irritability, problems in intimate life, and a decrease in mental and physical activity.
The strong half of humanity is most prone to depressive neurosis. Symptoms in men are manifested due to overwork, problems at work, as well as the inability of the stronger sex to adapt to changed circumstances.
Very often, men and women are prone to nervous diseases during puberty, as well as in the so-called menopause, due to age-related changes.
Diagnosis of ailment
How to determine the disease? This is a rather time-consuming process. Against the background of the manifestation of all the symptoms, the patient is referred to specialists such as a psychologist and / or psychotherapist. It is on the basis of medical consultation that a diagnosis is established, as well as its form.
At the doctor’s appointment, the patient will be asked to undergo a special test, on the basis of which the patient’s psychopathic nature will be revealed. Also, a patient with a neurosis will be given the opportunity to choose the colors he likes. Often those suffering from neurasthenia choose dark shades - purple, gray, black, brown. If the patient has hysteria, then he pays attention to red and purple.
What is the treatment of neurosis?
Redefine Your Values
Many people think that it is impossible to completely cure this pathology, and they are theoretically right. The fact is that with medications alone it is almost impossible to get rid of the disease. As mentioned above, neurosis occurs against the background of internal human conflicts. Therefore, in order to get rid of the problem, the patient needs to reconsider his values ​​and capabilities.
For this, psychotherapeutic sessions are designed that help the patient gain confidence in his own abilities, stop focusing on certain problems, find a positive outlook on things and others, and be able to control himself and his emotions.
In some situations, especially if neurosis is not burdened by protracted attacks, you will need only a few sessions of psychotherapy.
Change lifestyle
Change the usual rhythm - this is one of the main ways to get rid of the disease. If a neurosis is diagnosed, the patient should review his schedule and allocate enough time for proper rest and sleep. The key to recovery is also moderate physical activity. These include walking (preferably in a park or park), gymnastic exercises, swimming, and so on.
Good nutrition is another component of success. It is necessary to eat foods rich in vitamins, allocating enough time for the meal itself. Of no less importance is getting rid of bad habits.
Drug treatment
It includes specialized drugs, often sold on prescription. Most pharmacy products available for general use do not have the desired effect in the fight against diagnosed neuroses. They can just slightly calm a person and nothing more.
Specialized drugs include:
- Tranquilizers. This is primarily Alprazolam and Phenazepam.
- Antidepressants. These include Fluoxetine and Sertraline.
- Sleeping pills. Your doctor may prescribe Zopiclone or Zolpidem.
Take these drugs clearly according to the instructions of your doctor. The specialist individually selects the necessary dosage and schedule. However, it should be mentioned once again that even the most effective and expensive means will not have lasting success without some work on yourself. Only by taking himself in hand and finding the right outlook on things, the patient can overcome this insidious and unpleasant ailment.
ethnoscience
Means of a first-aid kit can be used in addition to psychotherapeutic trainings and pharmacological preparations. Use alternative medicine carefully and only after consulting with your doctor. Most often, such methods do not relieve the disease itself, but only mitigate the symptoms of its manifestation.
With insomnia, you can drink an infusion of verbena leaves. To do this, pour a teaspoon of grass with a glass of boiling water, insist for about an hour and drink throughout the day.
You can use melissa teas for general comfort. To do this, mix the tea leaves and dry leaves of grass taken in ten grams, fill the mixture with a liter of boiling water and use it in the second part of the day.
Peppermint infusion is another effective sedative. One tablespoon of grass is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for forty minutes and drunk a glass in the morning before meals and at night.
A fairly effective method is to take a bath with the addition of a decoction of valerian root.Sixty grams of the component is boiled in any amount of water for fifteen minutes, allowed to infuse for an hour and poured into a hot bath. The duration of such a procedure should not exceed fifteen minutes.
Very often, neurosis, if left untreated, leads to serious complications. This can be read below.
When other organs suffer. Heart
Against the background of the development of a nervous disease, a person may be disturbed by heart pain. Most often, this pathology is called a cardiac neurosis. Symptoms of the disease occur against the background of emotional breakdowns or overstrain. Often, unpleasant sensations in the chest are preceded by stressful situations or psychological overstrain.
Symptoms of cardiac neurosis can occur in panic attacks, fear of cardiac arrest, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, tremors in the legs and internal organs.
How to determine the pathology? Symptoms and treatment of heart neurosis are closely interconnected, so you should pay attention not only to the patient's complaints, but also to his concomitant diseases, as well as the indications of diagnostic studies.
Often the complaints of a person suffering from a nervous breakdown are not reflected on the ECG or ultrasound. That is, the survey data do not reveal really acute disorders in the heart. It turns out that there are symptoms, but the disease itself is not.
However, this is not always the case. The cardiovascular system of a person suffers from his emotional and mental disorders. Therefore, it is possible that the patient’s nervous attacks are accompanied by real pathological processes occurring in the heart. What can be done?
In this case, the symptoms and treatment of cardiac neurosis will overlap with the emotional state of a person. That is, unpleasant sensations in the chest will be a direct result of tantrums and mental stress. Moreover, if a patient has a neurological diagnosis, then most likely it provokes a deterioration in his physical condition.
However, this does not mean that treatment of the patient is not necessary.
Psychotherapeutic consultations are prescribed to the patient, which should teach him to treat problems correctly and focus on the positive. Moreover, physiotherapeutic procedures such as electrophoresis, Charcot's shower, massage, coniferous baths, therapeutic exercises and so on can be prescribed.
Drug treatment can be reduced to the use of antidepressants, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and vitamin complexes. And of course, the patient’s lifestyle and attitude will play an important role in recovery.
Gastrointestinal tract
The presence of psycho-emotional diseases can lead to neurosis of the stomach. Symptoms of this pathology are manifested against the background of constant stress and overwork, depression, psychological trauma and so on. Most often, the disease manifests itself in pain in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea (or constipation), belching, heartburn, and so on.
The digestive organs suffer from constant tantrums and experiences, which serves as a source of unpleasant symptoms of gastric neurosis. Treatment and diagnosis of this disease is carried out by exclusion. If various examinations do not reveal serious pathologies, and the patient’s history clearly indicates the presence of nervous disorders, then this is a matter of psychoemotional illness.
Symptoms of intestinal neurosis (or stomach - no difference) are the precursors of serious diseases of the digestive tract. For the treatment of pathology, you need to contact a psychotherapist and a nutritionist. Physiotherapeutic procedures, painkillers, etc. can also be recommended.
Nerves and a lump in the throat
Many patients with nervous disorders complain of shortness of breath. This is precisely the main symptom of pharyngeal neurosis. Also, patients complain of itching in the throat, sore and even pain. Not always these manifestations indicate physical pathology. If complaints are manifested against the background of nervous excitability, insomnia, and bad mood, then most likely we are talking about symptoms of pharyngeal neurosis. Treatment of the disease also involves psychotherapeutic trainings, normalization of lifestyle and the use of special drugs.
On the other hand, discomfort in the larynx can be caused by infectious diseases, brain tumors, or disorders in the spine. In this case, the patient may be prescribed special massages, medications, and even surgical intervention.
A few words in conclusion
We examined the symptoms and treatment of neurosis in humans. As you can see, these pathologies occur against the background of the psychoemotional excitability of a person. In most cases, such ailments are based on internal conflicts and depend on the upbringing of a person and his perception of the world.
Neuroses are also based on difficult life situations caused by the death of loved ones, financial difficulties or problems at work. The way a person reacts to these external factors affects the degree of the disease, as well as its development.
Sometimes neurosis can bother the patient for years, from time to time causing serious psycho-emotional attacks. In other cases, the disease can occur every day, making a person unbearable for himself and others. There are hidden forms of the disease, when the symptoms of neurosis are perceived as eccentricities or the peculiar nature of the individual.
Be that as it may, any manifestation of neurosis is considered dangerous, as it can lead to more complex problems - the development of severe mental disorders, exacerbation of physical diseases and even suicide.
Medications are actively used to treat neurosis. However, the most effective methods of therapy are psychotherapeutic consultations that help the patient to control themselves, control their emotions and feelings, focus on the positive, look at failures correctly, and so on. An important factor in recovery is the adjustment of the patient’s lifestyle - adequate rest, good nutrition, gymnastic exercises, rejection of bad habits.
Much also depends on the sensitivity and understanding of family and friends. Therefore, love one another and take care of yourself.