Have you ever caught yourself that, for example, in the morning some line from a song “got attached” to you, and you constantly hum in your mind? Or for some reason, you feel an urgent need to remember the name of the movie artist flashed on the screen? And did you suffer for a whole working day from the experiences: “Horror! It seems that the water in the bathroom is not turned off! ”?
These same or similar thoughts literally capture some people, causing them a lot of trouble. In medicine, this condition has its name - obsessive-cumulative disorder, or neurosis.
We will talk about what a neurosis is and how to deal with it later in the article.
The causes of the appearance of a neurosis of obsessive states
The appearance of this ailment is associated with a genetic predisposition by researchers. Explaining this by the fact that, perhaps, to our distant ancestors, compulsive behavior gave some advantages. For example, caution, cleanliness and constant readiness to meet with the enemy allowed people to survive, leaving in the genes a tendency to this particular psyche.
Scientists have proved that in people with the named diagnosis, when collecting an anamnesis, as a rule, relatives are found who have similar conditions. This applies primarily to those patients in whom neurosis appeared in childhood. Nevertheless, in modern world medicine there is no unequivocal answer to the question of why some people develop this neurosis.
What condition can provoke? We will talk about this a little later, but for now let’s say who is at risk.
Who most often has a neurosis
Psychiatrists believe that the aforementioned ailment most often develops in individuals of a certain psycho-emotional state. As a rule, these are shy and indecisive people, only in their fantasies capable of committing any significant actions.
Neurosis of obsessive states, the causes of which we consider, develops against the background of the fact that they carefully avoid the realities of life that require the adoption of a strong-willed decision or serious actions, since such a thing is simply beyond their strength. As a result, people with the named temperament gradually “go into themselves”, obsessing about their own feelings and feelings, which eventually displace all other interests and turn into painful obsessive thoughts.
Neurosis: what are obsessions
Obsessive thoughts or ideas are, in a different way, obsessions. They, as already mentioned above, manifest themselves against the will of the patient and do not succumb to his attempts to get rid of a constant sense of anxiety or absurd, but indestructible thoughts. This may be, for example, reflections on why the noticed bird is grayish, or where exactly the oncoming passer-by went.
The patient, as a rule, is aware of their uselessness and meaninglessness, but can not help himself. Such thoughts do not leave him even for a minute - in fact, the neurosis of obsessive states is expressed in this. Symptoms, treatment of this disease have long been the subject of study by specialists in the field of medicine. Later we will discuss what the doctors came to.
The degree of manifestation of the obsessions
In medicine, it is customary to distinguish between degrees of obsession by brightness and clarity. That is, a person with relatively vague obsessive thoughts can constantly feel unreasonable tension, anxiety or confusion, which gives rise to a common belief that there is nothing good in life.
And brighter obsessions lead to the fact that the neurosis of obsessive states (what it is, we hope you understand it) develops, for example, into the belief that higher powers are set to harm not only the bearer of these thoughts, but also those close to him.
Some patients may even experience sexual obsession, imagining sexual relations or only affection with strangers, and sometimes close people (relatives), children or even animals. This can cause the patient fear and doubt of his own "normality", sexual orientation, self-criticism and even self-hatred.
Signs of a neurosis
So, we have almost figured out what neurosis is. And its symptoms, and methods of therapy, of course, are of interest to modern people, which, however, is not surprising, because the current rhythm of life provokes the appearance of many, including neurological ailments and pathologies. Who knows, maybe some manifestations of the disease already have a place to be, and they need to be fought. And is there a way to avoid this condition? First, one should pay attention to the fact that such patients are always well aware of the far-fetched and unreality of their ideas, but at the same time they feel an urgent need to act in this way and not otherwise.
The clinical picture of the disease, as a rule, is exhausted by the presence of obsessive symptoms, while the volume of consciousness and the degree of critical attitude of the patient remain normal. The inability to concentrate, fatigue, increased irritability and sleep disturbances usually join these symptoms of neurosis.
The listed symptoms manifest themselves with different intensities, but in the patient’s mood, nevertheless, there is a clear shade of hopelessness and an acute sense of inferiority.
Experts consider 3 types of the course of the disease:
- A single attack, which can last as a week or several years.
- Relapses, including periods of complete absence of signs of the disease.
- The continuous course of the disease, accompanied by an increase in its symptoms.
Neurosis: what are compulsions
Obsessive thoughts, doubts and memories are, by the way, quite rare symptoms, as well as obsessive movements or actions.
The most common variety of such actions are rituals called compulsions. It is with their help that the patient tries to alleviate his condition and avoid that frightening event, the thought of which causes endless experiences.
So, a person, in order to free himself from the constant fear of contracting an infection, comes up with a ritual in the form of washing his hands with a certain amount of soap. At the same time, he thinks loudly, but having gone astray, he starts all over again. Or, in order to get rid of an obsessive thought about an unlocked front door, a set number of times the door handle is pulled before leaving home.
By the way, often such rituals are completely absurd in nature, manifesting themselves in the form of pulling out hair, biting nails, unfolding items in a strict order, etc.
Why rituals become a trap for a patient with a neurosis
Obsessive actions are designed to inspire confidence in a patient suffering from exhausting doubts, although they, as a rule, cannot cope with this task. Indeed, if you recall what a neurosis and its symptoms are, it becomes clear that compulsions, giving a false sense of control over what is happening, cannot save you from obsession (obsessive thoughts).
Instead, they drag the patient into a kind of trap. Trying to get relief, a person complicates the ritual, and since doubts remain, he adds more and more details to it, gradually turning both his life and the life of others into a kind of theater of the absurd.
How does neurosis manifest in children
Almost a third of patients claim that the pathology considered by them appeared at an early age.
By the way, neurosis of obsessive states in children is reversible. It does not distort the perception of the world, and parents often do not pay attention to these deviations, believing that with age everything will pass by itself.
As a rule, in small patients, the disease manifests itself in the form of intrusive movements. This can be wrinkling of the forehead, tic, twitching of the shoulders, grunting, sniffing, coughing, etc. The symptoms of fear, for example, in front of a closed or empty room, are often added to these symptoms. Children are afraid to get dirty, prick, hit, etc.
How children develop a neurosis of obsessive states
Neurosis of obsessive states in children and adolescents can provoke features of upbringing in the family. If, for example, for the same actions the baby can be both punished and encouraged (it all depends on the mood of the parents), then he is simply not able to develop a certain stereotype of behavior. And unpredictability often becomes an incentive for a constant sense of anxiety and insecurity in the correctness of their actions, demanding a way out.
An attempt to predict the reaction of parents often makes the child invent rituals and look for their own way of protection.
The same problem can occur in families where parents get divorced or someone is seriously ill. This often leads to a depressing atmosphere reigning in the house. As a rule, the child is not told what is happening, but he feels the wrong, and this worries him, scares him and, as a result, forces him to seek salvation in compulsions.
Features of the treatment of neurosis in children and adolescents
There are certain difficulties in the treatment of children with a diagnosis of neurosis. It is clear that such a condition requires almost the same treatment for both children and adults, but the age of the child often creates additional problems.
Most babies are not able to identify and formulate their fears. They cannot explain what makes them perform some rituals. In many cases, they refuse to admit that their fears are too exaggerated and irrational. Not only that, they believe that all their worrying thoughts will come true if you tell someone about them.
And teenagers are even ashamed of even sharing ideas with a psychotherapist, and all out of fear of declaring themselves inferior and being the object of ridicule from their peers. Therefore, competence and ability to work with children are the main criteria when choosing a doctor.
Getting rid of neurosis using exposure psychotherapy
The first question that arises in patients with a diagnosis of “neurosis of obsessive states”: how to get rid? Reviews of relatives, and the patients themselves, tell of different ways to combat this ailment. Quite often, people praise the method of exposure psychotherapy.
It implies the possibility of reducing the patient's fears in the case of frequent and (mind you!) His proper immersion in a painful situation. For example, if the patient is tormented by the fear of infection, he is offered to hold onto the handrails of the common staircase, and then do not wash his hands. And to get rid of disturbing doubts about whether the door is locked, leave home without checking it.
It’s very difficult for a patient to do such things. But they allow patients to understand and make sure that the terrible consequences that they are anxiously awaiting do not occur: a deadly disease from germs does not immediately fall off their feet, and the door remains locked without repeated checks. Anxiety, which at first grows somewhat, eventually overcomes and passes, but this method requires the mandatory supervision of a specialist, as, indeed, the classical treatment of neurosis.
Therapies
The described neuroses are diseases that for the most part require complex treatment.
To effectively get rid of the disease, specialists most often use a combination of medications with cognitive-behavioral therapy. This allows, while reducing anxiety with the help of drugs, to maximize the impact of psychotherapy. This is especially true for patients in whom the use of the exposure method causes too high a level of anxiety.
By the way, it should be remembered that there are no specific drugs for neurosis of obsessive states. And the use of sedatives alone can lead to side effects and the return of anxiety immediately after the cessation of such treatment.
In complex therapy, specialists prefer tranquilizers that have a strong overall effect: Napoton, Elenium, Relanium, Seduxen or Siabazon, etc. Since neurosis, in contrast to neurasthenia, involves taking high doses medicines, they are preferred to be administered intravenously.
But tablets (Frontin, Alprazolam, Zoldak, Neurol, etc.) have established themselves as quite effective.