Causes, symptoms and treatment of various types of neuroses in adult women

Causes of neuroses

There is a lot of information on how to deal with neurosis, but first of all it is necessary to understand the causes of this disorder. There are two main factors against which the disease develops:

1. Psychogenic The first category includes situations that provoke psychological trauma. This can be either severe stress (for example, the loss of a loved one), or prolonged nervous tension associated with professional activity or an unfavorable family environment.
2. Intrapersonal. Neurosis often arises due to internal contradictions, which generally arise in childhood or adolescence. The root of the problem lies in upbringing errors and psychological trauma, which results in the formation of a vulnerable, indecisive and complex personality.

Causes of the disease

Neurosis (symptoms and treatment in women are interrelated) is a condition that appears due to various reasons.

Namely:

• Prolonged experiences or strong mental activity. For example, the disease may appear during a divorce or dismissal from work.
• Inability to solve life's problems. If a woman has an overdue debt, the bank will put psychological pressure on the person. The result is neurosis.
• Loneliness or problems in your personal life. Spending a long time in the company of other people helps fulfill the need for communication. If this is not enough, neurosis appears.

  
  Neurosis is a dangerous pathology. Therefore, having recognized the symptoms, you need to begin treatment.

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• High expectations. For example, when a person tries to exceed his capabilities, that is, he “jumps in over his head.” This condition cannot be maintained for a long time. The feeling of an impossible plan can lead to neurosis.
• Self-esteem problems. If a woman has an overestimated or underestimated opinion of herself, then this affects the psyche.
• Forgetfulness, as a result of which an unpleasant situation arose. For example, if an electrical appliance was left on at home, then a fire occurred. Next, the woman will constantly think that she forgot to do something significant.
• Diseases that lead to depletion of the body. This item includes long-term pathologies of an infectious nature - influenza, tuberculosis. The disease also develops due to the abuse of bad habits.
• Diseases of the central nervous system accompanied by an inability to work for long periods of time are congenital asthenia.
• Neurotic disorders that develop for no apparent reason. For example, with a woman’s self-hypnosis.
• Injuries received in childhood. Everything that happens in a child’s life before adolescence is the foundation of personality. If there is an example of a bad lifestyle of parents (use of drugs or alcohol), as well as harsh upbringing (beating, constant raising of the voice), then the likelihood of neurosis increases.

It is generally accepted that the disease is not inherited. But sometimes the condition occurs in relatives.

Stages of development of neurosis

In the first stages, neurosis is poorly expressed, which often prevents its timely detection:

1. First stage. The initial stage is typical for childhood and is manifested by weak or moderate neurotic reactions to external stimuli. Loud crying, hysteria and whims are typical for many children, so parents rarely pay attention to the first symptoms of the disorder.
2. Second phase. At the second stage of the disease, the person becomes increasingly susceptible to stressful situations, and a nervous reaction occurs not only to negative stimuli, but also to joyful events, after which it becomes increasingly difficult for the person to relax and return to a calm state. However, both the first and second forms are easily treatable.
3. Third stage. If symptoms are ignored for a long time, the pathology becomes chronic. At this stage, a deep neurosis is formed, during which a radical transformation of the patient’s character and behavior occurs. Advanced forms are difficult to cure completely, and the symptoms of the disease can only be relieved with the help of medications or psychotherapeutic techniques. The danger of a chronic disorder also lies in the fact that the personality forever loses its typical qualities.

Treatment

It is necessary to understand that neurosis will never go away on its own. If you don't put in some effort, the depressing situation can last for years. This state of affairs is incredibly exhausting, depriving one of the last moral strength, hope and support. Of course, from time to time you will feel better, but the essence of the problem will not change. Treatment must be competent and consistent. In this case, it would not be superfluous to seek advice from a psychologist. After all, answering the question of how to treat neurosis on your own is incredibly difficult. But you shouldn’t give up either.

Medicines

As a rule, strong antidepressants are prescribed. They should be taken only on the recommendation of a doctor. Only a specialist can choose the right treatment and medications that are appropriate to a specific situation. It is highly not recommended to attempt to find some suitable medicine on your own, on the advice of friends and acquaintances, and then take it uncontrollably.

Having a hobby

Everyone should have some kind of hobby in life. Only then do the colors become bright and the events truly intense. When we are seriously passionate about something, we have less time to think about our own worries and sorrows. Hobbies can include drawing, reading books or knitting. Don't be afraid to try something new for yourself. It is likely that a useful activity will make you feel better. It is likely that the specific meaning of life will be revealed to you. It doesn’t have to be limited to the family. Girls also need to learn to take a broader view of the surrounding reality, and not reduce all their efforts to a successful marriage and having children. Think about why you wake up every day and make some effort? For what result are you ready to act without hesitation? You just need to try to answer this question honestly. That's why having a hobby is never a bad idea.

Thus, neurosis definitely deserves close attention. This condition cannot be left to chance, since the consequences can be completely irreversible. It sometimes becomes quite difficult for women to cope with their emotions. This is why they sometimes suffer more than men. If you cannot cope with the problem on your own, you can seek help from the psychological center of Irakli Pozharisky. Working with a specialist will help you overcome despair and fear and concentrate on pressing tasks.

Symptoms of neurosis

The disease has many symptoms that can manifest themselves on both a psychological and physiological level. The severity of the disorder depends on many factors, but the main role is played by the lifestyle and individual characteristics of the patient’s nervous system. Due to the fact that women are more emotional, the signs of neurosis are more pronounced in them than in men. However, the general symptoms of the disorder are almost the same in both sexes.

Psychological signs of neurosis

A typical sign of pathology is increased anxiety, which leads to a negative assessment of events and an inadequate perception of reality on the part of the patient. Symptoms of neurosis in women often manifest themselves in the form of constant tearfulness and irritability; men, on the contrary, withdraw more into themselves or begin to relieve stress with the help of alcoholic beverages.

The main psychological manifestations of the disorder:

• emotional instability and sudden mood swings;
• fixation on a negative situation;
• progressive phobias and fears;
• panic attacks;
• guilt and low self-esteem;
• presence of obsessive ideas;
• inexplicable feelings of sadness, loss and longing;
• difficulties in decision making;
• negative thoughts about the future.

Physical signs of neurosis

Advanced forms of pathology are often accompanied by unpleasant physical manifestations. Such symptoms are not the result of individual diseases and are mainly associated with disturbances in the functioning of the autonomic system. Nevertheless, progressive and long-term neurosis can serve as an impetus for disruptions in the functioning of the entire body, which subsequently threatens the emergence of additional health problems. To avoid this, it is necessary to take care of timely treatment of a neurotic disorder at its first manifestations.

Characteristic symptoms of neurosis at the physiological level:

• pain in the chest and heart;
• frequent neurasthenic headaches;
• decreased vision;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• disturbances in the functioning of the genitourinary system;
• feeling of lack of air when inhaling;
• dermatological problems (the skin is very itchy, various rashes are observed);
• tremor of the limbs;
• increase or decrease in blood pressure;
• excessive sweating;
• dizziness and fainting;
• sleep problems;
• decreased or increased appetite;
• decreased libido (in men - impotence);
• heaviness and pain in the stomach.

Signs of neurosis

The following signs may indicate the presence of this disorder in a person:

- emotional distress for no apparent reason;

- communication problems;

- frequent feelings of fear, anxiety, anxious anticipation of something;

- indecision;

- possible panic disorder or panic attacks, phobias;

- instability of mood, sharp or frequent variability;

— inconsistency and uncertainty of the value system, life preferences and desires, cynicism;

- irritability;

— inadequate self-esteem: overestimation or underestimation;

- tearfulness;

- high sensitivity to stress in the form of despair or aggression;

- anxiety, vulnerability, touchiness;

- fixation on a traumatic situation;

— attempts to work quickly end in fatigue, decreased attention and thinking ability;

- a person experiences increased sensitivity to temperature changes, bright light, and loud sounds;

— sleep disorders: restless, superficial sleep that does not bring relief, drowsiness is noted in the morning;

- heart pain and headaches;

- increased fatigue, feeling tired, general decrease in performance;

— darkening in the eyes from pressure changes, dizziness;

- pain in the abdomen;

- difficulty maintaining balance, disorders of the vestibular apparatus;

- loss of appetite (malnutrition, hunger, overeating, rapid satiety when eating);

- sleep disturbances (insomnia), early awakening, difficulty falling asleep, lack of a full feeling of rest after sleep, night awakenings, nightmares;

- psychological fear of physical pain, increased concern for one’s health;

— vegetative disorders: increased sweating, palpitations, disruption of the stomach, surges in blood pressure, increased urge to urinate, cough, loose stools;

- decreased potency and libido.

Types of neuroses

There are social, postpartum, motor, school, cardiophobic and informational and other types of neuroses. The most common 5 types of this pathology are:

1. Obsessive-compulsive neurosis. A form that is difficult to treat and is based on phobias. The disease affects suspicious, impressionable and insecure people. Chronic obsessive-compulsive neurosis is extremely dangerous because it threatens to transform into more severe mental disorders.
2. Neurasthenia (astheno-neurotic syndrome). Pathology developing against the background of chronic fatigue. Clinical manifestations: sleep disturbance, headaches, irritability, lethargy, apathy.
3. Anxiety disorder. Patients with this type of pathology experience constant anxiety and unreasonable fears. Main symptoms: panic attacks, dry mouth, increased heart rate and sweating.
4. Hysteria. A type of disorder that women are more susceptible to. Typical manifestations: loud screams, violent sobs, convulsive seizures.
5. Hypochondriacal neurosis. Characteristic of suspicious people with excessive attention to themselves and their health.

Symptoms of obsessive neurosis (OCD)

Symptoms of obsessive neurosis (F42 according to ICD-10) include obsessive thoughts and actions of a stereotypical nature. In almost all cases, there is anxiety, which is directly related to the fear of unlikely negative (dangerous) consequences. For example, some of these symptoms include:

• checking the gas stove;
• lighting check;
• checking doors (apartment, garage, car);
• checking the order in the apartment;
• frequent cleaning of the apartment;
• frequent hand washing, showering;
• excessive attachment to people, things;
• adherence to unusual rituals;
• tendency to count something.

Diagnosis of neuroses

Diagnosis of pathology begins with studying the factors that could lead to its development. First of all, the specialist pays attention to the patient’s heredity, his physical health, as well as the circumstances preceding the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease.

A significant role is also given to the dynamics of the manifestations of neurosis: the frequency and strength of symptoms, their dependence on life circumstances and seasonal fluctuations are examined. The diagnosis of neurotic disorder is made only in the following cases:

• in the absence of physical pathologies that could lead to similar symptoms;
• if the disease is long-term and the symptoms are regular;
• if the patient can adequately assess his own reactions;
• if there is no suspicion of more complex types of mental disorders.

Treatment of the disease

Neurosis (symptoms and treatment in women are interconnected) needs treatment. The doctor prescribes therapy after diagnosis. Most often it is complex, that is, it includes several methods.

Namely:

• medications;
• folk remedies;
• proper nutrition;
• visiting a psychologist.

Medicines

Drug therapy helps alleviate the condition, the manifestation of symptoms of neurosis decreases. Then the woman can reconsider the situation and find a solution to the problem.

Commonly used medications are listed in the table:

At the discretion of the doctor, the list of medications may be changed.

Folk remedies

Traditional therapy helps reduce the symptoms of neurosis. Compared to drugs, plants have a low likelihood of causing side effects. Popular recipes for traditional therapy are listed in the table.

Diet therapy

Proper nutrition is important for neurosis. By following a diet, you can reduce the load on the entire body. For treatment to be effective, it is imperative to adhere to proper nutrition.

Diet principles:

• Eat 5 - 6 times a day with breaks between meals of 3 - 4 hours. Portions should be 200 - 300 g.
• Add more vegetables and fruits to your diet; they contain many vitamins.
• Avoid fried, salted and smoked foods. And you should also forget about sweets and flour.
• It is better to steam, boil or bake food in the oven.
• Replace high-fat products with low-calorie ones.
• Don't forget about drinking regime. The recommended amount of clean still water per day is at least 1.5 liters.
• Avoid carbonated drinks, strong coffee and tea. You should also completely forget about alcohol.

Permitted and prohibited products are listed in the table:

Psychological treatment

With neurosis, the help of a psychotherapist may be required. A woman needs to attend sessions. During them, it is possible to build a picture of your personality, to establish the reason that led to neurosis. A doctor helps change a person’s view of the world around him. Recovery occurs if a woman, with the help of a specialist, understands the cause of her fears and worries.

Psychological treatment may include the following procedures:

• Conversation.
• Cognitive psychotherapy is the reproduction of a situation that causes fear and anxiety in a woman. Thanks to the technique, a person begins to intelligently assess what is happening.
• Hypnosis.

Treatment of neurosis

There are many techniques used to treat the disorder, but there are no general schemes that would help all patients equally effectively. Only a thorough study of the medical history and making a correct diagnosis will allow a specialist to understand whether neurosis can be cured completely and what are the chances that after some time the disease will not manifest itself again.

Methods for treating neurotic disorder:

1. Medication. Medicines of chemical and herbal origin are used (tranquilizers, antidepressants, nootropics, anxiolytics, vitamins and minerals, sedatives). The method helps to alleviate physical and psychological symptoms, but medications cannot eliminate the cause of the disease. With the help of pharmaceuticals, neuralgia is treated, which is often a consequence of long-term neurosis.
2. Hypnotherapy. Allows a specialist to study the patient’s subconscious and identify the true cause of the disorder, and then instill in the patient positive attitudes that will contribute to healing.
3. Psychotherapy. A technique that helps the patient remember, realize and work through all the factors that led to the development of the disease.

In most cases, an integrated approach gives good results, but the prognosis for a complete or partial cure depends only on how long the disease lasts.

TREATMENT OF THE DISORDER

Diagnosis is always preceded by diagnosis. The doctor must carefully examine the patient’s medical history, evaluate the symptoms and signs of pathology, and exclude other diseases.

In psychiatry, conversation is of great importance at all stages of working with a patient, but before making a diagnosis, laboratory and instrumental tests should be carried out. This is the only way to identify organic pathologies of the central nervous system, infectious or chronic diseases that may have manifestations similar to neurasthenia.

Correction of a mental disorder such as neurasthenia begins with identifying the causes of the disease. For healing, it is very important to eliminate negative factors that affect a person’s psycho-emotional state. Treatment of neurasthenia is complex, it is carried out in several directions at once:

1. Drug treatment. The use of medications can reduce the patient’s anxiety and irritability and improve sleep. In addition, the doctor may recommend taking vitamin complexes and products that have a general strengthening effect on the body. The decision to prescribe medications is made in each case separately, based on the characteristics of the disease.
2. Psychotherapy. Psychotherapeutic influence is decisive in the treatment of neurasthenia in both men and women. The most effective method is individual psychotherapy, but work can also be carried out in groups. During the sessions, the patient can understand and work through the causes of his illness, and learn to cope with stressful situations. A psychotherapist can use cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosuggestive techniques, and biofeedback therapy (BFB therapy).
3. Physiotherapy. Methods such as aromatherapy, reflexology, electrosleep, massage help to quickly restore strength and significantly improve the patient’s condition.

Non-traditional methods of treating mental disorders will also be useful. Communicating with animals, such as horses or dolphins, will help you relax and get into a positive mood. Music, drawing, and dancing have a positive impact.

The success of treatment largely depends on the patient himself, because only he himself can change his life for the better. An experienced psychotherapist will give the necessary recommendations, which will help restore the nervous system and get rid of the disorder.

Prevention of neuroses

Prevention of neurotic disorders should begin in childhood, since improper upbringing of a child is the main reason for the development of this pathology. Thus, children from an early age should learn to overcome difficulties on their own, have endurance, perseverance and patience.

An atmosphere of excessive permissiveness or, conversely, strictness provokes in the child the development of suspiciousness, uncertainty, anxiety and other initial symptoms of the disease. Therefore, parents should always remember the dangers of neurosis and prevent its initial manifestations.

A favorable environment in the family and team, proper and regular nutrition, proper rest, giving up bad habits, moderate exercise and control of emotions will help to minimize the risk of a severe neurotic disorder. Advanced neurosis can be prevented if you monitor your emotional state, and at the first alarming symptoms, immediately seek help from a specialized specialist.

Origin and causes of male neurosis

This is a serious illness that occurs in the form of damage to the nervous system. Usually manifests itself as a result of psychological trauma. Development is influenced by the environment and the general emotional background. Over time, the situation worsens, which can lead to pathology and heart defects. Headaches and painful sensations in the body and muscles occur.

If you do not take any action, it is impossible to improve the patient's condition. It is necessary to identify the sources, gradually eliminate them, and change the situation. Then psychotherapy techniques will be effective.

Basically, development is associated with various factors. There is a dependence on genetic predisposition, formed habits, moral and life principles, and worldview.

The adequacy and correctness of the assessment is important. This affects the ability to act in complex incidents, adequately assess what is happening and make appropriate decisions. The manifestation is not new. More than forty-five percent of the country's population suffers from this. More than five of them are severe.

There are several types:

• obsessive-compulsive neurosis;
• hysterical neurosis;
• neurasthenia.

Each of them is formed under the influence of external and internal factors. Psychoses of internal organs also exist. They are a special type of neuroses in men and somatic disorders under the pressure of trauma. It is a subtype of mania. If the malaise developed at a conscious age, the consequences are reversible. Achieved through intensive therapy.

Experts note that the origins lie in childhood experiences and anxieties. Other factors include:

• improper upbringing on the part of parents - excessive demands, inattention to the child’s abilities, lack of trust;
• stress on the nervous system, constant tension;
• unfavorable emotional environment, worsening mood;
• character traits; physical injuries, disorders, chronic poor health.

If nothing is done, the neurotic quality will gradually worsen. The person will begin to experience anxiety, dissatisfaction, and decreased activity. The following signs are possible:

• passivity;
• depression;
• irritability;
• uncertainty;
• nervousness;
• active apathy;
• complaints about existence;
• alertness;
• aggressiveness;
• constant fatigue and more.

The pleasure of existence is lost. Everything turns gray. The individual cannot work and function normally. The disease will develop, progress, reaching a critical point. This can lead to physical problems.

To avoid this, it is recommended to seek help from a psychologist in the early stages. He will prescribe medications that will help overcome chronic suspiciousness.

Prevention

When treating neurosis with folk remedies, proper nutrition, herbal infusions, autogenic training, and help from loved ones can be really helpful methods.

However, in order to prevent the occurrence of neurotic syndrome, it is important not to neglect preventive measures, it is required:

1. Eliminate the influence of stress factors as much as possible.
2. Avoid excessive physical and mental fatigue.
3. Learn to get enough sleep without using sleeping pills.
4. Eat properly.
5. Give your body as much physical activity as possible.
6. Find a hobby you like.

Simple rules will help you cope with daily stress and avoid encountering a neurotic disorder.

Causes

• Psychotraumatic situations
• Somatic and neurological diseases that cause physical discomfort and are accompanied by pain.
• Mental illnesses, especially those accompanied by depressive states.
• Abuse of psychoactive substances (alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, psychostimulants, narcotic substances), medications (dietary supplements, decongestants and antitussives, glucocorticoids, theophylline, phenytoin).
• Malicious smoking.
• Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (snoring).
• Disturbance in the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness (rapid change of time zones, night shift work, damage to the hypothalamus due to injury or encephalitis).

Symptoms

The main signs of neurotic conditions include:

- heightened and sometimes inadequate reactions to remark or criticism, the need to perform certain work, show attention or perseverance; - confusion, decreased concentration, panic and despair when difficult situations arise in life; - extraordinary touchiness, sometimes with exaggeration and distortion of the words of surrounding people; - phobias, fears, suspiciousness, anxiety; - reactions of unreasonable anger, anger, verbal and physical aggression; - difficulty falling asleep, insomnia; - changing the relationship with the opposite sex (ignoring them or, conversely, fixating on intimacy); - complaints about disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular (rapid heartbeat, chest pain), respiratory (shortness of breath, lack of air), digestive (discomfort in the stomach and intestines, upset stool) systems.

Often the clinical picture is supplemented by such vegetative symptoms as: a lump in the throat during neurosis, excessive sweating, chilliness of the limbs, dizziness, a feeling of aching bones, muscle spasms.

What is neurosis

The concept of “neurosis” first appeared in medicine at the end of the 18th century in opposition to the morphological theory of the origin of all diseases. The term was introduced by the Scottish physician Kuplen to identify a separate group of pathologies not associated with organic lesions.

The Russian scientist-physiologist Pavlov subsequently made a great contribution to their study. Currently, according to the ICD, the more correct concept of “neurological disorder” is used. In the coding system they are designated by codes from F40 to F48.