The state of obsessions. Obsessional neurosis. Obsessive-compulsive disorder course of the disease
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is mental disorder, in which a person has obsessive thoughts, ideas, images, ideas, desires that are extremely difficult or impossible to control, and he tries to cope with them by performing various rituals, the implementation of which also gives him pronounced discomfort.
Main symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults, this is the presence of a clear cyclicity: an obsessive state arises, followed by the appearance of anxiety, or other uncomfortable feelings, and then the person performs a ritual to complete this cycle for a short period of time.
What are the causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children? preschool age? find out right now.
General information and interpretation of the diagnosis
OCD diagnosis in psychiatry - what is it? How is OKR stands for?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder refers to mental disorders, is included in a large group of neuroses and is often accompanied by other mental illnesses, such as depressive syndrome, panic disorder, astheno-neurotic syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder.
The name "obsessive-compulsive disorder" hides the symptomatic features of the disease:
- obsessions. Obsessions include obsessive states that a person cannot remove by volitional effort, therefore, he repeats compulsive actions over and over again that can interrupt or alleviate discomfort, anxiety, fear for a while;
- compulsions. These are rituals that a person repeats to deal with obsessions.
Example: a young girl prone to developing neurosis-like states due to personality traits witnesses a fire in a neighboring apartment, and this event triggers the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Several times a day obsessions appear in her head: images of a burning apartment, flaming objects, obsessive chains of reasoning about how exactly a fire can start.
Before leaving home she performs compulsive rituals: turn off all electrical appliances, close the valve on gas pipe and checks if she did everything right, several times.
Repeatedly obsessions forced her to return to the apartment again, when she had already left it, and check everything again, despite the fact that everything was in order there.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a common mental disorder - 2-5% of people have it - and is most common in people in developed countries, especially those who live in metropolitan areas for a long time.
Why do compulsions occur? Find out from the video:
obsessive personality type
There are a number of personality traits that increase the likelihood that a person will have an obsessive-compulsive disorder, and they are laid down in childhood.
Characteristic features of obsessional people:
The obsessive personality type is inherent in people whom society considers potentially successful.
Their abilities, perseverance, perfectionism, directed in a successful direction, give them the opportunity to achieve significant heights.
But the tendency to think, excessive self-control, blocking the emotional component, the desire to do everything as best as possible make them vulnerable Therefore, such people may develop neuroses.
This personality traits are laid down in childhood and is associated with the pressure of parents who want their child to be the best. They punish mistakes, even minor ones, and actively praise successes, scold them for showing emotions and losing self-control.
In the future, the children of such parents retain the formed features throughout their lives. trying to live up to an unattainable, imposed ideal.
Obsessive-compulsive personality type! What is characteristic of this type of personality? Find out from the video:
Reasons for development
The biological causes of the deviation are associated with malfunctions in the metabolism of serotonin and norepinephrine, which leads to the appearance of pathological anxiety in a person. In turn, these failures occur due to:
Usually the development of the disease triggers a trigger, which can be traumatic experience.
All types of obsessions, from intrusive thoughts and ending with obsessive memories, doubts, desires, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder are somehow connected with their fears and repressed emotions, with what they consider painful, dangerous or extremely unacceptable.
For example, the fear of death will give rise to obsessions associated with it: a person will involuntarily scroll through the scenarios of his own death in his head and be afraid of them, he may even have obsessive images of how he commits suicide.
Suppressed Sexual Desires Will Generate Obsessive Imagery associated with sexual actions, thoughts, often those that the patient himself considers deeply unacceptable, therefore, when such thoughts and desires appear, he will experience acute shame and anxiety.
Where does a strong feeling of anxiety come from for no reason? Learn about it from ours.
Symptoms of neurosis and types of obsessions
The main symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder is having a recurring cycle of obsession-compulsion, however, the severity of the deviation can vary from mild, when the disease does not cause significant discomfort to a person, to extremely severe, in which the patient is deeply immersed in a cycle of repetitive obsessions and rituals, unable to work or study.
Features of the course of obsessive-compulsive disorder neurosis:
Types of obsessive states:
How to stop a panic attack? you will find on our website.
OCD - the answer of a psychologist:
OCD and pregnancy
For most women, having a baby is a serious, responsible step. And the higher the mind, the prudence of a woman, the more she tries to ensure that both pregnancy and childbirth go as well as possible, and the child is born healthy, grows up happy and receives everything that he needs for full development.
In many women, severe symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental disorders first appear after the birth of their first child, which is associated both with global hormonal changes affecting mental health, as well as with radical changes in a woman's life, the need to adapt to new rules.
Obsessions of pregnant women and women who have recently given birth closely related to the child, his health and life.
They are afraid that they will harm him, that they will kill him, that something will happen that will cause him to be born with defects, that the birth will go badly, that the doctors will make a mistake, that the child will be born dead or die in the first months of life.
The likelihood of neurosis is especially high if a woman has had a negative experience associated with pregnancy (miscarriages, forced abortions due to a genetic defect in the embryo, miscarriage, death of a child during childbirth) and if she was alarming before pregnancy,.
Tips from psychotherapists for pregnant women:
- Share your worries with someone you trust e.g. friend, mother, partner. Their support, stories about their own experiences and the experience of loved ones, warmth and care are ways to mitigate or completely eliminate anxiety.
- Analyze your worries as much as possible and try to convince yourself that you are doing everything that depends on you for the child. In addition, many fears are associated with the action of hormones, which will pass with time.
- Learn about OCD, read pregnancy forums that describe their problems. Understanding that this difficult experience is not unique and many women go through and have gone through the same thing can also help.
If the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder are severe, you should consult a psychotherapist.
Treatment
When the first signs of OCD appear, it is important not to ignore them and try to help yourself. In some cases, mild forms of the disease can be eliminated if you change your own life.
Tips from psychotherapists:
If these measures were not effective, and the neurosis manifests itself strongly enough, you need to contact the specialists and start.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder treated with medication and psychotherapy. Medications are selected taking into account the characteristics and severity of the disease, may include antidepressants (Imipramine, Amitriptyline, Setralin) and tranquilizers (Diazepam).
It is considered the most effective in obsessive-compulsive disorder. The patient is also taught the method of stopping thought, which allows you to deal with obsessions.
Early psychotherapeutic treatment can significantly improve the patient's quality of life and the skills he has gained in therapy will enable him to help himself if the illness returns.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - Self Help Techniques:
WHAT ARE OBSOLUTIONAL STATES?
obsessive states - a tendency to incessant repetition of thoughts and actions. Unsuccessful attempts to control and manage thoughts are accompanied by the appearance of low mood and negative emotions.
HOW OBSESSION SYNDROME ARISES
According to the theory of our Russian physiologist IP Pavlov, a special focus of excitation is formed in the patient's brain, with high activity of inhibitory structures. It does not suppress the excitation of other foci, therefore criticality is preserved in thinking. However, this focus of excitation is not eliminated by willpower, is not suppressed by impulses of new stimuli. Therefore, a person cannot get rid of obsessive thoughts.
Later, Pavlov I.P. came to the conclusion that the basis of the appearance is as a result of inhibition in the foci of pathological excitation. Therefore, for example, blasphemous thoughts appear in religious people, violent and perverted sexual fantasies in those who are strictly brought up and preach high moral principles.
Nervous processes in patients proceed sluggishly, they are inert. This is due to the overstrain of the inhibitory processes in the brain. A similar clinical picture occurs with depression. In this regard, patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder often develop depressive disorders.
SYMPTOMS
Psychological
There are many ways in which obsessions manifest themselves:
- focus on unnecessary, absurd, sometimes scary thoughts;
- obsessive counting - involuntary counting, when you simply count everything you see, or do arithmetic calculations;
- obsessive doubts - anxious thoughts, fears, doubts about a particular action;
- intrusive memories - persistent memories that pop up involuntarily, usually about an unpleasant event;
- obsessive drives - the desire to perform actions, the obvious absurdity of which is fully realized by a person;
- obsessive fears - painful disorders, constant experiences, they can be caused by a variety of objects, phenomena, situations;
- obsessive actions - involuntarily repetitive, meaningless movements, not always noticed; they can be stopped by an effort of will, but not for long;
- contrast obsessions - blasphemous thoughts, fears, fear of doing something obscene;
- rituals - certain repetitive actions, often performed as a ritual, especially in the presence of phobias, doubts.
Physical
In obsessive-compulsive disorder, the physical symptoms are associated with dysfunction of the autonomic function. nervous system, which is responsible for the activity of internal organs.
Along with psychological instability, there are:
- pain in the region of the heart;
- headache;
- loss of appetite, indigestion;
- sleep disorders;
- attacks of hypertension, hypotension - increase, decrease in blood pressure;
- bouts of dizziness;
- decreased sexual desire for the opposite sex.
WHO HAPPENS OBSESSIVE NEUROSIS
It is difficult to say how common obsessive neurosis is, because the mass of patients prone to it simply hides their suffering from others, is not treated, people get used to living with the disease, the disease gradually disappears over the years.
A child under 10 years of age rarely has a similar neurosis. Usually affects children and adults from 10 to 30 years. It often takes several years from the onset of the disease to the visit to a neurologist or psychiatrist. Neurosis is more common in city dwellers with low and middle incomes, men are somewhat more than women.
Favorable ground for the development of obsessive neurosis:
- high intelligence,
- analytical mind,
- heightened conscience and sense of justice,
- also character traits - suspiciousness, anxiety, a tendency to doubt.
Any person has some fears, fears, anxiety, but these are not signs of obsessive-compulsive disorders, because sometimes we are all afraid of heights, a dog bite, darkness - our imagination is played out, and the richer it is, the brighter the emotions. We often check if we have turned off the light, the gas, if we have closed the door. A healthy person checked - he calmed down, and a person with an obsessive neurosis continues to worry, be afraid and worry.
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder never go crazy! This disorder is neurotic - a functional disorder of the brain, but not a mental illness.
CAUSES OF NEUROSIS OF OBSESSION
The exact causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder have not been established, and approximate scientists are divided into:
- psychological,
- social,
- biological.
Psychological
- Psychotrauma. Events that have great value for the individual: loss of loved ones, loss of property, car accident.
- Strong emotional upheavals: acute and chronic stressful situations, changing in the psyche the attitude towards oneself and to the surrounding people and events.
- Conflicts: external social, intrapersonal.
- Superstition, belief in the supernatural. Therefore, a person creates rituals that can protect against misfortunes and troubles.
- Overwork leads to the depletion of nervous processes and disruption of the normal functioning of the brain.
- Pointed personality traits are character accentuations.
- Low self-esteem, self-doubt.
Social
- Very strict religious upbringing.
- Instilled since childhood passion for order, cleanliness.
- Poor social adaptation, generating inadequate responses to life situations.
Biological
- Genetic predisposition (special functioning of the central nervous system). It is observed in 70% of patients with neurosis. Here, the imbalance of the processes of excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex, a combination of differently directed opposite individual typological properties of the nervous system.
- Features of the response of the autonomic nervous system.
- A decrease in the level of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine is a disorder in the functioning of neurotransmitter systems.
- MMD is a minimal brain dysfunction that develops during a complicated birth process.
- Neurological symptoms: extrapyramidal disorders - stiffness of muscle movements and the accumulation of chronic tension in them.
- A history of serious illness, infection, trauma, extensive burns, impaired renal function and other diseases with intoxication.
HOW TO GET RID OF OBSESSIVE CONDITIONS?
Psychotherapeutic methods
Psychoanalysis. With the help of psychoanalysis, a patient can identify a traumatic situation, certain causal thoughts, desires, aspirations, repressed subconsciousness. Memories trigger intrusive thoughts. The psychoanalyst establishes in the mind of the client a connection between the root causal experience and obsessions, thanks to the study of the subconscious, the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder gradually disappear
In psychoanalysis, for example, the method of free association is used. When a client voices to the psychoanalyst all thoughts that come to mind, including obscene, absurd ones. A psychologist or psychotherapist registers signs of repressed personality complexes, mental trauma, and then brings them into the conscious sphere.
The existing method of interpretation is to clarify the meaning in thoughts, images, dreams, drawings, drives. Gradually, thoughts, traumas forced out of the sphere of consciousness, which provoked the development of an obsessive neurosis, are gradually revealed.
Psychoanalysis has a decent efficiency, treatment courses are two or three sessions of psychotherapy for six months or a year.
Psychotherapy is cognitive-behavioral. The main goal in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder is the development of a neutral (indifferent) calm attitude to the appearance of obsessive thoughts, the absence of a response to them with rituals and obsessive actions.
At the installation conversation, the client makes a list of his symptoms, fears that cause the development of obsessive neurosis. The person is then deliberately artificially subjected to his inherent fears, starting with the mildest. He is given home assignments, where he must face his fears on his own without the help of a psychotherapist.
This method of treating obsessive-compulsive-type reactions is called exposure and reaction prevention. For example, a person is urged not to be afraid to touch door handles in public transport (for fear of getting dirty and infected), to ride public transport (for fear of crowds), to ride in an elevator (for fear of confined space). That is, to do everything the other way around and not to succumb to the desire to perform ritual obsessive "protective" actions.
This method is effective, although it requires willpower, discipline of the patient. A positive therapeutic effect begins to appear within a few weeks.
It is a combination of suggestion and hypnosis. The patient is instilled with adequate ideas and behaviors, and the work of the central nervous system is regulated.
The patient is put into a hypnotic trance and given positive instructions for recovery against the background of narrowed consciousness and focus on suggestion formulas. That allows you to productively lay mental and behavioral attitudes to the absence of fear.
This method is highly effective in just a few sessions.
How to get rid of obsessive states on your own?
Necessarily, drug treatment obsessive neurosis combined with psychotherapeutic methods of influence. Treatment with drugs, drugs makes it possible to eliminate physical symptoms: pain in the head, sleep disturbances, troubles in the heart area. Medicines are appointed and accepted only on the recommendation of a neurologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
This includes the drugs Citalopram, Escitalopram. They block the reuptake of serotonin at neuronal synapses. Eliminate foci of pathological excitation in the brain. The effect occurs after 2-4 weeks of treatment.
Tricyclic antidepressants
The drug Melipramine blocks the uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, facilitating the transmission of a nerve impulse from neuron to neuron.
The drug Mianserin stimulates the release of mediators that improve the conduction of impulses between neurons.
Anticonvulsants
Drugs Carbamazepine, Oxcarbazepine. They slow down processes in the brain and increase the level of the amino acid tryptophan, which improves the functioning of the central nervous system and increases its endurance.
Dose, duration of taking drugs is set individually.
Drug treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder is prescribed by a psychiatrist. Self-medication is ineffective and dangerous.
FOLK METHODS
During the daytime use preparations of St. John's wort, for example Deprim. This will ease depression, bad mood, and will have a mild tonic effect.
AT evening time taking drugs with a sedative-hypnotic effect, for example: valerian, lemon balm, motherwort, peony, hops in alcohol tinctures, sedative preparations, tablets.
Omega-3 fatty acid preparations improve blood circulation in the brain Omacor, Tecom.
For the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression, it is effective to apply acupressure at the junction point of the head and neck at the back, the surface of the head.
For more information on this topic, please visit the website >>
Reading time: 1 minute
Obsessive compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by aggravated thoughts, fear, apprehension, restlessness, repetitive actions to reduce this anxiety, and a combination of obsessive delusions and ideas.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder includes three forms of course: the first, in which the symptoms persist for months or several years; the second relapsing form, characterized by repeated episodes of weakening of the signs of the disease; the third steadily progressive form of flow. Complete recovery is rare. Closer to 35-40 years, painful manifestations are smoothed out.
In the 19th century, the term neurosis was widely used, which was classified as obsessions. In 1827, Dominique Esquirol gave a description of a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which he called the disease of doubt. He defined this disease between a disorder of the intellect and the will. In 1858, I. M. Balinsky singled out a common feature of obsessions - alienation to consciousness. Further, IP Pavlov noted in his works the similarity of obsessions with delirium, since they are based on pathological inertia of excitation, as well as lability of inhibition.
Obsessional neurosis occurs less frequently than neurasthenia or hysterical neurosis. The incidence of the disease in men and women is almost the same. The disease is diagnosed by neurological manifestations: with outstretched hands, trembling of the fingers occurs, hyperhidrosis of the hands is observed, revival of tendon and periosteal reflexes, and vegetative-vascular disorders.
Causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Numerous psychological as well as biological factors lead to the causes of the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The severity of symptoms is assessed using the Yale-Brown scale.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder often occurs in people of the thinking type. The weakening of the body due to somatic and infectious diseases in combination with phobias provokes the appearance of neurosis, and people have obsessive thoughts, doubts, memories, actions, and desires.
Obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms
Symptoms of the disease include repetitive activities, rituals, cyclical thoughts, constant checking of one's actions, preoccupation with intimate thoughts, thoughts of violence, and religion, fear or desire to count numbers.
Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder often frighten the immediate environment of patients, and the patients themselves are critical of themselves, but are not able to change their behavior or attitude towards what is happening.
The actions of people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder are assessed as inadequate, affecting mental activity, and seem paranoid. Patients themselves admit that their actions are irrational, which further causes concern about this. The disease can appear at any age. A third of the patients claim that obsessive-compulsive disorder arose in childhood and now continues throughout their conscious life.
The term obsessive compulsive disorder is applied to a person who is meticulous, with perfectionistic traits, overly enthusiastic or obsessed with something. These same symptoms are characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism. The disease can occur in patients with high intelligence. All patients are united by excessive attention to detail, careful planning, avoidance of risk, a heightened sense of responsibility, as well as indecision with slowness in making decisions.
All sorts of phobias are characteristic of a person suffering from this disease. These include carcinophobia (fear of getting cancer), lyssophobia (obsessive fear of insanity), cardiophobia (fear of death from heart disease), oxyphobia (fear of sharp objects), claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), acrophobia (fear of heights), fear of pollution, fear of blushing, and so on. For all these phenomena, the desire for obsessive states that arise contrary to the desire of a person is irresistible and strong. The sick person treats them critically, they are alien to him, he seeks to overcome them on his own, but this does not work out. Patients suffer both from their fears, which have objective grounds, and act as a result of far-fetchedness, illusions. People are afraid of attacks on the street, deadly diseases, they are afraid of unemployment, poverty, etc. Rarely, but the excruciating fear pushes them to commit suicide.
What is fear? Fear is a manifestation of a reaction to an imbalance of perceived danger with perceived opportunities. Fear is expressed mentally, it is not objective. The sick person cannot distance himself from his phobia and surrenders to the power of fear. Do you suffer from fear and don't know what to do with it? The answer is on the surface. Do what you fear and the fear will subside.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is manifested in increased irritability, sleep disturbance, fatigue, difficulty concentrating. Symptoms are expressed with varying intensity, and the patient's mood is often low and with a hint of hopelessness, as well as a sense of inferiority.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is capable of chronic course with periods of exacerbation. Features of the course of obsessive-compulsive disorder neurosis manifest themselves in three types. The first includes a single attack of the disease, dragging on for weeks or years. The second consists of relapses, including periods of complete health. The third includes a continuous course, accompanied by a periodic increase in symptoms.
Obsessive compulsive disorder in children
The disease in children has a reversible mental nature, in which the perception of the world is not distorted. Often parents do not pay attention to obsessive-compulsive disorder in children, thinking that this condition will pass by itself. The disease manifests itself in children as repetitive movements, tics, twitching of the shoulders, wrinkling of the forehead, grinning, sniffing, coughing, stamping, clapping. Often, these symptoms are accompanied by a feeling of fear that babies experience in front of the possibility of getting their clothes dirty, they are afraid of closed spaces, prickly objects.
In adolescence, fears change. It is replaced by the fear of getting sick, dying, the fear of speeches, answers at the blackboard. Sometimes children are bothered by contrasting obsessions. They are characterized by immorality, blasphemy of thoughts, obsession with desires. The realization of such experiences is not carried out, and the sensations themselves cause fear and anxiety. In these situations, parents should seek the help of a psychotherapist. In the treatment of childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder, the method of play, fairy tale therapy is successfully used. Not the last role in the appointment of treatment is played by age, the severity of the disease.
Obsessive compulsive disorder treatment
Treatment is carried out only by an experienced doctor, after determining the type of disease. Therapy includes complex, as well as strictly individual approach, which is carried out taking into account both the clinical picture of the disease and the personal characteristics of the patient. Mild cases are treated with psychotherapeutic or restorative methods.
A good effect can be achieved with a simple training that suppresses the obsession. Provided that this fails, suggestion of hypnosis is used. Showing sedatives, as well as tonic drugs, depending on the stage of the disease, as well as the characteristics of the clinical picture.
The initial stage of the course of obsessional neurosis in combination with phobias and anxiety is treated with mild antidepressant tranquilizers. All doses of drugs are selected individually according to the state of neurotic disorders. If the obsessive-compulsive disorder subsides or disappears after treatment, maintenance therapy is indicated for a period of 6 months to one year. Psychotherapy for the patient is necessary along with the observance of the regime of rest and sleep.
Severe cases of neurosis, which occur with neurotic depression, are treated in hospitals. Medical institutions use antidepressants, hypoglycemic doses of insulin, antipsychotics in the treatment. The recovery period is accompanied by the involvement of a person in the life of the team, as well as switching attention from obsessions to real life. With the preservation of stubborn, as well as isolated obsessions (fear of open space, fear of heights, fear of darkness), suppression of fear by the method of self-hypnosis is shown.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder with prolonged courses needs to be transferred to lighter work. In case of complications, the VKK sends the patient to VTEC. The commission can give the III group of disability, as well as make recommendations that relate to working conditions, type of work.
How to treat obsessive compulsive disorder?
Help with obsessive-compulsive disorders is carried out by folk non-drug methods. These methods include hyperventilation - intensive breathing.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder leads either to suppression of appetite or to its increase. In this case, it is very important to enrich your diet with foods containing vitamins B, E, magnesium, and calcium. Shown for drinking juice, water, herbal teas(ginseng, oats, oats, linden, hop cones, valerian, chamomile). Effective self-massage (stroking techniques), as well as cognitive therapy, Physical Culture, cranial osteopathy, aromatherapy.
Doctor of the Medical and Psychological Center "PsychoMed"
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and cannot replace professional advice and qualified medical care. At the slightest suspicion of the presence of obsessive-compulsive disorder, be sure to consult a doctor!
What person does not have thoughts or ideas that will cling to and cannot rest? Obsessive states, which are also called obsessive-compulsive disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder, are not a disease that must be treated with psychiatrists. It’s just that this condition has its own causes and symptoms of manifestation, which to some extent will interfere with the normal existence of a person who eventually wants to get rid of them.
So, the site of psychiatric help does not call obsessive-compulsive disorders a pathology that should be treated with electric shock and pills, but to some extent a person becomes a puppet in the hands of his psyche. This can interfere with the normal social existence of a person who will look ridiculous or strange in the eyes of others.
Obsessive states are thoughts or ideas that force a person to perform certain actions, otherwise they will constantly be present in his head, cause fear, anxiety or panic, until finally the necessary actions are taken. The actions that a person has to perform are called rituals. Until a person performs a certain ritual, he will not calm down psychologically and emotionally.
The peculiarity of obsessive thoughts is that they carry a negative color and seem to be third-party, alien, imposed or coming from outside. A person understands that they are in his head and are constantly spinning in certain situations, prompting him to take action. However, he cannot refuse them, because he feels anxiety, fear of the consequences that will arise if he does not take the necessary actions.
What are obsessive states?
An obsessive state is a mental disorder when a person is subject to certain thoughts that are alien and unpleasant to him. These thoughts usually arise in a certain situation, prompting him to take specific actions. In other circumstances, these ideas do not arise, so the person can be considered healthy and normal.
Ritual actions that occur during obsessive states are also called by some psychologists the habits that a person has developed in the process of life. They didn't just happen to him. The emergence of obsessive-compulsive states was preceded by certain social factors.
Examples of ritual actions can be:
- The desire to wash hands thoroughly in a public toilet, because a person seems to have a lot of germs on them.
- The desire to double-check if the kettle or iron is turned off.
- Uncertainty that the person closed the door to the apartment, although he obviously took out the keys and twisted them.
The obsession of thoughts lies in the fact that a person is not sure and cannot reliably remember whether he did the right thing. And since he cannot remember, he has a fear that “the apartment will burn down because the kettle is not turned off,” “he will be robbed by apartment thieves,” or “he will get sick if he does not get rid of germs.”
Obsessive states are controlled by obsessive thoughts. And here psychologists draw the attention of readers to the fact that all this is happening in their heads. AT real life a person looks very anxious and restless because of his thoughts, so he performs the same action many times:
- Washes hands.
- He enters the room to check that the device is off.
- Pulls on the front door to see if it's closed.
Compulsive states consist of two factors:
- Thoughts - a person is driven by obsessive thoughts that arise in his head in a certain situation and disturb him until he performs the necessary action, switches his attention or leaves the circumstances of the environment.
- Ritual actions - when a person, under the influence of his thoughts, performs certain actions many times, because he is not sure of the effectiveness of the actions already taken or forgets whether he has done everything necessary, double-checks himself.
Obsessive states are more inherent in people who are highly critical of themselves or others, and also put forward excessive demands on themselves or others. These are the so-called perfectionists, for whom everything should be “perfect”.
You can get rid of obsessive states, which will help psychologists who will explain the mechanism for the development of disorders and the principles of getting rid of them.
obsessive-compulsive disorder
For the first time, the obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome was proposed by the psychiatrist R. Kraft-Ebing, who at one time could not fully explain this phenomenon. He considered the disorder in the context of a mental disorder in which a person cannot control either the content of his thoughts or his actions.
Naturally, the obsessive state disrupts the habitual activity of a person. That is why it is recommended to eliminate this disorder, in whatever form it manifests itself.
Become obsessive in the syndrome:
- Attractions.
- Memories from the past.
- Ideas.
- external actions.
- Doubts.
- Thoughts.
The person becomes and is often disturbed by something. Compulsive states are:
- Abstract obsessions - counting, thoughts, memories, detailing the event.
- Figurative obsessions - when a person has negative emotional experiences.
Causes of Obsessions
Psychologists identify the following causes of obsessive-compulsive disorders:
- Overwork.
- Chronic intoxication of the body.
- Head injury.
- Lack of sleep.
- Infectious diseases.
- Asthenization.
- Mental illness.
Some people with obsessive-compulsive disorders are treated by psychiatrists. However, not every person who has obsessive-compulsive disorders becomes a patient in a psychiatric hospital. Obsessive states are quite inherent in healthy people, however, to some extent weakened by life, physically or emotionally.
Let's try to describe more precisely what an obsessive state is - these are thoughts that burden a person and cause him a painful experience about their non-realization. If a person tries to control his thoughts or refuses to perform the action that they impose on him, then he feels bad, even more immersed in his thoughts, which tell him what can happen to him.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms
Perhaps every person in his life was subject to an obsessive state. If we are talking about a healthy person, then, most likely, his condition quickly passed with a change in the type of activity or environment. If a person does not change his life or is sick with various mental disorders, then his symptoms are aggravated.
Obsessive states are accompanied by both bodily and psycho-emotional changes:
- The emergence of fear.
- Nausea and bouts of vomiting.
- Tiki.
- Hand tremor.
- Urge to urinate.
- Dizziness.
- Increased breathing and heart rate.
- Heartache.
- Weakness in the legs.
The obsession of ideas is manifested in the fact that a person asks himself questions to which it is practically impossible to find answers. For example, why do humans have two legs, while animals have four?
Obsessive counting manifests itself in the fact that a person begins to count absolutely any objects that surround him or simply reproduces the count in his head, for example, counts the number of steps taken.
Obsessive actions arise under the influence of emotions. A person can chew on a pencil, scribble paper, crumple it while talking on the phone, or draw something with a pen.
Obsessive doubts are manifested in the fact that a person constantly doubts something. In particular, he doubts the correctness of his conclusions, decisions or actions, even after he has made them.
Intrusive memories are manifested in the fact that a person constantly returns his thoughts to some event from his past. This event should cause vivid negative experiences inside a person so that he returns to it and suffers.
Obsessive fears can be called phobias, when a person is afraid of something that does not threaten him. For example, with the fear of heights, which occurs when a person is on a hill or simply imagines how he is on a tall building. With this fear, a person does not fall from a height, but clearly imagines how this will happen, how he will break it on the ground, how scared he will be in flight and hurt when falling.
Obsessive desires or desires are similar to phobias, because a person imagines a picture of what he wants to do. They are presented in the form:
- The desire to spit in the face of another person.
- Desire to jump out of the car at speed.
- Desires to push someone.
Treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders
The treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders is carried out in various directions. You can be treated both independently, if a person is still able to control the process, and together with a psychologist.
If you turn to a psychologist, then medication methods and behavioral psychotherapy will be offered:
- Behavioral psychotherapy assumes that a person will be created conditions under which obsessive states arise. In such a situation, he must do what causes fear and anxiety in him. He must abandon habitual actions and do what usually causes tension in him. However, some people refuse behavioral therapy because they are not ready to face and cope with their experiences.
- Drug therapy should only be prescribed by a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. Medications are also prescribed in case of complications.
Also, a person can try to get rid of obsessive states. You can try, it still won't hurt.
A person is invited to switch his attention to something else. Do not try not to think about what is being forced on you. Just try to be interested in something else, to be distracted by something else.
Turn on a conscious approach to business. In a situation in which you usually have obsessive thoughts and actions, you need to be “here and now”. Understand what is around you, what you are doing, what thoughts are spinning in your head, and remember every detail of what is happening (this will save you from doubts and the desire to double-check your actions).
Do not be afraid of your obsessive states, do not consider yourself sick and do not blame yourself for having them. Of course, you took some role in their occurrence. However, while you are running and afraid, the intrusive thoughts become even deeper and more persistent.
Outcome
If you are unable to get rid of your obsessive state on your own, do not resort to pills, but rather use the help of a specialist. He has a whole arsenal of things that can be done in your situation.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
it human mental disorder means the presence in the mind of relentless thoughts, ideas, actions. This is a rather serious deviation of the nervous system, which must be treated for a long time and is difficult by going to the doctor.
Neurosis is often observed in people with a special mentality and is manifested by self-doubt, doubts, anxiety, suspiciousness.
It is characteristic of people who are anxious, suspicious, fearful, extremely conscientious people.
Certain obsessions are observed in almost healthy people.
The main cause of obsessive-compulsive disorder is mental trauma obtained in a conflict situation created by contradictory actions.
Contribute to the development of the syndrome may:
- childhood psychological trauma;
- quarrels in the family;
- neglect of children;
- increased guardianship;
- the impossibility for the baby of independent knowledge of the world;
- complexes and fears of adults, experiences that are specially or accidentally reflected on the child;
- severe stress;
- constant quarrels with others;
- overwork;
- brain injury;
- brain damage;
- schizophrenia and other mental disorders;
- general poisoning of the body;
- autoimmune disorders.
How does obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome manifest itself?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder has such symptoms: involuntary, irresistibly appearing doubts, fears, ideas, memories and actions with a critical attitude towards them and attempts to deal with them.
Three forms are possible leaks:
- existing symptoms persist for years;
- relapsing course;
- progressive course.
Exacerbation of the process contributes to overwork, infections, lack of sleep, unfavorable situation in the family and at work. Absolute cure is rare. After 35-40 years, the manifestations of the disease subside.
Characteristic and obligatory symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome are:
You can take an obsessive-compulsive disorder test right now, for this you must have attend:
- The disease state does not go away throughout life and is permanent.
- Conditions are combined with a feeling of fear.
- Obsessive states in the form of specific rituals that do not bring long-term satisfaction.
Obsessive compulsive disorder test
Yale-Brown scale was originally created for use by mental health professionals. All 10 points of the test are filled in when the patient is interviewed, after which the number of points is calculated.
Each of the questions is evaluated on a 5-point principle from 0 to 4. For each item, an average indicator of the severity of symptoms over the past 7 days is determined. Due to the repeated application of the scale, an assessment of the ongoing treatment of the obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome is carried out.
The test is also suitable for use as an indicator of self-reported mental health. This version of the scale is used in research a large number patients.
When assessing the patient's condition, the indicator of severity of symptoms is studied according to 5 indicators: the duration of symptoms within 24 hours, the level of disability, the level of moral discomfort, resistance to manifestations and control over them.
Total score calculation:
- 0-7 - hidden state;
- 8-15 - mild disorder;
- 16-23 - moderate disorder;
- 24-31 - severe violation;
- 32-40 - deviation of an extremely severe degree.
So incomprehensible and unpleasant - how to diagnose and cure a disease.
How to start the treatment of cerebral encephalitis and why timely diagnosis is of paramount importance.
Diagnostic methods
The delimiting diagnosis of neuroses is carried out with psychoses, schizophrenia, neurosis-like disorders and other pathologies. The clinic of different mental disorders is very different.
There are so-called border states, which are characterized by the simultaneous presence of manifestations of neurosis and severe mental illness.
Correctly determine a specific disease can only be a professional who knows clinical picture disorders, personal characteristics of the patient.
Treatment - psychology or therapy?
There are such approaches to the treatment of obsessive-compulsive neurosis states:
- drug;
- psychotherapeutic;
- biological.
Medical treatment
Medical treatment severe cases carried out only in a medical institution and is carried out under the supervision of a doctor.
To fight depression in patients at the initial stages of the disease, various drugs against depression are prescribed (Fluoxetine, Clomipramine).
To neutralize feelings of anxiety use tranquilizers ("Clonazepam", "Diazepam").
For chronic disorders effective psychotropic drugs ("Quetiapine"). A combination of medication and cognitive behavioral therapy is very helpful.
Psychotherapeutic influence on this type of neurosis also has a positive effect.
The following psychotherapeutic methods are distinguished treatment:
- cognitive behavioral treatment;
- way of "stopping thoughts";
- psychoanalysis;
- transactional analysis.
The decision on how exactly to treat obsessive compulsive disorder and which method to choose should be taken exclusively by the doctor!
Cognitive Behavioral Treatment
Most popular solution when trying to get rid of the obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome.
It confronts the patient with his fears, thus encouraging him to resist. It is this method that is quite effective in the treatment of violations of obsessive movements and rituals.
The main goal of this psychotherapy- develop a calm type of reaction to relentless thoughts without accompanying them with rituals and actions. This type of therapy is ideal for the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder in children, because it does not side effects on the body.
Stop your thought
The method of "stopping thoughts" has its own nuances when treatment:
- Stage 1- selection of a list of unhealthy thoughts and study;
- Stage 2- learn to switch from obsessions to other positive moments in life;
- Stage 3– by means of a loud “stop” command and improvised means, it is necessary to stop the spread of the state;
- Stage 4- learn to eliminate obsessive thoughts through the “stop” command in thoughts;
- Stage 5- if a pessimistic image arises, present it from the positive side.
Through this method, you can get rid of the deviation of the initial stage yourself. Mastering the "method of stopping thought" is quite simple, the main thing is to understand the principle and believe in effectiveness.
The main task of the psychoanalytic method of treating the syndrome learn to repress or suppress unnecessary moments in life. Since the patient with obsessive deviation is strongly focused on events, he needs to literally step over himself.
This approach is somewhat difficult to treat the disorder, because psychoanalysis requires the patient to speak boldly, and with such people this is almost impossible.
Thus, it is often very difficult for professionals to achieve complete relief from the disorder.
hypnotic state
Hypnosis is also quite effective, especially when combined with psychotherapy.
After about 10 sessions of the method, the patient feels relief from obsessions.
How to overcome obsessive-compulsive disorder in children using hypnosis?
Used to treat neurosis in children complex method - hypnosis and suggestion. Children easily contact the doctor, easily undergo hypnotic treatment.
Transactional Analysis
The method makes it possible, through games, to identify the life scenario and the inner self of the patient, to defeat obsessions in the early stages of the onset of the disorder, but in most cases this approach is not effective in identifying chronic forms of deviation.
Transactional analysis can be quite difficult to understand. Group studies have shown progress in the treatment of neurosis in children.
Biological method
The biological method of treating deviation is used with the most severe disorders and chronic forms of deviation. To neutralize seizures, strong psychotropic drugs are used that have an overwhelming effect on the nervous system.
People with this disorder are frequent patients of gastroenterologists and cardiologists. Diseases of the stomach and heart can be triggered by incessant experiences, anxiety, pessimistic attitude and persistent negativism.
Prevention
Primary prevention:
- prevention of traumatic influences at work and in life;
- proper upbringing of the child;
- prevention of family quarrels;
- prevention of recurrence;
- changing the attitude of patients to morally traumatic situations through conversations, self-hypnosis and suggestion;
- increasing the brightness in the room, because light increases the production of serotonin;
- normal sleep;
- taking vitamins;
- strengthening immunity;
- caffeine restricted diet alcoholic beverages and the inclusion of dates, bananas, plums, figs, tomatoes, milk, soy, dark chocolate;
- timely and competent treatment of other disorders.
Life is arranged in such a way that psychotraumatic situations can lie in wait for us every minute. It is almost impossible to warn them.
But there is always the ability to quickly get rid of the obsessive state by visiting a psychologist or psychotherapist. And it depends on the person himself, who is directly responsible for his moral health.
Video: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by the development of obsessive thoughts, memories, movements, thoughts and actions, as well as a variety of pathological fears.
- Dignities and clothes of Orthodox priests and monasticism
- Healers and fortune tellers - why do people go to them?
- During confession. Preparation for confession. List of sins for confession. How to dress for confession
- Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos Praise of the Mother of God with an akathist what they pray for