What is manic-depressive illness and its causes

Manic-depressive illness - a disease that takes the form of shaped depressions (with depressed mood) and manic (with elevated mood) phases, among which may be the state with the complete disappearance of mental disorders and to keep the basic personality traits.

Manic-depressive psychosis - a constitutional hereditary disease. This means that it is inherited mainly to people who are suitable for the disease constitution (individual anatomical and physiological characteristics) with fluctuations in mood, activity and physical function (internal organs). This constitution is called cyclothymic.

How is

The disease usually begins after age 30, initially in the form of phase-precursor which can be both reduced and increased with the mood background. Then, after a while there Phase currents. The average duration of the phase 3 to 18 months, with the phase of depression are more likely duration and more of them.

The depressive phase

The depressive phase consists of the following three criteria:

• depressed mood with vital ("solid") sense of melancholy - this is called a depressive affect;
• motor and speech retardation;
• intellectual retardation, or slow mental processes.

The mood and the content of the thoughts of the patient has a depressive character. It appears the idea of ​​sin, guilt, self-blame, self-deprecation, often leading to suicide attempts. The nature of longing often becomes "flesh" nature - feeling the stone, or the severity of chest pain in the heart or in other parts of the body. There are also "disembodied" depression in which predominate gloomy thoughts.

Motor and speech retardation of the development of depression and increases in severe cases comes to stupor - complete stillness and quiet. From the physical condition for the depression phase characterized by three features: dilated pupils, tachycardia and spastic (compared to muscle spasms of the gastrointestinal tract), constipation Constipation - Watch out for food .

Manic phase

The manic phase of its opposite depressive manifestations, it is composed of the following:

• enhance the mood (mania affect);
• motor and speech excitement;
• intellectual excitement - accelerated mental processes.

Manic phase, in contrast to the depressive, almost never has expressed manifestations, it occurs more frequently erased. At the same thoughts of patients are optimistic, dominated reassessment of the individual, the idea of ​​greatness until delusional ideas fantastic content. With increasing excitation manic thoughts become disjointed and motor combined with fury.

Mixed states in manic-depressive psychosis

Mixed states are characterized by the replacement of some of the signs of one phase, the other signs. For example, there are depression, in which the melancholy mood combined with fast-flowing thoughts depressive content. Sometimes depression is marked almost complete absence of motor and mental retardation.

Manic phase may be expressed in elevated mood and feeling in combination with mental and motor retardation and so forth.

Erased form of manic-depressive psychosis

Erased form of the disease is most often manifested in the form of cyclothymia, which is far more common than the classic symptoms of manic-depressive psychosis. All phases of cyclothymia occur when erased, the patient can even save disabled. In addition, there are forms of cyclothymia hidden depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood Depression on the background of long flowing disease and exhaustion. The danger of all these states that you can not see a phase of depression that leads to suicide attempt.

Treatment

For the treatment of the individual phases of manic-depressive syndrome, there is a large variety of drugs. Thus, when the prevalence of depression with motor and mental retardation prescribers with a stimulating effect. With the predominance of feelings of longing, combined with the "bodily" components and retardation are more appropriate psychotropic medications Psychotropic drugs and their effect on the brain   broad spectrum and so forth.

Forecast

The condition of the patient requires constant monitoring of loved ones, able to recognize the first signs of depression, protect against suicide Suicide in terms of the psychiatrist - can it be prevented?   and in time to send him to the doctor. Seizures usually end without compromising the health and intelligence, patients easily into a normal track and socially adapted.

  Galina Romanenko

Five best-known mental disorders

When we say "crazy" we usually mean some subjective features that we are forced to say that. Well, for example, you are such an amazing girl threw a guy - but he's just crazy! It is a fair inference, but now it will be a little different story. There is another type of "abnormalities" which are very fond of Hollywood directors and kinoakademiki awarding paintings with similar heroes of the main prize. Madness, madness, frustration and mental deviation - this is serious, and it is usually not funny, though ... However, judge for yourself.

Foreign accent syndrome

Head injury and further damage to the speech center of the brain may lead to a breakdown. As a result, suffers from this disease intones words like alien noises, not peculiar to his native language.

However, it is no secret that foreign light pronons only add points to communicate with the opposite sex - women, for example, love it.

• Could this happen to you?

Studies have shown that foreign accent syndrome often occurs in people after a fall from a motorcycle. Well, if you think this is funny, attractive and seductive - go ahead! Ride your iron horse and embarks on a dangerous race that would eventually lead to injury and the brain and body. Do not you think it's more fun - well, do not. It's not worth it.

Alien hand syndrome

It is also called syndrome of Dr. Streydzhlava - the hero of the film Kubrick. The disorder is that both hands or one hand patient behaves quite independently of desires and his movements. Imagine that your hand, for example, accidentally slap someone on the pope, or will face. And if that someone is your boss or a parent of your spouse to whom you come to meet? Indeed, not funny.

In some cases, this syndrome sufferers can get out and "go" solely on the sense of humor. For example, when an awkward situation, you can say, "You know what would make my hand in 10 minutes? I - no! ". This can be fun if humor is the same people, but there are situations where it will not save. Imagine that you work in a school, and occasionally your hands behave independently of your desires. Now think about your parents agree to your students to ensure that their offspring learn from a teacher who is unable to cope with his own body. All the excuses and medical terms will not help here, and in our turbulent times, you can even put in jail for such high-handedness.

• Could this happen to you?

Most alien hand syndrome occurs in patients with epilepsy Epilepsy - a sacred disease . It's hard to neuropsychiatric disorders, it is more difficult to control and treatment.

Stendhal Syndrome

Stendhal Syndrome - is a disorder that is generated by the contemplation of beauty, especially when it is in too large quantities. Beautiful views of the old city, the natural beauty of the green fields of art - all this may be the reason that a person greatly quickens the pulse, dizziness begins Dizziness - if the ground is slipping from under his feet .

But in fact, if you react to something so badly, it means that you are a living man, indifferent to all that is beautiful in the world. This is certainly a plus for this disorder. By the way, is it so abnormal? And who among us can resist the focus of the most delightful creations, they are all around us? Although, when a person begins to bang your head against the wall or rolling on the floor, it ceases to seem normal and looks terrible disease.

• Could this happen to you?

Want to experience the Stendhal Syndrome - go to Florence. This place is closely associated with the name of the disorder. The great French writer described his feelings that captured them during their stay in Florence. He said he saw the heavenly beauty of creation, and his heart fluttered ...

Stendhal Syndrome is peculiar romantic passionate nature.

Zombie Syndrome

It is also called Cotard's syndrome. If any man think that he is dead, but still continues to exist - he walks, eats, drinks, but he feels that his life force left. For the first time zombie syndrome was described by Jules Cotard in 1880, but the scientific evidence, he received only in April 2007.

Zombie Syndrome - is a serious mental disorder that can often be the result of brain damage. A case where the patient acquired the syndrome after falling from the motorcycle. His mother took him to South Africa for rehabilitation, but he had the strong feeling that he is dead and in hell.

• Could this happen to you?

Usually if there is a head injury, a syndrome associated with prolonged zombies depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood . When the first symptoms you need to take all measures, and the most effective is electroconvulsive therapy.

Syndrome of synesthesia

The syndrome manifests itself in synesthesia that one stimulus automatically stimulates multiple senses. For example, patients-sinestetiki say the letters of the alphabet are every color, every year has its own smell.

Synesthesia reported a high level of creative abilities and inclinations to them, so people suffering from this syndrome as one incredibly creative. Patients may be looking at some sort of color experience a smell, sound them acquire visual forms.

• Could this happen to you?

Typically, a major role is played here by the hereditary factor, but if one takes powerful drugs - then no heredity is not necessary, because the color gets here and the sound and the smell becomes tangible in the physical layer.

Syndrome suffer from synesthesia 1 of 23 people. In itself, the deviation innocuous enough for the man himself, and for his associates. But there is a serious form of the disorder that requires intervention and intensive care.