In the modern world, not all people manage to always remain calm and positive. We often do not pay attention to the bad mood of the people around us and even our closest relatives. And in vain! What signs can be seen in men in the initial stages of the disease?

Mental disorders - what are they?

Mental disorders are a variety of human mental states that do not correspond to the norm. Often, such diseases begin to be treated only in critical stages with clear manifestations of inappropriate behavior and thinking. In our country, many people still take mental illnesses lightly.

Many people prefer to attribute the manifestation of symptoms of mental illness to their opponent. At the same time, many signs of mental disorders in men can be noticed without being a specialist. Be more attentive to yourself and your loved ones. Don't be lazy and don't be afraid to seek professional help if you notice any suspicious symptoms.

Main external signs

Popular proverbs urge not to judge others by their appearance. And this is not always the right decision. If a person suddenly stops taking care of himself, begins to neglect the rules of personal hygiene, and often looks untidy and sloppy, this is already a reason to think about his mental state. A neat and attractive appearance is one of the indicators of mental well-being and internal balance.

What is noteworthy is that the sick person himself can be aware of what is happening. To criticism regarding his appearance, he can respond with something with the meaning that “appearance is not the main thing.” This portrayal of self-confidence coupled with indifference are also signs of mental disorders in men. As symptoms of such diseases, we can also mention personality degradation in general. During this process, a person loses interest in everything that happens to him and around him.

Behavioral symptoms

In everyday life, it is easiest to notice the main manifestations in the behavior of the sick person. The most striking symptom is a rapid change of mood. Sadness, joy, apathy, anger, anxiety and other emotions change, like in a kaleidoscope. At the same time, they are not connected with real events.

Quite often, people suffering from mental disorders are aggressive. Aggression can manifest itself in different ways, for one person it is only excessive rudeness in words, for another it is physical impact on surrounding objects, attempts to organize fights. Hypertrophied jealousy is also often observed in mental disorders. This is a common sign of mental illness among the stronger sex. If a man is constantly jealous of his woman without any real reason, this is a reason to seek professional psychological help.

Emotional manifestations

How does a person feel with mental illness? Do not forget that mental disorders can occur with a variety of symptoms. Some diseases are characterized by agitation of consciousness, while others are characterized by apathy. Almost every person with psychological problems comes to the idea that “no one understands him.” The sick person feels lonely and unwanted.

In some cases, a critical attitude towards others may be observed. With this symptom, a person sincerely considers those around him to be guilty of all his problems. Despite the instability, most often people suffering from mental disorders experience something unpleasant. Most often these are emotions such as sadness, sadness, anxiety, fear.

A variety of phobias and psychological complexes can also develop against the background of more serious diseases. Interestingly, many patients note changes at the physiological level. Sleep disturbances, migraines, causeless pain, cramps - all this can be indirect manifestations of mental disorders. Sometimes problems with eating behavior are also observed. The sick person may begin to eat more than usual, or, on the contrary, refuse food.

Cognitive symptoms of psychological disorders

Any mental disorder occurs with a noticeable deterioration in mental abilities. Memory impairment is especially noticeable. The sick person may forget some facts and events. The ability to operate with existing knowledge decreases, logical thinking is impaired. In some cases, there may be a slowdown in the reaction, and in others, on the contrary, an acceleration of thought processes. Obvious signs of mental disorders in men: inability to adequately assess what is happening, worsening adherence to principles.

Many diseases occur with the formation of obsessions, criticism of which is met with a strong negative reaction. Often a person in such a state feels literally like an “unrecognized genius.” Based on this, a clear passion for philosophy is possible. Moreover, it can be expressed in the study of the works of recognized sages or the creation of one’s own “teaching”. Most mental illnesses occur with a distorted perception of reality and oneself. People suffering from them are immersed in the world of their own, often not entirely adequate, fantasies and cease to be aware of the boundaries and importance of reality.

Perceptual manifestations of mental illness

Serious mental illnesses occur with a whole bunch of vivid symptoms. The most popular among them is hallucinations. The sick person may see or hear something that does not exist in reality. Hallucinations come in a variety of forms. Sometimes it is a disembodied voice that sounds “in your head” or in a dark room. Some patients see very real objects, animals or even familiar people. Others talk about observing irrational pictures, unreal beings.

In 70% of cases, hallucinations are frightening and disturbing. At the same time, the sick person fully believes in their reality. Most people who experience this symptom are happy to talk about their visions and experienced emotions. Some patients try to find a rational explanation for their visions. This applies primarily to auditory hallucinations, when the patient hears strange sounds and cannot accurately determine their source.

The most common mental disorders in the modern world

When studying the main signs of a mental disorder, you probably remembered at least one friend who has some of the listed symptoms. And this is not surprising, the life of a modern person is filled with worries and stress. With constant rush and an abundance of worries, it is difficult to always remain positive and maintain peace of mind. It sounds scary, but depression is considered common today. But this mental disorder, despite its outward harmlessness, can cause death.

Women are more emotional than men. Perhaps it is precisely because of their openness and desire to share the emotions they experience that representatives of the fair sex are less likely to suffer from serious mental illnesses than their husbands. If you believe the statistics of mental disorders, among men, 60% first encounter this problem at a young age. The remaining 40% are representatives of the stronger sex who became ill in adulthood.

The most common mental disorders in men are: neuroses, syndromes, phobias, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia. Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis. But if you suspect that someone close to you is suffering from a mental disorder, it is in your power to record the most striking symptoms and convince the sick person to seek professional help.

Schizophrenia: symptoms and signs in men, features of the disease

Each of us has heard the name of this disease at least once. This is a fairly serious mental disorder that can be successfully corrected if therapy is started in the early stages. The pathology is characterized by loss of interest in life. How does schizophrenia manifest? Symptoms and signs are similar in men of all ages. A responsible person gradually stops thinking about work or study, and gradually loses interest in his family. The schizophrenic also abandons all personal interests and hobbies.

Many patients develop symptoms of autism. This is, first of all, isolation, reluctance to contact other people. A sick person seems to be trying to isolate himself from the world with an invisible wall, to remain alone with his own thoughts, experiences and problems. Signs of anxiety disorders in men can easily be confused with schizophrenia. This diagnosis occurs with deterioration of mental abilities, impaired concentration and attention. As the disease progresses, the person begins to think illogically and his speech may become incoherent.

They don’t like to leave the house; anxious thoughts haunt them. The mood of a man with this diagnosis is often depressed and apathetic; sometimes loved ones may notice causeless fear. In particular cases, schizophrenia occurs with impaired motor functions, neuroses and hallucinations. This pathology is characterized by seasonal exacerbations. Painful symptoms in schizophrenics become more pronounced in spring and autumn.

Causes of mental illness

Today, official medicine is not always able to establish the root causes of diagnosed mental illnesses. And yet there are a number of provoking factors. These are: stress, increased mental and emotional stress, a tense environment at work or at home, serious shocks. We should also not forget about genetic predisposition, brain diseases and other medical factors.

The first signs of a mental disorder in men may appear against the background of systematic use of alcohol and drugs. More often, drug addiction and alcoholism provoke the development of psychosis, delirium tremens, delusions of jealousy and other specific disorders. Very often, the cause of mental illness can be traumatic brain injury. Mental disorders are observed against the background of epilepsy and somatic disorders. With these pathologies, the psycho-emotional state of a person is extremely unstable.

There is a high percentage of people suffering from mental disorders among patients with malignant tumors and cerebrovascular diseases. In these cases, mental problems arise against the background of physiological disorders, the most common of which is increased blood pressure. A separate group of diseases are age-related mental disorders. Symptoms in men of diseases in this category are diagnosed in the older age group. We are talking about diseases such as paranoia, Alzheimer's disease, marasmus, dementia, Pick's disease and some others.

Treatment of mental disorders

The majority of our compatriots still do not perceive mental disorders as serious illnesses. And this is an unforgivable mistake. We make an appointment with a doctor for bronchitis or heart pain, because we are afraid of serious complications, even death. And at the same time, we completely ignore bad mood and anxiety, attributing these symptoms to natural reactions of consciousness or banal laziness. But mental disorders can be much more dangerous than a runny nose or high temperature.

If you are careful enough, it is not difficult to spot signs of mental illness in men. The test can be done at home. If at least 2-3 symptoms are observed in a person for quite a long time, it is simply necessary to show him to a specialist!

Which doctor should I contact if I suspect a mental disorder? You should start by visiting a psychotherapist. During a confidential conversation, this specialist will be able to make a diagnosis, and if necessary, refer you to a psychiatrist. There is no universal formula for how to treat mental disorders in men. In each case, the supervising doctor develops an individual treatment plan.

Many mental disorders can be cured with the help of psychotherapeutic techniques and psychological exercises. In some cases, drug therapy is also prescribed. Most mental disorders are completely treatable. It is important that treatment is carried out under the supervision of a specialist and started as early as possible.

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We often attribute extravagant actions to a person’s character. What if there is something more behind this? Outstanding American psychotherapists Aaron Beck and Arthur Freeman in their book “Cognitive Therapy of Personality Disorders” revealed the secrets of human temperament.

Editorial website I carefully studied the work of these scientists and prepared for you a guide to 10 character traits that can bring their owners a lot of problems if they are not kept under control.

1. Negligence

Anyone who wants to relax more and work less can safely be included in this category. Of course, this is an ordinary human desire, but some of us often go too far. For example, if a company employee filed several sick leaves over the course of a year, took a couple of vacations and countless days off, and at the same time managed to be late, the psychologist would give him antisocial personality disorder. True, for this it is necessary that the following symptoms also be observed:

• frequent lies that are not motivated by anything;
• the desire to live at someone else's expense;
• frequent dismissal without further employment plans, that is, “going nowhere”;
• waste of money for other purposes (I was going to buy groceries, but bought a new toy for the console).

Time management and rewards will help fight antisociality. It is enough to write down what kind of gift you can give yourself for this or that achievement (for example, living according to a plan for a couple of days), and stick to the schedule for at least a month so that the habit has time to develop. Even with such violations, psychologists recommend the exercise “Review of Choices”: the problem is stated in writing, possible ways out of it and the advantages / disadvantages of each are determined. This will help you make decisions rationally.

2. Shyness

Encouraged shyness can over time develop into total alienation and reluctance to establish connections with the outside world. People who are on the verge of a mental disorder stop feeling strong emotions and try to limit themselves in any contacts, and therefore often choose remote work or other activities that have nothing to do with communication.

Hypertrophied introversion leads to schizoid personality disorder, which has the following characteristics:

• indifference to criticism and praise;
• lack of close friends or having only one friend;
• tendency to dream frequently and unrealistically;
• excessive sensitivity that is impossible or scary to express to others.

There are many ways to prevent the development of the disease. One of the most effective is group activities. Any class will do: drawing, learning a foreign language, yoga or Pilates.

To combat growing misanthropy, you should use a simple life hack: instead of the phrase “I don’t like people,” say “I don’t like this thing” (character trait, clothing, appearance, habit, or something else). This approach will allow us to form a new attitude: in addition to the bad, there is also something good in people.

3. Procrastination

Rebels who do not want to obey the rules in society fall into this category. Everything is expressed in postponing necessary actions until someday. Neglected procrastination may well lead to passive-aggressive personality disorder which often leads to chronic depression.

A little rebellion at school or university is a completely natural phenomenon, and there is no need to look for the origins of the disease in it. The following symptoms may indicate that procrastination is moving into a new phase of development:

• irritability in response to requests to do something not particularly pleasant, but common for most people (for example, wash the dishes, clean up after the cat, or take out the trash);
• very slow pace of work and poor quality;
• resentment of helpful advice from others on how to do the job faster and better;
• unfounded, malicious criticism of people in positions of power.

The difficulty of prevention lies in the fact that a person usually believes that he is not to blame for anything. The “Election Review” exercise we have already described is perfect here. A social game is also recommended, in which you need to put yourself in other people's shoes to understand their feelings. Such therapy will stop the progress of procrastination and make a person more sensitive to others.

4. Impulsiveness and temper

A person who does not try to control his anger runs the risk of borderline personality disorder. One of the typical manifestations of an approaching illness is a sudden and unmotivated change of opinions to radically opposite ones. Let's say today you think that fried eggs have a terrible effect on your stomach, and you hate it, and the day after tomorrow you enthusiastically cook it for breakfast.

Of course, simply being impulsive does not threaten anything. Although it’s worth thinking about if you find the following symptoms along with your temper:

• unstable friendships and romantic relationships;
• frequent thoughtless spending of money (we got together for a coffee maker, but bought a second TV);
• careless, near-accident driving;
• mood changes for no apparent reason and a feeling of chronic boredom.

Excellent prevention is anger management courses and various self-identity trainings. Self-control with encouragement will be useful. For example, if you are going to buy an ill-fated coffee maker, buy it (without taking half the store with you), and as a reward, buy something you have long dreamed of.

5. Self-flagellation

People prone to self-flagellation can easily be called ostriches: at every opportunity they bury their heads in the sand, trying to hide from problems. In psychology this is called avoidant personality disorder. In advanced cases, panic attacks, depression and sleep disturbances appear.

Self-criticism in small doses is useful because it pushes us to develop, but in large doses it is downright dangerous for the mental state. You can sound the alarm if the following occurs:

• intense and immediate resentment at criticism or disapproval;
• avoidance of new contacts, reaching the point of absurdity (for example, refusing a promotion if it requires communication with new people);
• exaggeration of potential difficulties, physical dangers or risks of ordinary activities;
• holding back from communicating with people for fear of saying something wrong.

An effective exercise in this case is to refute false predictions. You need to write down your assumptions about some action that needs to be performed. For example: “If I go to an unfamiliar store late at night, I will definitely be robbed,” and then perform this action and write down the result. Subsequently, when doubts and negative premonitions arise, you just need to open a notebook with notes to make sure that nothing bad will happen.

6. Suspiciousness

Each of us is a little paranoid, and that's normal. But some people in their suspicions go beyond all conceivable boundaries: they hack pages on social networks, listen to telephone conversations and even hire a private detective. A person whose doubts drive him to such desperate actions may be suffering paranoid personality disorder. This violation is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• unreasonable distrust of a partner;
• searching for hidden meanings in ordinary people’s actions (for example, a neighbor deliberately slams the door to annoy you);
• the tendency to consider everyone but oneself to blame;
• lack of a sense of humor, inability to see the funny in everyday situations.

A great way to combat chronic mistrust is to keep a list of people you know and put plus marks next to their name every time they meet expectations in some way (for example, you were afraid that the guy at the corporate party would forget about your existence, but he paid attention to you all evening ). The next time any suspicion arises, it will be enough to look at the number of pluses, and the mistrust will disappear.

7. Helpfulness

Dependence on loved ones is a hallmark of all mammals and, of course, humans. Relying on others is completely normal, but excessive attachment is defined in medicine as dependent personality disorder. The trait behind which lies a real mental disorder is considered to be great difficulty or inability to make decisions without the approval of an authoritative person. In addition, the disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• agreement with others, even if they are wrong;
• a feeling of discomfort in loneliness and the desire to do anything just not to be alone;
• performing unpleasant or humiliating acts in order to please;
• baseless obsessive thoughts that all the people around are traitors.

The best way to fight is to collect evidence of your competence, for example: “I drive a car well”, “I prepared an excellent report at work”, etc. Whenever you want to ask for approval from someone, you need to look at the list - this will add confidence.

8. Emotionality

Excessive emotionality and sensitivity may be a symptom histrionic personality disorder, which in the world is simply called hysteria. The desire to attract attention is natural for a person until it turns into outbursts of anger and fits. A distinctive feature is a very emotional speech and at the same time the absence of details in it. For example, to the question “What does your mother look like?” the answer will be something like: “She was very good.”

Other signs of the disorder:

• constant search for support, approval and praise from an authoritative person;
• inability to concentrate on one thing for a long time;
• superficial, quickly changing emotions;
• intolerance to procrastination with a constant desire to do something.

One great way to combat hysteria is to work on a timer. You need to set a timer for half an hour or an hour and spend all this time doing only one thing. Despite the apparent ease of the exercise, it will not be so easy to perform it: it is very difficult for overly emotional people to sit still. It’s also difficult for them to set goals, because they usually dream about something wonderful, but uncertain, so a great solution would be to set specific goals: achieve a promotion in 2 months, learn how to cook risotto for the New Year, etc.

Perfectionists should be concerned when they discover the following trends:

• reluctance to spend time on yourself for fear of becoming unproductive;
• refusal to throw away unnecessary things with the thought “it will be useful for something”;
• pathological fear of making a mistake;
• the desire to do work for others because of the idea that no one else can do it as well.

Perfectionists find it difficult to sit still because their being requires immediate activity, and therefore psychologists recommend everyday meditation. Any form will do - from massage to listening to music with your eyes closed. To consolidate success, it is useful to write down how many things were accomplished on days without relaxation and on days when there was relaxation. This will convince the perfectionist that rest is not a hindrance to productivity.

10. Inflated self-esteem

• hidden or overt anger in response to any criticism;
• using people to achieve one's own goals;
• expectation of special treatment (for example, in a queue everyone should let such a person pass, but he himself does not know why);
• intense envy and constant dreams of unimaginable wealth.

The main problem of a narcissist is the discrepancy between expectations and reality, and hence the side problems: a feeling of worthlessness, frequent mood swings, fear of getting into an awkward position. One of the exercises to combat the disorder is to lower the bar of desires to something realistically achievable. For example, instead of buying a luxury car, you can buy shoes at the nearest shoe store.

Tell me, have you ever encountered a situation where some character trait prevented you or someone you know from living a normal life?

• Firstly, they have a broad outlook, are very talkative, and are not without charm. People around him think: “What a sweetheart.” And if you look closely and listen, it becomes clear that these are conversations about nothing, empty chatter, retelling to every acquaintance your obsessions. Along the way, they lie a lot and don’t even remember it.
• Secondly, mentally ill people have an exaggerated sense of self-worth. “Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?!” We are sure that they deserve some special honors and attention.
• Thirdly, they have a need for mental stimulation. It's often boring to be alone with yourself. Something definitely needs to be arranged: a party, a scandal.
• Fourthly, they manipulate others, force them to do what they need, and bring others to tears. And after that they never experience remorse or guilt. Heartless.
• Fifthly, they are deprived of deep emotions: fear, anxiety, love. Mentally ill people are characterized by complete indifference to difficulties.
• Sixthly, they lead a parasitic lifestyle. Ideally, they don’t work at all. And as a result, there is a lack of real goals in life: “I want to be president of the United States.”

Signs of psychologically ill people also include impulsiveness, irresponsibility, irritability, and frequent changes of sexual partners. There is no logic in their actions, they do not comply with their obligations - they are extremely unreliable individuals and do not know how to control themselves.

Each of us is familiar with the state of anxiety, each of us has experienced difficulty sleeping, each of us has experienced periods of depressed mood. Many are familiar with such phenomena as childhood fears; many were “attached” to some obsessive melody, which for some time it was impossible to get rid of. All of the above conditions occur both normally and in pathology. However, normally they appear sporadically, not for long and, in general, do not interfere with life.

If the condition has been prolonged (the formal criterion is a period of more than 2 weeks), if it has begun to impair performance or simply interferes with leading a normal lifestyle, it is better to consult a doctor so as not to miss the onset of a possibly severe disease: it does not necessarily begin with severe mental disorders. Most people, for example, think that schizophrenia is necessarily a severe psychosis.

In fact, almost always schizophrenia (even its most severe forms) begins gradually, with subtle changes in mood, character, and interests. Thus, a previously lively, sociable and affectionate teenager becomes withdrawn, alienated and hostile towards his family. Or a young man who was previously mainly interested in football begins to spend almost days reading books, thinking about the essence of the universe. Or the girl begins to be upset about her appearance, claiming that she is too fat or that she has ugly legs. Such disorders can last for several months or even several years, and only then a more severe condition develops.

Of course, any of the changes described do not necessarily indicate schizophrenia or any mental illness at all. Everyone's character changes during adolescence, and this causes well-known difficulties for parents. Almost all teenagers are upset about their appearance, and many begin to have “philosophical” questions.

In the vast majority of cases, all these changes have nothing to do with schizophrenia. But it happens that they do. It is useful to remember that this may be the case. If the phenomena of “adolescence” are very pronounced, if they create much more difficulties than in other families, it makes sense to consult a psychiatrist. And this is absolutely necessary if the matter is not limited to character changes, but they are joined by other, more distinct painful phenomena, for example, depression or obsessions.

Not all conditions for which it would be reasonable to seek help in a timely manner are listed here. These are just guidelines that can help you suspect something is wrong and make the right decision.

Is this really a disease?!

Any illness, be it physical or mental, invades our lives unexpectedly, brings suffering, disrupts plans, and disrupts the usual way of life. However, a mental disorder burdens both the patient and his loved ones with additional problems. If it is customary to share about a physical (somatic) illness with friends and relatives and seek advice on how best to proceed, then in the case of a mental disorder, both the patient and his family members try not to tell anyone anything.

If in case of a physical illness people strive to understand what is happening as quickly as possible and quickly seek help, then in the event of mental disorders the family does not realize for a long time that it is a disease: the most ridiculous, sometimes mystical assumptions are made, and a visit to a specialist is postponed for months or even years.

Why is this happening?

Symptoms of physical (somatic) diseases are most often very specific (pain, fever, cough, nausea or vomiting, upset bowel movements or urination, etc.) In such a situation, everyone understands that they need to go to the doctor. And the patient may not have the usual complaints of pain, weakness, malaise, or “usual” symptoms such as fever or lack of appetite. Therefore, the thought of illness does not immediately occur to the patient himself or to his loved ones.

The symptoms of mental illness, especially at the very beginning, are either quite vague or very unclear. In young people they are often similar to character difficulties (“whims”, “whims”, age crisis), in case of depression - to fatigue, laziness, lack of will.

Therefore, for a very long time, people around them think that a teenager, for example, was poorly brought up or came under bad influence; that he was overworked or “overtrained”; that a person is “playing the fool” or mocking his family, and first of all the family is trying to apply “educational measures” (moral teaching, punishment, demands to “pull yourself together”).

In the event of a gross violation of the patient’s behavior, his relatives have the most incredible assumptions: they have “jinxed” him, “zombified” him, drugged him, etc. Often family members guess that we are talking about a mental disorder, but explain it by overwork, a quarrel with a loved one, fear, etc. They try in every possible way to delay the time of seeking help, waiting for it to “go away on its own.”

But even when it becomes clear to everyone that the matter is much more serious, when the thought of “spoilage” or “evil eye” is behind us, when there is no longer any doubt that a person is sick, there is still a pressing prejudice that mental illness is not at all what that disease, for example heart or stomach. Often this wait lasts from 3 to 5 years. This affects both the course of the disease and the results of treatment; it is known that the earlier treatment is started, the better.

Most people are firmly convinced that diseases of the body (they are also called somatic diseases, because “soma” in Greek means “body”) are an ordinary phenomenon, and mental disorders, diseases of the soul (“psyche” in Greek - soul), - this is something mysterious, mystical and very scary.

Let us repeat that this is just a prejudice and that its reasons are the complexity and “unusuality” of psychopathological symptoms. In other respects, mental and physical illnesses are no different from each other.”

Signs that may suggest mental illness:

• Noticeable personality change.

Behavioral disorders are symptoms of a disease, and the patient is as little to blame for them as a patient with the flu is to blame for having a fever. This is a very difficult problem for relatives - to understand and accustom themselves to the fact that the incorrect behavior of a sick person is not a manifestation of malice, bad upbringing or character, that these violations cannot be eliminated or normalized (educational or punitive) measures, that they are eliminated as the condition improves sick.

For relatives, information about the initial manifestations of psychosis or symptoms of the advanced stage of the disease may be useful. All the more useful may be recommendations on some rules of behavior and communication with a person in a painful condition. In real life, it is often difficult to immediately understand what is happening to your loved one, especially if he is scared, suspicious, distrustful and does not directly express any complaints. In such cases, only indirect manifestations of mental disorders can be noticed.

Psychosis can have a complex structure and combine hallucinatory, delusional and emotional disorders (mood disorders) in various proportions.

The following symptoms may appear during the disease, all without exception, or individually.

Manifestations of auditory and visual hallucinations:

• Conversations with oneself that resemble a conversation or remarks in response to someone else's questions (excluding comments out loud like “Where did I put my glasses?”).

The appearance of delirium can be recognized by the following signs:

• Changed behavior towards relatives and friends, the appearance of unreasonable hostility or secrecy.

Suicide Prevention

In almost all depressive states, thoughts of not wanting to live may arise. But depression accompanied by delusions (for example, guilt, impoverishment, incurable somatic illness) is especially dangerous. At the height of the severity of the condition, these patients almost always have thoughts of suicide and suicidal readiness.

The following signs warn of the possibility of suicide:

• The patient’s statements about his uselessness, sinfulness, and guilt.

Preventive action:

• Take any conversation about suicide seriously, even if it seems unlikely to you that the patient might try to commit suicide.

If you or someone close to you experiences one or more of these warning signs, you should immediately consult a psychiatrist.

A psychiatrist is a doctor who has received a higher medical education and completed a course of specialization in the field of psychiatry, has a license to practice and is constantly improving his professional level.

Questions from relatives about the manifestation of the disease.

I have an adult son - 26 years old. Something has been happening to him lately. I see his strange behavior: he stopped going outside, is not interested in anything, doesn’t even watch his favorite videos, refuses to get up in the morning and hardly cares about personal hygiene. This had never happened to him before. I can't find the reason for the changes. Maybe it's a mental illness?

Relatives often ask this question, especially in the very initial stages of the disease. The behavior of a loved one causes anxiety, but it is impossible to accurately determine the reason for the change in behavior. In this situation, significant tension may arise between you and the person close to you.

Watch your loved one. If the resulting behavior disorders are persistent enough and do not disappear when circumstances change, it is likely that their cause may be a mental disorder. If you feel uneasy, try consulting a psychiatrist.

Try not to get into conflict with the person you care about. Instead, try to find productive ways to resolve the situation. Sometimes it can be helpful to start by learning as much as you can about mental illness.

How to convince a patient to seek psychiatric help if he says: “I’m fine, I’m not sick”?

Try to express your concerns to him in a way that does not seem like criticism, accusations or unnecessary pressure on your part. Sharing your fears and concerns with a trusted friend or doctor first can help you talk calmly with the patient.

Ask your loved one if he is concerned about his condition, and try to discuss with him possible ways to solve the problem. Your main principle should be to involve the patient as much as possible in discussing problems and making appropriate decisions. If it is impossible to discuss anything with the person you care about, try to find support in resolving the difficult situation from other family members, friends or doctors.

Sometimes the patient's mental state deteriorates sharply. You need to know in which cases psychiatric services provide treatment against the patient’s wishes (they carry out involuntary hospitalization, etc.), and in which they do not.

Remember that there is no substitute for a trusting relationship with your doctor. You can and should talk to him about the problems facing you first. Do not forget that these problems can be no less difficult for the specialists themselves.

Please explain, does the psychiatric care system provide any mechanism for providing it in the event that a patient needs help, but refuses it?

To persuade the patient to voluntary treatment, the following can be advised:

• Choose the right moment to talk to your coachee and try to honestly express your concerns to him.
• Let him know that first of all you are concerned about him and his well-being.
• Consult your relatives and your doctor about what is best for you to do.

If this does not help, seek advice from your doctor, and if necessary, contact emergency psychiatric help.

How to distinguish a mentally ill person from a healthy one

The second sign is the totality of character manifestations: with psychopathy, the same character traits are found everywhere: at home, at work, on vacation, among friends and among strangers, in any circumstances.

Finally, the third sign of psychopathy is social maladjustment.

Asthenic group of psychopathy. The group includes two varieties - neurasthenics and psychasthenics. Such people are very sensitive and quickly exhausted in a neuropsychic sense. The weakness and exhaustion of asthenics leads to the fact that their activities are ineffective. They do not succeed well in business, do not move up the career ladder, they have low self-esteem and painful pride. Their aspirations are usually higher than their capabilities. They are proud and at the same time cannot achieve everything they strive for. As a result, their character traits such as timidity, uncertainty, and suspiciousness become stronger. Psychasthenics do not have somatic disorders, but they are fearful, indecisive, and doubtful about everything. It is difficult for them to start something: they make a decision, then retreat, gather their strength again, etc. It is difficult for them to make decisions because they doubt their success. But if a psychasthenic has decided something, he must implement it immediately; that is, they are impatient.

The second sign is totality. Also, optional traits of accentuated characters appear only in special conditions.

Social maladaptation with accentuations either does not occur or quickly passes. At the same time, the reason for discord with oneself and with the environment is not any difficult conditions, but the load on the weakest point of character. The introduction of the concept of the “weakest point” of character, as well as the description of these points in relation to each type, is an important contribution to the theory of character. It is also invaluable. You need to know your character weaknesses in order to avoid mistakes, problems in the family and at work, in raising children and organizing your own life, etc.

As in cases of psychopathy, different types of accentuations can be mixed in one person, but these combinations are not just any combination.

with a favorable combination, even a strong genotypic predisposition to an anomaly may not be realized or, at least, not lead to pathological character deviations.

How to distinguish a mentally healthy person from a mentally ill person?

that's how you determine it!)

A real case: in August, on the 20th of 1998 (immediately after the default), my colleagues went crazy. At the clinic, a colleague of about 42 years old, she shouted all sorts of nonsense (meaningless phrases). And what about the psychiatrist, of course he prescribed something for her, prescribed treatment, but said: “She has an absolutely normal reaction to what happened, it is abnormal in those who behave as usual.”

I agree with what was said above that there are some that have not been examined.

By the way, there is a wonderful film. "Mind games".

There, the crazy professor was able to overcome his glitches and received the Nobel Prize.

Mental health is understood as an individual dynamic set of mental properties of a person, allowing him, in accordance with his age, gender and social status, to cognize the surrounding reality, adapt to it and perform his biological and social functions.

This means that if an adult behaves like a child and, for example, cannot remember that the towel now hangs on the right and not on the left, then he has problems.

How to distinguish a mentally ill person from a healthy one

“Crazy people live behind a high fence, and idiots walk along the street in crowds”

The Unlucky Ones, directed by Francis Weber

We live in a time when hysterics and prolonged depression have become commonplace for many. Each of us is familiar with the condition when loved ones behave inappropriately or we ourselves suffer from insomnia, twisting the same obsessive thought in our heads all night. But these are signs of a prepsychotic state: anxiety, insomnia, unwillingness to live, hysteria, attacks on others, attempted suicide and sudden mood swings. In order to identify abnormalities in the psyche, it is necessary to observe a person in a hospital setting for 30 days, and in some cases, to make a diagnosis of schizophrenia, the patient must be examined for 6 months.

Mental illness is not only schizophrenia, it also includes neuroses, psychoses, mania, panic attacks, paranoia, dementia and bipolar disorder. In turn, each mental disorder is divided into several more types. It is believed that if situations that cause acute stress reactions in people: hysteria, crying, attack, nervous tremors and other aggressive actions directed at others or at themselves, are episodic in nature and pass after some time, then they do not interfere with life and are not deviation from the norm.

However, it often happens that after an examination the doctor does not reveal any mental disorders in the patient, but after some time he commits a brutal, planned murder or harms the health of himself or others. This is a clear deviation in the psyche and in order not to become a victim of such a patient, it is very important to have some ideas about how signs of mental deviations manifest themselves and how to behave when communicating or even living with them.

Nowadays, many people are forced to live together or next door to alcoholics, drug addicts, neurasthenics and elderly parents with dementia. If you delve into the intricacies of their daily life, you can easily come to the conclusion that there are simply no absolutely mentally healthy people, but only those who have been underexamined.

Constant scandals, accusations, threats, assault, reluctance to live and even suicide attempts are the first signs that the mental health of the participants in such conflicts is not okay. If such behavior of a person is repeated over and over again and begins to affect the personal lives of other people, then we are talking about a mental illness and requires examination by a specialist.

Deviations in the psyche primarily manifest themselves in the fact that a person’s perception of the world changes and his attitude towards the people around him changes. Unlike healthy people, people with mental disorders strive to satisfy only their physical and physiological needs; they do not care how their inappropriate behavior will affect the health and mood of others. They are cunning and attentive, selfish and hypocritical, unemotional and resourceful.

It is very difficult to understand when someone close to you shows excessive anger, aggression and unfounded accusations against you. Few are able to remain calm and accept the inappropriate behavior of a loved one associated with mental disorders. In most cases, people think that a person is mocking them and try to apply “educational measures” in the form of moralizing, demands and evidence of innocence.

Over time, mental illness progresses and can combine delusional, hallucinatory and emotional disorders. Manifestations of visual, auditory and delusional hallucinations include the following:

A man talks to himself, laughs for no apparent reason.

Cannot concentrate on the topic of conversation, always looks preoccupied and alarmed.

Is hostile towards family members, especially those who serve him. In later stages of the development of mental illness, the patient becomes aggressive, attacks others, and deliberately breaks dishes, furniture and other objects.

Tells stories of implausible or dubious content about himself and loved ones.

He fears for his life, refuses to eat, accusing his loved ones of trying to poison him.

Writes statements to the police and letters to various organizations with complaints about relatives, neighbors and just acquaintances.

He hides money and things, quickly forgets where he put them and accuses others of stealing.

He does not wash or shave for a long time; his behavior and appearance are sloppy and unclean.

Knowing the general signs of mental disorders, it is very important to understand that mental illness brings suffering, first of all, to the patient himself, and only then to his loved ones and society. Therefore, it is completely wrong to prove to the patient that he is behaving immorally, to blame or reproach him for not loving you and making your life worse. Of course, a mentally ill person is a problem in the family. However, he must be treated as a sick person and react to their inappropriate behavior with understanding.

You cannot argue with a patient, trying to prove to him that his accusations against you are incorrect. Listen carefully, reassure him and offer help. Do not try to clarify the details of his delusional accusations and statements, do not ask him questions that may aggravate his mental disorders. Any mental illness requires attention from loved ones and treatment by specialists. It should not cause criticism or accusations of selfishness towards the sick person.

Alas, no one is immune from the development of mental disorders. This is especially true for those who have a hereditary predisposition to the disease or care for elderly parents with dementia. Set an example for your children to treat them well so that they do not repeat the mistakes of their parents.

How to recognize a psycho in your neighbor

Still from the cartoon “Baby and Carlson”

And indeed, sometimes this happens. And you look at your neighbors or some of your acquaintances - and you immediately understand: these are the crazy ones! Therefore, I decided to find out from psychiatrists and psychologists how to distinguish a mentally normal person from a mentally ill person? Or maybe it’s time for me to see a doctor myself?

The consultations immediately took a casual turn. Psychologist Mark Sandomirsky reassured: “A mentally ill person never doubts that he is healthy.” I perked up. But that was not the case - psychiatrist Mikhail Vinogradov made the opposite statement: “If a person has any doubts that he is normal, it is time for him to see a psychiatrist. The thesis that a mentally ill person considers himself healthy is a common misconception. Patients are different. Some people consider themselves healthy, while others, on the contrary, immediately run to a psychiatrist.”

According to Vinogradov, only a specialist can recognize a mentally ill person. Someone who appears to be a violent mental patient may actually be an ill-mannered bully, he says. So, judging only by external signs, “it’s time for us all to be hospitalized.”

Or maybe it’s really time? But no, Sandomirsky assures. To be truly abnormal, you must have, for example, “impaired hearing or vision.” That is, experiencing auditory and other hallucinations. “So I’m normal!” – I breathed out a sigh of relief. And again I was wrong - psychiatry classifies all types of communication with higher powers as hallucinations. You prayed and think that God heard you - this, my friend, is a complete clinic. At least, that's what science thinks.

How else to distinguish normal from abnormal? According to Mark Sandomirsky, the criterion of success is decisive in this matter: “If a person achieves something in life, he is normal. If fatally unsuccessful, then sick.”

A person suffering from depression for two years is unlikely to succeed in anything, says Sandomirsky. But even here, not everything is so simple. Several years ago I had the opportunity to communicate with a psychiatrist from the Center. Serbsky, who said: “All talented people - writers, artists, and so on - are sick with severe forms of psychopathy. They achieve success due to the fact that, due to illness, they strive in every possible way to attract the attention of others.” Society admires them, but in vain - the disease will still take its toll, the psychiatrist assured me. The psyche will fall apart, and the star will run to hide somewhere in a secluded hole, away from prying eyes.

I got the feeling that he was just jealous. Sandomirsky also disagrees with the psychiatrist: “Even if a successful person relapses, he still has a greater margin of safety than someone who has vegetated in poverty all his life.” Including a margin of mental strength.

In a word, there are as many opinions as there are psychiatrists. From communicating with them, I drew the following conclusions: there are not many abnormal people in our country, but there are a lot of ill-mannered boors. If you are an atheist and at the same time have not achieved the love of the broad masses in life (or, best of all, have not really achieved anything at all) - most likely you are mentally healthy.

Unlike Russian politicians. No, they did not achieve popular love. They are probably abnormal by another criterion. “The patient’s constancy of personality is impaired. Today he is one, tomorrow he is different. Now he says one thing, but in an hour he will say the completely opposite,” explains Sandomirsky.

And psychiatrist Zurab Kikelidze once spoke best about abnormality. One of the journalists asked him if there were schizophrenics among the psychiatrists. “But of course! - the doctor answered. “If we were normal, would we really be able to figure out what mental disorders are?”

What signs can be used to identify a mentally unbalanced sick person?

Psychiatry has traditionally dealt with the recognition and treatment of mental illnesses and disorders. We study those disorders of human mental activity that manifest themselves in thoughts, feelings, emotions, actions, and behavior in general. These violations may be obvious, strongly expressed, or may not be so obvious as to speak of “abnormality.” Unbalanced people are not always mentally ill.

Human personality as a changing system

The line where pathology begins behind the norm is quite blurry and has not yet been clearly defined either in psychiatry or psychology. Therefore, mental illnesses are difficult to unambiguously interpret and evaluate. If signs of mental disorder are observed in women, they may be the same in men. Obvious gender differences in the nature of the manifestation of mental illness are sometimes difficult to notice. In any case, with obvious mental disorders. But the prevalence rate by gender may vary. Signs of mental disorders in men appear with no less force, although they are not without their originality.

If a person believes, for example, that he is Napoleon or has superpowers, or he experiences sudden mood swings for no reason, or begins to feel melancholy or falls into despair because of the most trivial everyday problems, then we can assume that he is exhibiting signs of mental illness. diseases. There may also be perverted attractions or his actions will be clearly different from normal. Manifestations of painful mental states are very different. But what will be common is that, first of all, a person’s personality and his perception of the world will undergo change.

Personality is the totality of a person’s mental and spiritual properties, his way of thinking, responding to changes in the environment, and his character. The personality traits of different people have the same differences as physical ones - the shape of the nose, lips, eye color, height, etc. That is, the individuality of a person has the same meaning as physical individuality.

By the manifestations of personality traits, we can recognize a person. Personality traits do not exist separately from each other. They are closely interconnected, both in their functions and in the nature of their manifestation. That is, they are organized into a kind of integral system, just as all our organs, tissues, muscles, bones form the bodily shell, the body.

Just as the body undergoes changes with age or under the influence of external factors, personality does not remain unchanged, it develops and changes. Personality changes can be physiological, normal (especially with age) and pathological. Personality changes (normal) with age, under the influence of external and internal factors, occur gradually. The mental appearance of a person gradually also changes. At the same time, personality properties change so that the harmony and integrity of the personality are not violated.

What happens when there is a sharp change in personality traits?

But sometimes, personality can change dramatically (or at least it will seem so to others). People I know suddenly turn from modest to boastful, too harsh in their judgments; they were calm and balanced, but they became aggressive and hot-tempered. They turn from being thorough into frivolous and superficial. Such changes are hard to miss. Personal harmony has already been disrupted. Such changes are already clearly pathological, they are deviations in the psyche. It is obvious that mental illness can cause such changes. Both doctors and psychologists talk about this. After all, mentally ill people often behave inappropriately to the situation. And this becomes obvious to others over time.

Factors provoking the emergence and development of mental illness:

• Traumatic injuries to the head and brain. At the same time, mental activity changes dramatically, obviously not for the better. Sometimes it stops altogether when a person falls into an unconscious state.
• Organic diseases, congenital brain pathologies. In this case, both individual mental properties and the entire activity of the human psyche as a whole may be disrupted or “drop out.”
• General infectious diseases (typhoid, septecemia or blood poisoning, meningitis, encephalitis, etc.). They can cause irreversible changes in the psyche.
• Intoxication of the body under the influence of alcohol, drugs, gases, medicines, household chemicals (such as glue), poisonous plants. These substances can cause profound changes in the psyche and disruption of the central nervous system (CNS).
• Stress, psychological trauma. In this case, signs of mental abnormalities may be temporary.
• Burdened heredity. If a person has a history of close relatives with chronic mental illnesses, then the likelihood of manifestation of such a disease among subsequent generations increases (although this point is sometimes disputed).

There may be other reasons among the above factors. There may be many of them, but not all of them are known to medicine and science. Usually, a clearly mentally unbalanced person is immediately noticeable, even to ordinary people. And yet, the human psyche is perhaps the most poorly understood system of the human body. That is why its changes are so difficult to analyze clearly and unambiguously.

Each case of pathological changes in the psyche must be studied individually. Mental disorder or illness may be acquired or congenital. If they are acquired, it means that a certain moment has come in a person’s life when pathological personality traits came to the fore. Unfortunately, it is impossible to trace the moment of transition from normal to pathology, and it is difficult to know when the first signs appeared. As well as preventing this transition.

Where and when does the “abnormality” begin?

Where is the line beyond which mental illness immediately begins? If there was no obvious interference from the outside in the psyche (head injury, intoxication, illness, etc.), in any case, there was no, in the opinion of both the sick person himself and his environment, then why did he get sick or did mental disorders arise? even if not psychogenic? What went wrong, at what point? Doctors have not yet answered these questions. One can only make assumptions, carefully study the anamnesis, try to find at least something that could provoke the changes.

Speaking of innate, it is assumed that a person’s mental properties have never been in harmony. A person was born with a damaged personality. Mental disorders in children and their symptoms represent a separate area for study. Children have their own mental characteristics that differ from adults. And it should be borne in mind that signs of a mental disorder can be obvious and obvious, or they can appear as if gradually and by chance, occasionally. Moreover, anatomical changes (most often this means changes in the brain, first of all) in diseases and mental disorders can be visible and obvious, but sometimes it is impossible to trace them. Or their changes are so subtle that they cannot be traced at this level of medical development. That is, from a purely physiological point of view, there are no violations, but the person is mentally ill and needs treatment.

The pathophysiological basis of mental illness should be considered, first of all, dysfunction of the central nervous system - a violation of the basic processes of higher nervous activity (according to I.P. Pavlov).

If we talk directly about the signs of mental disorders, then we should take into account the peculiarities of the classification of mental illnesses. In each historical period of development of psychiatry, classifications have undergone various changes. Over time, it became obvious that there is a need for consistent diagnosis of the same patients by different psychiatrists, regardless of their theoretical orientation and practical experience. Although even now this can be difficult to achieve, due to conceptual disagreements in understanding the essence of mental disorders and diseases.

Another difficulty is that there are different national taxonomies of diseases. They may differ from each other according to various criteria. At the moment, from the point of view of the significance of reproducibility, the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD 10) and the American DSM-IV are used.

Types of mental pathology (according to the domestic classification) depending on the main causes that cause them:

• Endogenous (under the influence of external factors) mental illnesses, but with the participation of exogenous factors. These include schizophrenia, epilepsy, affective disorders, etc.
• Exogenous (under the influence of internal factors) mental illnesses, but with the participation of endogenous factors. These include somatogenic, infectious, traumatic diseases, etc.
• Diseases caused by developmental disorders, as well as due to dysfunctions or disruptions in the functioning of mature body systems. These types of diseases include various personality disorders, mental retardation, etc.
• Psychogenics. These are diseases with signs of psychosis, neuroses.

It is worth considering that all classifications are not perfect and are open to criticism and improvement.

What is a mental disorder and how can it be diagnosed?

Patients with mental disorders may visit doctors frequently. They may be in the hospital many times and undergo numerous examinations. Although, first of all, mentally ill people more often complain about their physical condition.

The World Health Organization has identified the main signs of a mental disorder or illness:

1. Clearly expressed psychological discomfort.
2. Impaired ability to perform normal work or school responsibilities.
3. Increased risk of death. Suicidal thoughts, attempts to commit suicide. General disturbance of mental activity.

You should be wary if, even after a thorough examination, no somatic disorders are revealed (and the complaints do not stop), the patient has been “treated” for a long time and unsuccessfully by different doctors, and his condition does not improve. Mental illnesses or mental illnesses can be expressed not only by signs of mental disorders, but in the clinical picture of the disease there may also be somatic disorders.

Somatization symptoms caused by anxiety

Anxiety disorders occur 2 times more often in women than in men. With anxiety disorders, patients more often present somatic complaints than complaints about changes in the general mental state. Somatic disorders are often observed with various types of depression. It is also a very common mental disorder among women.

Somatization symptoms caused by depression

Anxiety and depressive disorders often occur together. ICD 10 even has a separate category for anxiety-depressive disorder.

Currently, in the practice of a psychiatrist, a comprehensive psychological examination is actively used, which includes a whole group of tests (but their results are not a sufficient basis for making a diagnosis, but only play a clarifying role).

When diagnosing a mental disorder, a comprehensive personality examination is carried out and various factors are taken into account:

• The level of development of higher mental functions (or their changes) - perception, memory, thinking, speech, imagination. What is the level of his thinking, how adequate are his judgments and conclusions? Are there any memory impairments, is attention depleted? How well do thoughts correspond to mood and behavior? For example, some people can tell sad stories and still laugh. They evaluate the pace of speech - whether it is slow or, on the contrary, the person speaks quickly and incoherently.
• They evaluate the general background of the mood (depressed or unreasonably high, for example). How adequate are his emotions to the surrounding environment, to changes in the world around him?
• They monitor his level of contact and willingness to discuss his condition.
• Assess the level of social and professional productivity.
• The nature of sleep, its duration,
• Eating behavior. Does a person suffer from overeating or, on the contrary, does he eat too little, rarely, unsystematically?
• The ability to experience pleasure and joy is assessed.
• Can the patient plan his activities, control his actions, behavior, are there any violations of volitional activity.
• The degree of adequacy of orientation in themselves, other people, in time, place - do patients know their name, do they recognize themselves as who they are (or consider themselves a superman, for example), do they recognize relatives, friends, can build a chronology of events in their lives and lives of loved ones.
• The presence or absence of interests, desires, inclinations.
• Level of sexual activity.
• The most important thing is how critical a person is of his condition.

These are only the most general criteria, the list is far from complete. In each specific case, age, social status, health status, and individual personality characteristics will also be taken into account. In fact, signs of mental disorders can be ordinary behavioral reactions, but in an exaggerated or distorted form. Of particular interest to many researchers is the creativity of mentally ill people and its influence on the course of the disease. Mental illness is not such a rare companion even for great people.

It is believed that “Mental illnesses have the ability to sometimes suddenly open up the springs of the creative process, the results of which are ahead of ordinary life, sometimes for a very long time.” Creativity can serve as a means of calm and have a beneficial effect on the patient. (P.I. Karpov, “Creativity of the mentally ill and its influence on the development of art, science and technology,” 1926). They also help the doctor penetrate deeper into the patient’s soul and understand him better. It is also believed that creators in the fields of science, technology and art often suffer from nervous imbalance. According to these views, the creativity of mentally ill people often has no less value than the creativity of healthy people. Then what should mentally healthy people be like? This is also an ambiguous wording and the signs are approximate.

Signs of mental health:

• Behavior and actions adequate to external and internal changes.
• Healthy self-esteem not only of yourself, but also of your capabilities.
• Normal orientation in one's personality, time, space.
• Ability to work normally (physically, mentally).
• Ability to think critically.

A mentally healthy person is a person who wants to live, develop, knows how to be happy or sad (shows a large number of emotions), does not threaten himself and others with his behavior, is generally balanced, in any case, this is how he should be assessed by the people around him. These characteristics are not exhaustive.

Mental disorders most common in women:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Anxiety and depressive disorders
• Panic disorders
• Eating disorders
• Phobias
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Adjustment disorder
• Histrionic personality disorder
• Dependent personality disorder
• Pain disorder, etc.

Often, signs of a mental disorder are observed in women after the birth of a child. Especially, signs of neuroses and depression of varying nature and severity may be observed.

In any case, the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders should be carried out by doctors. The success of treatment strongly depends on the timeliness of therapy. The support of loved ones and family is very important. In the treatment of mental disorders, combined methods of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy are usually used.

How to determine whether a mentally ill person is dangerous to others

“Just look at this crazy guy!” – people whisper, looking around at the noisy man in the subway. Yes, if a person is talking to himself and waving his arms, he has little chance of remaining unnoticed. However, is his mental disorder really dangerous to passersby? How do psychiatrists define insanity? Learn all about the criteria of common sense.

Giordano Bruno claimed that the Earth revolved around the Sun, and in 1600 he was executed for heresy. Suffragettes (participants in the movement for women's suffrage) were regularly imprisoned, and conservative society considered them nothing more than crazy hysterics. Until 1993, in Soviet criminal law, homosexuality was considered a crime against the person: people were imprisoned for up to 5 years and locked in psychiatric hospitals.

History remembers a million similar examples, and this only proves that, unlike clinical diagnoses, the concept of normality in psychiatry is relative and is determined by the historical context. That is why it is wrong to judge a person’s sanity by external signs (loud speech, extravagant clothing): for this there is a professional examination that will detect pathology.

When is a person considered mentally ill?

Mental disorders according to ICD-10 are divided into 11 groups:

Organic, including symptomatic mental disorders.

Mental and behavioral disorders associated with substance use.

Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders.

Mood disorders (affective disorders).

Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders.

Behavioral syndromes associated with physiological disorders and physical factors.

Personality and behavior disorders in adulthood.

Psychological developmental disorders.

Emotional and behavioral disorders that usually begin in childhood and adolescence.

Mental disorder not otherwise specified.

Each of these groups includes dozens of diseases, and not all of them fall under the definition of “madness.” For example, neuroses and borderline conditions are not a reason for a patient to be registered at a dispensary, although he can be treated at a day hospital.

Neuroses and borderline conditions are not a reason for a patient to be registered at a dispensary, although he can be treated at a day hospital.

Diagnoses that limit legal capacity are always examined by a commission of at least 3 doctors. In controversial situations, when it is difficult to accurately determine the disease or the depth of mental disorder, councils are convened to clarify the diagnosis. If the diagnosis does not limit a person’s legal capacity, then it can be made by one doctor. It is important to remember that most mental illnesses are dynamic, and over time the diagnosis can be revised or withdrawn.

S. Kubrick's film "The Shining" demonstrates how a mentally ill person becomes dangerous to society

When does a person need compulsory treatment?

Even such a serious diagnosis as schizophrenia does not always require treatment in a hospital setting. The disease can be asymptomatic for many years, and people taking antipsychotics live and work in society without problems.

Surely you are wondering why alcoholics with mental disorders walk freely around the city, damage public property, shout at people, but still go unpunished? The fact is that a person receives compulsory psychiatric treatment only if he commits a socially dangerous act.

A person receives compulsory psychiatric treatment only if he commits a socially dangerous act.

In our country, the law on compulsory treatment includes people who have committed a crime in a state of insanity, partial sanity or full sanity, which was subsequently replaced by illness. Depending on the nature and severity of the crime, taking into account the degree of danger the patient poses to himself and others, the court may prescribe him outpatient treatment with registration, hospitalization with regular, enhanced and strict supervision.

“Involuntary hospitalization in a hospital is carried out either by court decision or when a person is in alcoholic psychosis,” explains narcologist Yaroslav Stovbur.

The people you notice on the streets or in the subway are usually already registered, which means that doctors have considered their condition safe enough for society. However, this does not exclude the possibility of acute psychosis, when bystanders should call a psychiatric team (103) or the police (102).

Remember: if a person does not control himself while armed, the police should be called, because psychiatrists will not be able to resist him.

How to identify a mentally ill person?

Monitor the person's mood changes. Mentally unhealthy people change their emotional state without reason. A minute ago he could laugh hysterically over a trifle, but now he screams aggressively.

The average person, that is, a person who does not have a medical education, can himself identify a mentally disabled person. By external signs and behavior. Look him in the face. The eyes either burn, or are dull, or move restlessly, or roll back. The face twitches and grimaces appear. Speech can be very fast, sometimes incoherent, a person easily moves from one topic to another, answers questions inappropriately, and may sputter with saliva during a conversation. Or, on the contrary, he is withdrawn into himself, looks from under his brows, and can be aggressive. Hands - sometimes they say a lot: they move restlessly, are fussy, they wrinkle clothes or hand. Sometimes a person makes a lot of unnecessary movements or sits motionless for hours. This depends on the stage of the disorder: with manic excitement, all the signs are clearly expressed, with depression, the person is depressed.

Of course, by movements, facial expressions, even by the way a person is dressed, one can completely identify a person who is not entirely normal. However, the behavior of a mentally ill person during the remission period may not differ from the behavior of an ordinary neurasthenic. And only during a conversation with a psychiatrist or psychologist will a mental disorder be revealed.

The last word is not for the doctor and psychologist, but for. - a dog. A dog, with its infallible instinct, will indicate a mentally ill person. He will point not with a paw, but with a bark, which does not need to be translated into the language of psychiatry. You remember examples from your life, don’t you?

The simplest and most effective method, which is used by many specialists, for example, at state borders. Ask the person the simplest questions. For example, ask his name, how old he is and what he does. Judging by the way a person answers, you can distinguish not only his mental state, but also his character traits and his adequacy.

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– pathological conditions accompanied by impaired perception of reality, behavioral disorders, deviations in the volitional, emotional and mental spheres. They can be exogenous (caused by somatic diseases, injuries and stressful situations) or endogenous (genetically determined). The diagnosis, treatment and study of mental disorders is carried out by psychiatrists, psychotherapists and medical psychologists, in some cases in collaboration with narcologists, neurologists, therapists, traumatologists and doctors of other specialties.

All over the world people suffer from mental illness of one kind or another. According to other data, every fifth person in the world has a mental or behavioral disorder.

In total, there are about 200 clinically diagnosable diseases, which can be divided into five types: mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and psychotic disorders, eating disorders, and dementia.

Depression is the most common mental illness. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, depression will become the second leading cause of disability worldwide, after cardiovascular disease. Slightly less common were generalized anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anorexia, as well as eating non-food items.

How to recognize the first signs of the disease

This is fine. But as soon as emotions begin to spoil life, they become a problem that indicates a possible mental disorder.

Signs of mental illness are fairly easy to spot. When we feel so anxious that we cannot go to the store, call the phone, or talk without panic attacks. When we are so sad that we lose our appetite, there is no desire to get out of bed, and it is impossible to concentrate on the simplest tasks.

Simon Wessely, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Lecturer at King's College London

Looking at yourself in the mirror for too long or being obsessed with your appearance can also indicate health problems. An equally serious signal should be changes in appetite (both increase and decrease), sleep patterns, and indifference to interesting pastimes. All this may indicate depression.

Voices in your head are signs of much more serious problems. And, of course, not everyone who suffers from mental illness hears them. Not everyone who is depressed will cry. Symptoms are always variable and may vary depending on age and gender. Some people may not notice changes in themselves. But, if changes indicating illness are obvious to people around you, then you should consult a psychiatrist.

What causes mental illness

The causes of mental illness combine natural and social factors. However, some diseases, such as schizophrenia and bipolar personality disorder, may be due to a genetic predisposition.

Mental illness occurs twice as often after natural disasters and catastrophes. This is also affected by changes in a person’s life and physical health. However, the clear causes of the disorder are currently unknown.

How to make a diagnosis

Of course, you can do self-diagnosis and look for a description of the problems on the Internet. This can be useful, but such results should be trusted with great caution. It is best to contact a specialist to receive qualified assistance.

Medical diagnosis can take a very long time, perhaps years. Getting a diagnosis is the beginning, not the end. Each case proceeds individually.

How to be treated

The concept of “mental illness” has changed over time. Today, electrotherapy is prohibited, like many other forms of treatment, so they try to help patients with drugs and psychotherapy. However, therapy is not a panacea, and drugs are most often insufficiently studied due to low funding and the impossibility of conducting mass studies. It is impossible to treat such diseases according to a template.

Is a cure possible?

Yes. People can fully recover from acute illness and learn to overcome chronic conditions. The diagnosis can change, and life can get better. After all, the main goal of treatment is to give a person the opportunity to live the life he wants.