It is a pronounced form of mental disorder, which is characterized by an inadequate perception of reality and personality disorganization, as well as sudden mood swings, hallucinations, and delusions. In psychosis, a state of uncontrolled excitement or, on the contrary, deep depression occurs; in addition, psychosis is accompanied by profound disturbances in the thought process, in which there is a complete absence of a critical attitude towards one’s condition.

Causes of psychosis
Depending on the source of mental imbalance, all psychoses can be divided into the following:
1) exogenous psychosis - psychosis caused by the influence of external environmental factors
2) endogenous psychosis - psychosis caused by internal disorders and speculations
3) organic psychosis - psychosis caused by traumatic brain injuries, as well as diseases and tumors of the brain.
Thus, psychosis can be caused by internal as well as external factors. Manifestations of an internal nature are, as a rule, neurological disorders, as well as endocrine diseases leading to the development endogenous disease. External causes of the disease are infections such as tuberculosis, typhus, influenza, syphilis, as well as alcohol, drugs, industrial poisons, psychological trauma, and stress. It should be noted that among external causes, the first place belongs to alcohol, which leads to the so-called alcoholic psychosis.
Endogenous psychoses in humans develop in connection with his age-related changes, and are often a consequence of schizophrenia, hypertension, as well as cerebral atherosclerosis. Endogenous psychosis, as a rule, is long-lasting and often shows a tendency to relapse.
In general, psychosis is quite complex condition a person, which has its own difficulties in diagnosing both internal and external causes. Thus, the development of psychosis can begin with external factors, and only then internal problems are added.
According to the occurrence and nature of the course of this disease, reactive and sharp forms diseases. Reactive Forms are reversible mental disorders that arise as a result of mental trauma. Whereas the acute form of the disease develops as a result of a sudden and rapid development of events. For example, psychosis can be caused by sudden news of the death of a loved one or the loss of property.

Symptoms of psychosis
How to distinguish a person with psychosis from a healthy one?
Early symptoms of psychosis include the following:
1. A person experiences changes in character: irritability, nervousness, anxiety, hypersensitivity, lack of appetite and sleep disturbance, as well as a sudden lack of interest, unusual and strange appearance.
2. Changes in performance are observed, namely: there is a sharp decline in activity, impaired attention, decreased resistance to stress and a sudden decline in activity.
3. A person’s feelings change: various fears, mood swings, and depression appear.
4. Changes occur in a person’s social life, which are expressed in isolation, mistrust, withdrawal, problems communicating with people and cessation of contacts.
5. There is a change in interests, a sudden interest in some unusual things appears: for example, a person goes deeper into religion, he develops an interest in magic, etc.
6. A person’s experiences and changes in perception become more intense, so a color or sound may be perceived intensified or distorted, a feeling of being watched and a feeling that everything around has changed may also arise.
It should be noted that regardless of the cause of psychosis, all its symptoms are similar to each other. A mentally upset person is easily distinguished from a normal person. He can perform various unpredictable actions that defy any explanation; the movements of a sick person become unnatural and are often not controlled even by him.
Symptoms of psychosis also include overexcitement of a person during the commission of any specific action or inaction (symptoms of manic psychosis), as well as mood swings, which are characterized by the duration of stay in a particular state (depressive psychosis).
In addition, his speech can tell a lot about the state of a mentally ill person - as a rule, the patient’s phrases are not connected with each other and do not make sense, he is delusional, talking to some invisible people (delusional, hallucinogenic, acute psychosis). Or the patient gives incoherent answers to questions, often speaks in the third person or refers to himself (schizophrenia). Another symptom of psychosis is hallucinations, which can cause a mentally upset person to behave inappropriately and provoke personality disorganization. That is, a person ceases to identify himself as a person and can introduce himself as some object or creature, for example, a cat or a tree.
A mentally ill person is not able to comprehend what is happening, and also cannot appreciate how much his psyche has changed. Often, due to their depressed state, patients do not want to accept medical help and completely refuse hospitalization.

Diagnosis of psychosis
As a rule, the diagnosis of psychosis includes a psychiatric examination of the patient, as well as the use of other neurological research methods, which are carried out according to indications.

Treatment of psychosis
How to cure psychosis? How to get rid of psychosis?
The most important thing in the treatment of psychosis is to eliminate the cause of the disease or psychogenic situation. I must say that affective shock reaction person to a psychogenic situation, as a rule, in medical care doesn't need it. Whereas in other forms of this disease the patient must be hospitalized in order to prevent unconscious harm to himself or others. Medical assistance the patient must be provided taking into account a correctly established diagnosis; before treatment, psychopathological symptoms must be identified, the individual characteristics of the patient’s personality must be taken into account, and the severity of the patient’s condition must be determined.
Treatment for psychosis usually involves giving the patient:
1) Drug therapy. In this case, psychotropic drugs are used in the treatment of psychosis, in most cases antipsychotics; tranquilizers, antidepressants and restorative drugs are also sometimes used. Nowadays there are many medicines, capable of selectively acting on certain types and psychosis groups. So, for example, if psychosis is a consequence of intoxication, then drugs are used to help cleanse the body.
Medications for psychosis, medications for psychosis should be prescribed only by a specialist, and for each patient individually. When prescribing medications for psychosis, it is necessary to take into account the age of the patient, the cause of psychosis, as well as the presence of other diseases and, of course, contraindications. In case of a state of excitement, the patient is given tranquilizers by injection (Seduxen) and antipsychotics (Triftazine and Aminazine). Delusional ideas in psychosis can also be stopped with the help of antipsychotics (Etaperazine, Stelazine, Haloperidol). And reactive depression is treated by taking antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Pyrazidol, Gerfonal). It should be noted that drug therapy for psychosis should be dynamic in nature - depend on the stage of the disease, as well as on changes in the patient’s condition.
2) Psychological rehabilitation. Efficiency drug therapy for psychosis, psychological rehabilitation can improve. In this case, during treatment, the main task of the psychiatrist is to find contact with the patient, to instill in him the idea of ​​his speedy recovery and explain to the patient that the medications will not cause any harm to his body. At the same time, the patient must be guaranteed the anonymity of his treatment. A good result in the treatment of psychosis is achieved by comprehensive treatment: medications in combination with psychological rehabilitation. The rehabilitation course also includes training sessions, during which the patient is taught to react differently to the world around him and develop new forms of behavior in life. After rehabilitation, a person suffering from psychosis should feel equal in society, he should go to stores, take care of his own hygiene, etc. With the help of psychotherapy, people who experience feelings of inferiority due to mental illness, as well as those who deny the presence of the disease, feel much better about themselves than before.
3) Physiotherapeutic methods. Treatment of psychosis may also include various physiotherapeutic procedures, such as electrosleep, physical therapy for psychosis, spa treatment, acupuncture, occupational therapy and others. Thanks to physiotherapy for psychosis, emotional stress and fatigue are relieved, performance is increased and metabolism is significantly improved.
4) Electroconvulsive therapy. This method of treating psychosis consists in artificially inducing convulsive seizures in the patient by exposure to alternating electric current. The effect of this method is the direct effect of current on the subcortical centers of the brain and metabolic processes in the patient's nervous system.

Traditional treatment of psychosis
Traditional medicine also plays an important role in the treatment of psychosis. There are many recipes that help in the treatment of this disease.
1) To get rid of psychosis, you can use the herb or leaves of lemon balm, from which a decoction is prepared at the rate of 10 g of dry raw material per 500 ml of boiling water. Then the broth should be left in a tightly sealed container for 2 hours and strained. Take 2/3 cup 3 times a day.
In cases of severe nervous excitement, you can prepare an infusion - 1 tablespoon of raw material per glass of boiling water. Leave for 1 hour. Drink 1 glass 2-3 times a day.
2) You can cure psychosis if you use a decoction of marsh cudweed. To do this, you need to take 3 tablespoons of marsh grass per 500 ml of boiling water. Then leave for 1 hour and strain. Take 1 glass three times a day.
3) Oregano infusion, which is prepared at the rate of 6 tablespoons per 1 liter of boiling water, will help fight psychosis. You should drink this infusion instead of tea with honey, 1 glass 2-3 times a day.
4) How to deal with psychosis at home? In this case, valerian officinalis can help. You need to infuse 10 g of dry valerian root in 300 ml of boiled water for 8 hours. Then bring to a boil, cool for an hour and strain. Drink 1 tablespoon three times a day.
5) Valerian root baths can help overcome psychosis. For this purpose in 10 l warm water you need to pour 300 ml of a strong decoction of dry valerian root. The decoction is prepared as follows: 20 g of crushed valerian root should be boiled in 500 ml of water over low heat for 15 minutes, then strain and pour into the bath.
6) A good remedy for psychosis is sage. You need to take 3 tablespoons of flowers, pour 500 ml of boiling water. Leave for 1 hour in a tightly sealed container, then strain. Drink 150 ml three times a day before meals.
7) To remove psychosis, you can do the following: prepare a collection that includes hawthorn fruits - 3 parts, hawthorn flowers - 2 parts, valerian root - 3 parts, St. John's wort (herb) - 3 parts, yarrow (herb) - 3 parts. Then brew 1 tablespoon of the crushed mixture with 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 5 hours and strain. Take 1/4 cup 3-4 times a day half an hour before meals.
8) What can help with psychosis? Hop cones can help. You need to take 1 tablespoon of crushed cones, pour 1 glass of boiling water over them, then leave for 1 hour and strain. Take 2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day.
9) You can reduce psychosis with the help of azure cyanosis. To do this, you need to pour 2 tablespoons of crushed rhizomes of azure blue into 2 ml of boiling water. Leave for 2-3 hours and then strain. Take 2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day.Forward >

Psychosis– a mental illness in which a person cannot adequately perceive the surrounding reality and respond to it appropriately. Psychoses are very diverse in their manifestations. They accompany many diseases, such as schizophrenia, senile dementia, " delirium tremens"or may be an independent pathology.

So what is psychosis?

This is a mental disorder in which reality is so distorted in a person’s mind that this “picture” no longer has anything in common with what other people see. What prevents a person from being objective is constant fear for his life, voices in his head that order him to do something, visions that are no longer available to anyone... These internal prisms change the patient’s behavior. His reactions become completely inadequate: causeless laughter or tears, anxiety or euphoria. Psychosis manifests itself differently in all patients. Some are confident that the special services are hunting for them, others assure others of their superpowers, and still others persistently pursue the object of their love, groundlessly laying claim to it. It is impossible to list all the manifestations of psychosis, but psychiatrists managed to systematize them by combining them into groups.

Psychosis is not just a wrong train of thought. There is no need to think that the sick person is mistaken or cannot keep his nerves under control. There is no point in arguing, much less condemning him. Psychosis is the same disease as diabetes. This is also a metabolic disorder, but only in the brain. You are not afraid of diabetics, you do not judge them for their disease. You sympathize with them. Patients with neurosis deserve the same treatment. By the way, scientists have proven that mentally healthy people commit crimes more often than people with psychosis.

You shouldn't put a mark on a person. Psychosis is not a life sentence. It happens that after a period of illness, which can be quite severe, the psyche is completely restored and problems never arise again. But more often the disease is cyclical. In this case, after a long period of health, an exacerbation occurs: hallucinations appear, crazy ideas. This happens if you do not strictly follow the recommendations of your doctor. In severe cases, the disease becomes chronic, and mental health does not return.

Psychosis is a fairly common problem. According to statistics, 15% of patients in mental hospitals are patients with psychosis. And 3-5% of the total population suffer from psychosis caused by various diseases: asthma, cerebral atherosclerosis, etc. But there are still thousands of people whose psychosis is associated with external causes - taking drugs, alcohol, medications. To date, doctors cannot calculate the exact number of patients with psychosis.

Psychosis affects both children and adults, men and women. But some forms of the disease predominantly affect women. Thus, women suffer from manic-depressive syndrome 3-4 times more often. Psychoses most often occur during menstruation, menopause and after childbirth. This suggests that mental illness is associated with fluctuations in hormone levels in the female body.

If you or someone close to you is showing signs of psychosis, do not despair. Modern medicine successfully copes with this disease. And the infamous “registration” was replaced by a consultation with a local psychiatrist - advisory and therapeutic assistance. Therefore, the fact of treatment will not ruin your future life. But attempts to cope with the disease on your own can lead to irreparable changes in the psyche and disability.

Causes of psychosis

The mechanism of psychosis. Psychosis is based on dysfunction of brain cells (neurons). Inside the cell there are components - mitochondria, which ensure cellular respiration and give it energy for activity in the form of ATP molecules. These compounds act as an electrical current for a special sodium-potassium pump. It pumps into the neuron what is necessary for its operation. chemical elements: potassium, sodium, calcium.

If the mitochondria do not produce ATP, the pump does not work. As a result, the vital activity of the cell is disrupted. This neuron remains “hungry” and experiences oxygen deficiency, despite the fact that the person eats normally and has enough time to eat. fresh air.

Neurons in which the chemical balance is disturbed cannot form and transmit nerve impulses. They disrupt the functioning of the entire central nervous system, leading to the development of psychosis. Depending on which parts of the brain are more affected, the manifestations of the disease depend. For example, lesions in the subcortical emotional centers lead to manic-depressive psychosis.

Factors and pathologies that lead to psychosis

1. Bad heredity.

   There is a group of genes that are passed on from parents to children. These genes control the brain's sensitivity to external influences and signaling substances. For example, the neurotransmitter dopamine, which causes feelings of pleasure. People with a family history are more susceptible to the influence of negative factors than others, be it illness or psychological trauma. Their psychosis develops at an early age, quickly and in severe form.

   If both parents are sick, the child has a 50% chance of developing psychosis. If only one of the parents is sick, then the risk for the child is 25%. If the parents did not suffer from psychosis, then their children may also face the same problem, having received “defective genes” from previous generations.

2. Brain injuries:
   • injuries received by the child during childbirth;
   • bruises and concussions;
   • closed and open craniocerebral injuries.
   Mental distress may occur hours or weeks after the injury. There is a pattern: the more severe the injury, the stronger the manifestations of psychosis. Traumatic psychosis is associated with increased intracranial pressure and has a cyclical nature - periods of manifestation of psychosis are replaced by periods of mental health. When blood pressure rises, the symptoms of psychosis worsen. When the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid improves, relief comes.
3. Brain intoxication can be caused by various substances.
4. Nervous system diseases: multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, temporal lobe epilepsy. These brain diseases cause damage to nerve cell bodies or their processes. The death of cells in the cortex and deeper structures of the brain causes swelling of the surrounding tissue. As a result, the functions for which the damaged areas of the brain are responsible are disrupted.
5. Infectious diseases: influenza, mumps (mumps), malaria, leprosy, Lyme disease. Living and dead microorganisms release toxins that poison nerve cells and cause their death. Brain intoxication negatively affects a person’s emotions and thinking.
6. Brain tumors. Cysts, benign and malignant tumors compress the surrounding brain tissue, disrupt blood circulation, and the transmission of excitation from one brain structure to another. Nerve impulses are the basis of emotions and thinking. Therefore, a violation of the signal transmission manifests itself in the form of psychosis.
7. Bronchial asthma. Severe asthma attacks are accompanied by panic attacks and oxygen starvation of the brain. Lack of oxygen for 4-5 minutes causes the death of nerve cells, and stress disrupts the smooth functioning of the brain, leading to psychosis.
8. Diseases accompanied by severe pain: ulcerative colitis, sarcoidosis, myocardial infarction. Pain is stress and anxiety. Therefore, physical suffering always has a negative impact on emotions and psyche.
9. Systemic diseases associated with impaired immunity: systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatism. Nervous tissue suffers from toxins secreted by microorganisms, from damage to cerebral vessels, and from an allergic reaction that occurs during systemic diseases. These violations lead to failure of higher nervous activity and psychosis.
10. Lack of vitamins B1 and B3 that affect the functioning of the nervous system. They are involved in the production of neurotransmitters, ATP molecules, normalize metabolism at the cellular level, and have a positive effect on a person’s emotional background and mental abilities. Vitamin deficiency makes nervous system more sensitive to external factors causing psychosis.
11. Electrolyte imbalance associated with a deficiency or excess of potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium. Such changes can be caused by persistent vomiting or diarrhea, when electrolytes are washed out of the body, long-term diets, and uncontrolled use of mineral supplements. As a result, the composition of the cytoplasm in nerve cells changes, which negatively affects their functions.
12. Hormonal disorders caused by abortion, childbirth, ovarian dysfunction, thyroid gland, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, adrenal glands. Long-term hormonal imbalances disrupt brain function. There is a direct relationship between the nervous system and the endocrine glands. Therefore, strong fluctuations in hormone levels can cause acute psychosis.
13. Mental trauma: severe stress, situations in which life was endangered, loss of a job, property or loved one and other events that radically change future life. Nervous exhaustion, overwork and lack of sleep also provoke mental disorders. These factors disrupt blood circulation, the transmission of nerve impulses between neurons, metabolic processes in the brain and lead to the appearance of psychosis.

Psychiatrists believe that psychosis does not occur at “one fine moment” after an experience. nervous shock. Every stressful situation undermines the brain and prepares the ground for the emergence of psychosis. Each time the person's reaction becomes a little stronger and more emotional, until psychosis develops.

Risk factors for psychosis

Age factor

Different psychoses manifest themselves at different periods of a person’s life. For example, in adolescence When a hormonal explosion occurs, the likelihood of schizophrenia is high.

Manic-depressive psychosis most often affects young, active people. At this age, fateful changes occur that place a heavy burden on the psyche. This means entering a university, finding a job, starting a family.

During maturity, syphilitic psychoses occur. Since changes in the psyche begin 10-15 years after infection with syphilis.

In old age, the appearance of psychosis is associated with menopause in women, age-related changes in blood vessels and nerve cells. Circulatory impairment and destruction nerve tissue leads to senile psychosis.

Gender factor

The number of men and women suffering from psychosis is approximately the same. But some types of psychosis may affect more than one sex. For example, manic-depressive (bipolar) psychosis develops 3 times more often in women than in men. And unipolar psychosis (attacks of depression without a period of excitement) has the same tendency: there are 2 times more female representatives among patients. This statistics is explained by the fact that female body more often experiences hormonal surges, which affect the functioning of the nervous system.

In men, psychosis due to chronic alcoholism, syphilitic and traumatic psychosis are more common. These “male” forms of psychosis are not related to hormone levels, but to social role, peculiarities of behavior of representatives of the stronger sex. But early cases of psychosis in Alzheimer's disease in men are associated with genetic characteristics.

Geographical factor

It is noticed that mental illness, including psychosis, more often affect residents major cities. And those who live in small towns and rural areas are at less risk. The fact is that life in big cities is fast paced and full of stress.

Illumination, average temperature and daylength have little effect on the prevalence of diseases. However, some scientists note that people born in the northern hemisphere during the winter months are more prone to psychosis. The mechanism of disease development in this case is not clear.

Social factor

Psychosis often appears in people who have failed to realize themselves socially:

• women who did not marry and did not give birth to a child;
• men who were unable to build a career or achieve success in society;
• people who are not happy with their social status, were unable to demonstrate their inclinations and abilities, and chose a profession that does not suit their interests.

In such a situation, a person is constantly pressed by a load of negative emotions, and this long-term stress depletes the safety margin of the nervous system.

Factor of psychophysiological constitution

Hippocrates described 4 types of temperament. He divided all people into melancholic, choleric, phlegmatic and sanguine. The first two types of temperament are considered unstable and therefore more prone to the development of psychosis.

Kretschmer identified the main types of psychophysiological constitution: schizoid, cycloid, epileptoid and hysteroid. Each of these types is equally is at risk of developing psychosis, but depending on the psychophysiological constitution, the manifestations will differ. For example, the cycloid type is prone to manic-depressive psychosis, and the hysteroid type more often than others develops hysteroid psychosis and has a high tendency to attempt suicide.

How psychosis manifests itself

The manifestations of psychosis are very diverse, since the disease causes disturbances in behavior, thinking, and emotions. It is especially important for patients and their relatives to know how the disease begins and what happens during an exacerbation in order to begin treatment in a timely manner. You may notice unusual behavior, refusal to eat, strange statements, or an overly emotional reaction to what is happening. The opposite situation also happens: a person ceases to be interested in the world around him, nothing touches him, he is indifferent to everything, does not show any emotions, moves and talks little.

Main manifestations of psychosis

Hallucinations. They can be auditory, visual, tactile, gustatory, olfactory. Most often, auditory hallucinations occur. The person thinks he hears voices. They can be in the head, come from the body, or come from outside. The voices are so real that the patient does not even doubt their authenticity. He perceives this phenomenon as a miracle or a gift from above. Voices can be threatening, accusing or commanding. The latter are considered the most dangerous, since a person almost always follows these orders.

You can guess that a person has hallucinations based on the following signs:

• He suddenly freezes and listens for something;
• Sudden silence mid-sentence;
• Conversation with oneself in the form of replicas to someone else’s phrases;
• Laughter or depression for no apparent reason;
• The person cannot concentrate on a conversation with you and is staring at something.

Affective or mood disorders. They are divided into depressive and manic.

1. Manifestations depressive disorders:
   • A person sits in one position for a long time; he has no desire or strength to move or communicate.
   • Pessimistic attitude, the patient is dissatisfied with his past, present, future and the entire environment.
   • To relieve anxiety, a person can eat constantly or, conversely, give up eating completely.
   • Sleep disturbances, early awakenings at 3-4 o'clock. It is at this time that mental suffering is most severe, which can lead to a suicide attempt.
2. Manifestations of manic disorders:
   • The person becomes extremely active, moves a lot, sometimes aimlessly.
   • Unprecedented sociability and verbosity appear, speech becomes fast, emotional, and may be accompanied by grimacing.
   • An optimistic attitude, a person does not see problems and obstacles.
   • The patient makes unrealistic plans and significantly overestimates his strength.
   • The need for sleep decreases, the person sleeps little, but feels alert and rested.
   • The patient may abuse alcohol and engage in promiscuous sex.

Crazy ideas.

Delusion is a thinking disorder that manifests itself in the form of ideas that do not correspond to reality. A distinctive feature of delusion is that you cannot convince a person using logical arguments. In addition, the patient always tells his delusional ideas very emotionally and is firmly convinced that he is right.

Distinctive signs and manifestations of delirium

• Delusion is very different from reality. Incomprehensible, mysterious statements appear in the patient’s speech. They may concern his guilt, doom, or, conversely, greatness.
• The patient's personality always takes center stage. For example, a person not only believes in aliens, but also claims that they arrived specifically to establish contact with him.
• Emotionality. A person talks about his ideas very emotionally and does not accept objections. He does not tolerate arguments about his idea and immediately becomes aggressive.
• Behavior is subordinated to a delusional idea. For example, he may refuse to eat, fearing that they want to poison him.
• Unreasonable defensive actions. A person curtains the windows, installs additional locks, and fears for his life. These are manifestations of delusions of persecution. A person is afraid of special services that monitor him with the help of innovative equipment, aliens, “black” magicians who send damage to him, acquaintances who weave conspiracies around him.
• Delusions related to one's own health (hypochondriacal). The person is convinced that he is seriously ill. He “feels” the symptoms of the disease and insists on numerous repeated examinations. He is angry with doctors who cannot find the cause of his poor health and do not confirm his diagnosis.
• Delirium of damage manifests itself in the belief that ill-wishers spoil or steal things, add poison to food, influence with radiation, or want to take away an apartment.
• Nonsense of invention. A person is confident that he has invented a unique device, a perpetual motion machine, or a method of combating dangerous disease. He fiercely defends his invention and persistently tries to bring it to life. Since patients are not mentally impaired, their ideas can sound quite convincing.
• Delirium of love and delirium of jealousy. A person concentrates on his emotions, pursues the object of his love. He comes up with reasons for jealousy, finds evidence of betrayal where there is none.
• Nonsense of litigiousness. The patient inundates various authorities and the police with complaints about his neighbors or organizations. Files numerous lawsuits.

Movement disorders. During periods of psychosis, two types of deviations occur.

1. Lethargy or stupor. A person freezes in one position and remains motionless for a long time (days or weeks). He refuses food and communication.


2. Motor excitement. Movements become fast, jerky, and often aimless. Facial expressions are very emotional, the conversation is accompanied by grimaces. Can mimic other people's speech and imitate animal sounds. Sometimes a person is unable to perform simple tasks because he loses control of his movements.

Personality characteristics always manifest themselves in symptoms of psychosis. The inclinations, interests, and fears that a healthy person has intensify during illness and become the main purpose of his existence. This fact has long been noticed by doctors and relatives of patients.

What to do if someone close to you has alarming symptoms?

If you notice such manifestations, then talk to the person. Find out what is bothering him and what is the reason for the changes in his behavior. In this case, it is necessary to show maximum tact, avoid reproaches and claims, and not raise your voice. One carelessly spoken word can cause a suicide attempt.

Convince the person to seek help from a psychiatrist. Explain that the doctor will prescribe medications that will help you calm down and make it easier to endure stressful situations.
Types of psychoses

The most common are manic and depressive psychoses - an apparently healthy person suddenly shows signs of depression or significant agitation. Such psychoses are called monopolar - the deviation occurs in one direction. In some cases, the patient may alternately show signs of manic and depressive psychosis. In this case, doctors talk about bipolar disorder - manic disorder. depressive psychosis.

Manic psychosis

Manic psychosis – severe mental disorder that causes three characteristic symptoms: elevated mood, accelerated thinking and speech, noticeable motor activity. Periods of excitement last from 3 months to one and a half years.

Depressive psychosis

Depressive psychosis is a disease of the brain, and psychological manifestations are outer side diseases. Depression begins slowly, unnoticed by the patient and those around him. As a rule, good, highly moral people fall into depression. They are tormented by a conscience that has grown to pathological proportions. Confidence appears: “I am bad. I don't do my job well, I haven't achieved anything. I'm bad at raising children. I'm a bad spouse. Everyone knows how bad I am and they talk about it.” Depressive psychosis lasts from 3 months to a year.

Depressive psychosis is the opposite of manic psychosis. He also has triad of characteristic symptoms

1. Pathologically low mood

   Thoughts are centered around your personality, your mistakes and your shortcomings. Concentrating on one’s own negative sides gives rise to the belief that everything was bad in the past, the present cannot please anyone, and in the future everything will be even worse than now. On this basis, a person with depressive psychosis can commit suicide.

   Since a person’s intellect is preserved, he can carefully hide his desire for suicide so that no one disturbs his plans. At the same time, he does not show his depressed state and assures that he is already better. It is not always possible to prevent a suicide attempt at home. Therefore, people with depression who are focused on self-destruction and their own low value are treated in a hospital.

   A sick person experiences causeless melancholy, it presses and oppresses. It is noteworthy that he can practically show with his finger where the concentrations are concentrated. discomfort, where “the soul hurts.” Therefore, this condition even received a name - pre-cardiac melancholy.

   Depression in psychosis has hallmark: The condition is worst early in the morning, but improves in the evening. The person explains this by saying that in the evening there are more worries, the whole family gathers and this distracts from sad thoughts. But with depression caused by neurosis, on the contrary, the mood worsens in the evening.

   It is characteristic that in the acute period of depressive psychosis, patients do not cry. They say they would like to cry, but there are no tears. Therefore, crying in this case is a sign of improvement. Both patients and their relatives should remember this.

2. Mental retardation

   Mental and metabolic processes in the brain proceed very slowly. This may be due to a lack of neurotransmitters: dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. These chemicals ensure proper signal transmission between brain cells.

   As a result of a deficiency of neurotransmitters, memory, reaction, and thinking deteriorate. A person gets tired quickly, doesn’t want to do anything, nothing interests him, doesn’t surprise or make him happy. You can often hear them say, “I envy other people. They can work, relax, have fun. It’s a pity that I can’t do that.”

   The patient always looks gloomy and sad. The gaze is dull, unblinking, the corners of the mouth are downcast, avoids communication, tries to retire. He reacts slowly to calls, answers in monosyllables, reluctantly, in a monotonous voice.

3. Physical inhibition

   Depressive psychosis physically changes a person. Appetite drops and the patient quickly loses weight. Therefore, weight gain during depression indicates that the patient is getting better.

   Human movements become extremely slow: slow unsure gait, hunched shoulders, lowered head. The patient feels a loss of strength. Any physical activity causes the condition to worsen.

   In severe forms of depressive psychosis, a person falls into a stupor. He can sit for a long time without moving, looking at one point. If you try to read notation at this time; “Get yourself together, pull yourself together,” then you will only make the situation worse. A person will have the thought: “I should, but I can’t - that means I’m bad, good for nothing.” He cannot overcome depressive psychosis through willpower, since the production of norepinephrine and serotonin does not depend on our desire. Therefore, the patient needs qualified help and drug treatment.

   There are a number of physical signs of depressive psychosis: daily mood swings, early awakenings, weight loss due to poor appetite, menstrual irregularities, dry mouth, constipation, and some people may develop insensitivity to pain. These signs indicate that you need to seek medical help.

   Basic rules for communicating with patients with psychosis

   1. Don't argue or talk back to people if you see signs of manic excitement in them. This can provoke an attack of anger and aggression. As a result, you can completely lose trust and turn the person against you.
   2. If the patient exhibits manic activity and aggression, remain calm, self-confident and friendly. Take him away, isolate him from other people, try to calm him down during the conversation.
   3. 80% of suicides are committed by patients with psychosis in the stage of depression. Therefore, be very attentive to your loved ones during this period. Don't leave them alone, especially in the morning. Pay special attention to signs warning of a suicide attempt: the patient talks about an overwhelming feeling of guilt, about voices ordering him to kill himself, about hopelessness and uselessness, about plans to end his life. Suicide is preceded by a sharp transition from depression to a bright, peaceful mood, putting things in order, and drawing up a will. Don't ignore these signs, even if you think it's just an attempt to attract attention.
   4. Hide all items that could be used for a suicide attempt: household chemicals, medicines, weapons, sharp objects.
   5. If possible, eliminate the traumatic situation. Create a calm environment. Try to ensure that the patient is surrounded by close people. Reassure him that he is safe now and that everything is over.
   6. If a person is delusional, do not ask clarifying questions, do not ask about details (What do aliens look like? How many are there?). This may make the situation worse. “Get hold of” any nonsense statement he makes. Develop the conversation in this direction. You can focus on the person's emotions by asking, “I can see you're upset. How can I help you?
   7. If there are signs that the person has experienced hallucinations, then calmly and confidently ask him what just happened. If he saw or heard something unusual, find out what he thinks and feels about it. To cope with hallucinations, you can listen to loud music on headphones or do something exciting.
   8. If necessary, you can firmly remind about the rules of behavior and ask the patient not to scream. But you shouldn’t make fun of him, argue about hallucinations, or say that it’s impossible to hear voices.
   9. You should not turn to traditional healers and psychics for help. Psychoses are very diverse, and for effective treatment it is necessary to accurately determine the cause of the disease. To do this, it is necessary to use high-tech diagnostic methods. If you lose time for treatment unconventional methods, then acute psychosis will develop. In this case, it will take several times longer to fight the disease, and in the future it will be necessary to constantly take medications.
   10. If you see that a person is relatively calm and in the mood to communicate, try to convince him to see a doctor. Explain that all the symptoms of the disease that bother him can be eliminated with the help of medications prescribed by the doctor.
   11. If your relative flatly refuses to see a psychiatrist, persuade him to see a psychologist or psychotherapist to combat depression. These specialists will help convince the patient that there is nothing wrong with a visit to a psychiatrist.
   12. The most difficult step for loved ones is calling an emergency team psychiatric care. But this must be done if a person directly declares his intention to commit suicide, may injure himself or cause harm to other people.

   Psychological treatments for psychosis

   In psychosis, psychological methods successfully complement drug treatment. A psychotherapist can help a patient:
   • reduce symptoms of psychosis;
   • avoid recurrent attacks;
   • increase self-esteem;
   • learn to adequately perceive the surrounding reality, correctly assess the situation, your condition and react accordingly, correct behavioral errors;
   • eliminate the causes of psychosis;
   • increase the effectiveness of drug treatment.
   Remember, psychological methods of treating psychosis are used only after the acute symptoms of psychosis have been relieved.

   Psychotherapy eliminates personality disorders that occurred during the period of psychosis, puts thoughts and ideas in order. Working with a psychologist and psychotherapist makes it possible to influence future events and prevent a relapse of the disease.

   Psychological treatment methods are aimed at restoring mental health and socializing a person after recovery to help him feel comfortable in his family, work team and society. This treatment is called psychosocialization.

   Psychological methods that are used to treat psychosis are divided into individual and group. During individual sessions, the psychotherapist replaces the personal core lost during illness. It becomes an external support for the patient, calms him down and helps him correctly assess reality and respond adequately to it.

   Group therapy helps you feel like a member of society. A group of people struggling with psychosis is led by a specially trained person who has managed to successfully cope with this problem. This gives patients hope for recovery, helps them overcome awkwardness and return to normal life.

   Hypnosis, analytical and suggestive (from the Latin Suggestio - suggestion) methods are not used in the treatment of psychosis. When working with altered consciousness, they can lead to further mental disorders.

   Good results in the treatment of psychosis are given by: psychoeducation, addiction therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, psychoanalysis, family therapy, occupational therapy, art therapy, as well as psychosocial trainings: social competence training, metacognitive training.

   Psychoeducation– this is the education of the patient and his family members. The psychotherapist talks about psychosis, the characteristics of this disease, the conditions for recovery, motivates to take medications and lead healthy image life. Tells relatives how to behave correctly with the patient. If you disagree with something or have questions, be sure to ask them in the time designated for discussion. It is very important for the success of treatment that you have no doubts.

   Classes take place 1-2 times a week. If you visit them regularly, you will develop the right attitude towards the disease and drug treatment. Statistics say that thanks to such conversations, it is possible to reduce the risk of repeated episodes of psychosis by 60-80%.

   Addiction therapy necessary for those people who have developed psychosis against the background of alcoholism and drug addiction. Such patients always have an internal conflict. On the one hand, they understand that they should not use drugs, but on the other hand, there is a strong desire to return to bad habits.

   Classes are conducted in the form of individual conversation. A psychotherapist talks about the connection between drug use and psychosis. He will tell you how to behave to reduce temptation. Addiction therapy helps to create strong motivation to abstain from bad habits.

   Cognitive (behavioral) therapy. Cognitive therapy is recognized as one of the best methods of treating psychosis accompanied by depression. The method is based on the fact that erroneous thoughts and fantasies (cognitions) interfere with the normal perception of reality. During the sessions, the doctor will identify these incorrect judgments and the emotions associated with them. It will teach you to be critical of them and not let these thoughts influence your behavior, and will tell you how to look for alternative ways to solve the problem.

   To achieve this goal, the Negative Thought Protocol is used. It contains the following columns: negative thoughts, the situation in which they arose, emotions associated with them, facts for and against these thoughts. The course of treatment consists of 15-25 individual sessions and lasts 4-12 months.

   Psychoanalysis. Although this technique is not used to treat schizophrenia and affective (emotional) psychoses, its modern “supportive” version is effectively used to treat other forms of the disease. At individual meetings, the patient reveals his inner world to the psychoanalyst and transfers to him feelings directed at other people. During the conversation, the specialist identifies the reasons that led to the development of psychosis (conflicts, psychological trauma) and the defense mechanisms that a person uses to protect himself from similar situations. The treatment process takes 3-5 years.

   Family therapy – group therapy, during which a specialist conducts sessions with family members where the person with psychosis lives. Therapy is aimed at eliminating conflicts in the family, which can cause exacerbations of the disease. The doctor will talk about the peculiarities of the course of psychosis and the correct models of behavior in crisis situations. Therapy is aimed at preventing relapses and ensuring that all family members can live comfortably together.

   Occupational therapy. This type of therapy most often occurs in a group setting. The patient is recommended to attend special classes where he can engage in various activities: cooking, gardening, working with wood, textiles, clay, reading, composing poetry, listening and writing music. Such activities train memory, patience, concentration, develop creative abilities, help open up, and establish contact with other members of the group.

   Specific setting of goals and achievement of simple goals gives the patient confidence that he again becomes the master of his life.

   Art therapy – art therapy method based on psychoanalysis. This is a “no words” treatment method that activates self-healing capabilities. The patient creates a picture that expresses his feelings, an image of his inner world. Then a specialist studies it from the point of view of psychoanalysis.
   
   Social competence training. A group lesson in which people learn and practice new forms of behavior so that they can then apply them in everyday life. For example, how to behave when meeting new people, when applying for a job, or in conflict situations. In subsequent classes, it is customary to discuss the problems that people encountered when implementing them in real situations.

   Metacognitive training. Group training sessions that are aimed at correcting thinking errors that lead to delusions: distorted attribution of judgments to people (he doesn’t love me), hasty conclusions (if he doesn’t love me, he wants me dead), depressive way of thinking, inability to empathize , feeling other people's emotions, painful confidence in memory impairment. The training consists of 8 lessons and lasts 4 weeks. At each module, the trainer analyzes thinking errors and helps to form new patterns of thoughts and behavior.

   Psychotherapy is widely used for all forms of psychosis. It can help people of all ages, but is especially important for teenagers. At a time when life attitudes and behavioral stereotypes are just being formed, psychotherapy can radically change life for the better.

   Drug treatment of psychosis

   Drug treatment psychosis – prerequisite recovery. Without it, it will not be possible to get out of the trap of the disease, and the condition will only get worse.

   There is no single regimen for drug therapy for psychosis. The doctor prescribes drugs strictly individually, based on the manifestations of the disease and the characteristics of its course, gender and age of the patient. During treatment, the doctor monitors the patient’s condition and, if necessary, increases or decreases the dose in order to achieve a positive effect and not cause side effects.

   Treatment of manic psychosis

   Group of drugs	Mechanism of treated action	Representatives	How is it prescribed?
   Antipsychotic drugs (neuroleptics)	Used for all forms of psychosis. Block dopamine-sensitive receptors. This substance is a neurotransmitter that promotes the transfer of excitation between brain cells. Thanks to the action of neuroleptics, it is possible to reduce the severity of delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders.	Solian (effective for negative disorders: lack of emotions, withdrawal from communication)	In the acute period, 400-800 mg/day is prescribed, up to a maximum of 1200 mg/day. Take regardless of meals. Maintenance dose 50-300 mg/day.
   		Zeldox	40-80 mg 2 times a day. The dose is increased over 3 days. The drug is prescribed orally after meals.
   		Fluanxol	The daily dose is 40-150 mg/day, divided into 4 times. The tablets are taken after meals. The drug is also available in the form of an injection solution, which is given once every 2-4 weeks.
   Benzodiazepines	Prescribed for acute manifestations of psychosis together with antipsychotic drugs. Reduces the excitability of nerve cells, has a calming and anticonvulsant effect, relax muscles, eliminate insomnia, reduce anxiety.	Oxazepam	Take 5-10 mg twice or three times a day. If necessary, the daily dose can be increased to 60 mg. The drug is taken regardless of food, washed down with a sufficient amount of water. Duration of treatment is 2-4 weeks.
   		Zopiclone	Take 7.5-15 mg 1 time per day half an hour before bedtime, if psychosis is accompanied by insomnia.
   Mood stabilizers (mood stabilizers)	They normalize mood, preventing the onset of manic phases, and make it possible to control emotions.	Actinerval (a derivative of carbamazepine and valproic acid)	The first week, the daily dose is 200–400 mg, divided into 3-4 times. Every 7 days, the dose is increased by 200 mg, bringing it to 1 g. The drug is also discontinued gradually so as not to cause a worsening of the condition.
   		Contemnol (contains lithium carbonate)	Take 1 g per day once in the morning after breakfast, with a sufficient amount of water or milk.
   Anticholinergic drugs (cholinergic blockers)	Necessary to neutralize side effects after taking antipsychotics. Regulates the sensitivity of nerve cells in the brain by blocking the action of the mediator acetylcholine, which ensures the transmission of nerve impulses between cells of the parasympathetic nervous system.	Cyclodol, (Parkopan)	The initial dose is 0.5-1 mg/day. If necessary, it can be gradually increased to 20 mg/day. Frequency of administration: 3-5 times a day, after meals.

   Treatment of depressive psychosis

   Group of drugs	Mechanism of treated action	Representatives	How is it prescribed?
   Antipsychotic drugs	Makes brain cells less sensitive to excess amounts of dopamine, a substance that promotes signal transmission in the brain. The drugs normalize thinking processes, eliminate hallucinations and delusions.	Quentiax	During the first four days of treatment, the dose is increased from 50 to 300 mg. In the future, the daily dose can range from 150 to 750 mg/day. The drug is taken 2 times a day, regardless of meals.
   		Eglonil	Tablets and capsules are taken 1-3 times a day, regardless of meals. Daily dose from 50 to 150 mg for 4 weeks. It is not advisable to use the drug after 16 hours so as not to cause insomnia.
   		Rispolept Konsta	A suspension is prepared from microgranules and the included solvent, which is injected into the gluteal muscle once every 2 weeks.
   		Risperidone	The initial dose is 1 mg 2 times a day. Tablets of 1-2 mg are taken 1-2 times a day.
   Benzodiazepines	Prescribed for acute manifestations of depression and severe anxiety. The drugs reduce the excitability of the subcortical structures of the brain, relax muscles, relieve fear, and calm the nervous system.	Phenazepam	Take 0.25-0.5 mg 2-3 times a day. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 0.01 g. Prescribed in short courses so as not to cause dependence. After improvement occurs, the dosage is gradually reduced.
   		Lorazepam	Take 1 mg 2-3 times a day. At severe depression the dose can be gradually increased to 4-6 mg/day. The drug is discontinued gradually due to the risk of seizures.
   Normotimics	Medicines designed to normalize mood and prevent periods of depression.	Lithium carbonate	Take orally 3-4 times a day. The initial dose is 0.6-0.9 g/day, gradually the amount of the drug is increased to 1.5-2.1 g. The medicine is taken after meals to reduce the irritant effect on the gastric mucosa.
   Antidepressants	Remedies to combat depression. Modern 3rd generation antidepressants reduce the uptake of serotonin by neurons and thereby increase the concentration of this neurotransmitter. They improve mood, relieve anxiety, melancholy, and fear.	Sertraline	Take 50 mg orally, 1 time per day after breakfast or dinner. If there is no effect, the doctor may gradually increase the dose to 200 mg/day.
   		Paroxetine	Take 20-40 mg/day in the morning with breakfast. Swallow the tablet without chewing and wash it down with water.
   Anticholinergic drugs	Medicines that help eliminate the side effects of taking antipsychotics. Slowness of movements, muscle stiffness, trembling, impaired thinking, increased or absent emotions.	Akineton	2.5-5 mg of the drug is administered intravenously or intramuscularly. In tablets, the initial dose is 1 mg 1-2 times a day, gradually the amount of the drug is increased to 3-16 mg/day. The dose is divided into 3 doses. Tablets are taken during or after meals with liquid.

   
   Let us remember that any independent change in dose can have very serious consequences. Reducing the dosage or stopping taking medications causes an exacerbation of psychosis. Increasing the dose increases the risk of side effects and addiction.

   Prevention of psychosis

   What needs to be done to prevent another attack of psychosis?

   Unfortunately, people who have experienced psychosis are at risk of experiencing a relapse of the disease. A repeated episode of psychosis is a difficult ordeal for both the patient and his relatives. But you can reduce your risk of relapse by 80% if you take the medications prescribed by your doctor.

   • Drug therapy – main point prevention of psychosis. If you have difficulty taking your medications on a daily basis, talk to your doctor about switching to a depot form of your antipsychotic medications. In this case, it will be possible to give 1 injection every 2-4 weeks.

     It has been proven that after the first case of psychosis, it is necessary to use drugs for one year. For manic manifestations of psychosis, lithium salts and Finlepsin are prescribed at 600-1200 mg per day. And for depressive psychosis, Carbamazepine is needed at 600-1200 mg per day.

   • Regularly attend individual and group psychotherapy sessions. They will increase your self-confidence and motivation to get better. In addition, the psychotherapist can notice signs of an approaching exacerbation in time, which will help adjust the dosage of medications and prevent a recurrence of the attack.
   • Follow a daily routine. Train yourself to get up and take food and medications at the same time every day. A daily schedule can help with this. Plan tomorrow in the evening. Add all necessary things to the list. Mark which ones are important and which ones are unimportant. Such planning will help you not to forget anything, get everything done and be less nervous. When planning, set realistic goals.
   
   
   • Communicate more. You will feel comfortable among people who have overcome psychosis. Communicate in self-help groups or specialized forums.
   • Exercise daily. Running, swimming, cycling are suitable. It’s very good if you do this in a group of like-minded people, then the classes will bring both benefit and pleasure.
   • Make a list of early symptoms of an approaching crisis, the appearance of which must be reported to the attending physician. Pay attention to these signals:
     1. Behavior Changes: frequent exits from home, listening to music for a long time, unreasonable laughter, illogical statements, excessive philosophizing, conversations with people with whom you usually do not want to communicate, fussy movements, squandering, adventurism.
     2. Mood changes: irritability, tearfulness, aggressiveness, anxiety, fear.
     3. Changes in health: sleep disturbance, lack or increased appetite, increased sweating, weakness, weight loss.
     What not to do?
     • Don't drink a lot of coffee. It can have a strong stimulating effect on the nervous system. Avoid alcohol and drugs. They have a bad effect on brain function, cause mental and motor agitation, and attacks of aggression.
     • Don't overwork yourself. Physical and mental exhaustion can cause severe confusion, inconsistent thinking, and increased responsiveness to external stimuli. These deviations are associated with impaired absorption of oxygen and glucose by nerve cells.
     • Do not take a steam bath, try to avoid overheating. An increase in body temperature often leads to delirium, which is explained by an increase in the activity of electrical potentials in the brain, an increase in their frequency and amplitude.
     • Don't conflict. Try to resolve conflicts constructively to avoid stress. Severe mental stress can become a trigger for a new crisis.
     • Don't refuse treatment. During periods of exacerbation, the temptation to refuse to take medications and visit a doctor is especially great. Do not do this, otherwise the disease will become acute and require hospital treatment.

     
     

     What is postpartum psychosis?

     Postpartum psychosis Quite a rare mental illness. It develops in 1-2 women giving birth out of 1000. Signs of psychosis most often appear during the first 4-6 weeks after birth. Unlike postpartum depression, this mental disorder is characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and desires to harm oneself or the baby.

     Manifestations of postpartum psychosis.

     The first signs of the disease are sudden mood swings, anxiety, severe restlessness, unfounded fears. Subsequently, delusions and hallucinations appear. A woman may claim that the child is not hers, that he is stillborn or crippled. Sometimes a young mother develops paranoia, she stops going for walks and does not allow anyone near the child. In some cases, the disease is accompanied by delusions of grandeur, when a woman is confident in her superpowers. She may hear voices telling her to kill herself or her child.

     According to statistics, 5% of women in a state of postpartum psychosis kill themselves, and 4% kill their child. Therefore, it is very important for relatives not to ignore the signs of the disease, but to consult a psychiatrist in a timely manner.

     Causes of postpartum psychosis.

     Mental disorders can be caused by difficult childbirth, unwanted pregnancy, conflict with her husband, fear that her husband will love the child more than her. Psychologists believe that psychosis can be caused by a conflict between a woman and her mother. It can also cause brain damage due to injury or infection. A sharp decrease in the level of the female hormone estrogen, as well as endorphins, thyroid hormone and cortisol, can affect the development of psychosis.

     In approximately half of cases, postpartum psychosis develops in patients with schizophrenia or manic-depressive syndrome.

     Treatment of postpartum psychosis.

     Treatment must be started as soon as possible because the woman’s condition is rapidly deteriorating. If there is a risk of suicide, the woman will be treated in a psychiatric department. While she is taking medications, the baby cannot be breastfed, since most drugs penetrate into the mother's milk. But communication with the child will be useful. Taking care of the baby (provided that the woman herself wants it) helps to normalize the state of the psyche.

     If a woman is severely depressed, antidepressants are prescribed. Amitriptyline, Pirlindol are indicated if anxiety and fear predominate. Citalopram and Paroxetine have a stimulating effect. They will help in cases where psychosis is accompanied by stupor - the woman sits motionless and refuses to communicate.

     For mental and motor agitation and manifestations of manic syndrome, lithium preparations (Lithium Carbonate, Micalit) and antipsychotics(Clozapine, Olanzapine).

     Psychotherapy for postpartum psychosis applies only after elimination acute manifestations. It is aimed at identifying and resolving conflicts that led to mental disorders.

     What is reactive psychosis?

     Reactive psychosis or psychogenic shock - a mental disorder that occurs after severe psychological trauma. This form of the disease has three characteristics that distinguish it from other psychoses (Jaspers triad):
     1. Psychosis begins after a severe emotional shock that is very significant for this person.
     2. Reactive psychosis is reversible. The more time has passed since the injury, the weaker the symptoms. In most cases, recovery occurs after about a year.
     3. Painful experiences and manifestations of psychosis depend on the nature of the trauma. There is a psychologically understandable connection between them.
     Causes of reactive psychosis.

     Mental disorders occur after a strong shock: a disaster, attack by criminals, fire, collapse of plans, career failure, divorce, illness or death of a loved one. In some cases, psychosis can also be triggered by positive events that cause an outburst of emotions.

     Emotionally unstable people, those who have suffered a bruise or concussion, severe infectious diseases whose brain has been damaged by alcohol or drug intoxication. As well as teenagers going through puberty and women going through menopause.

     Manifestations of reactive psychosis.

     Symptoms of psychosis depend on the nature of the injury and the form of the disease. The following forms of reactive psychosis are distinguished:

     • psychogenic depression;
     • psychogenic paranoid;
     • hysterical psychosis;
     • psychogenic stupor.
     Psychogenic depression manifests itself as tearfulness and depression. At the same time, these symptoms may be accompanied by short temper and grumpiness. This form is characterized by the desire to arouse pity and draw attention to one’s problem. Which could end in a demonstrative suicide attempt.

     Psychogenic paranoid accompanied by delirium auditory hallucinations and motor excitement. The patient feels that he is being persecuted, he fears for his life, is afraid of exposure and is fighting with imaginary enemies. Symptoms depend on the nature of the stressful situation. The person is very excited and commits rash acts. This form of reactive psychosis often occurs on the road, as a result of lack of sleep and alcohol consumption.

     Hysterical psychosis has several forms.

     1. Delusional fantasies – delusional ideas that relate to greatness, wealth, persecution. The patient tells them very theatrically and emotionally. Unlike delusion, a person is not sure of his words, and the essence of the statements changes depending on the situation.
     2. Ganser syndrome patients do not know who they are, where they are, or what year it is. They answer incorrectly simple questions. They perform illogical actions (eating soup with a fork).
     3. Pseudo-dementia – short-term loss of all knowledge and skills. A person cannot answer the simplest questions, show where his ear is, or count his fingers. He is capricious, grimaces, and cannot sit still.
     4. Puerilism syndrome – an adult develops childish speech, childish emotions, and childish movements. It may develop initially or as a complication of pseudodementia.
     5. The "feral" syndrome – human behavior resembles the habits of an animal. Speech gives way to a growl, the patient does not recognize clothes and cutlery, and moves on all fours. This condition, if unfavorable, can replace puerilism.
     Psychogenic stupor– after a traumatic situation, a person loses the ability to move, speak and react to others for some time. The patient may lie in the same position for weeks until he is turned over.

     Treatment of reactive psychosis.

     The most important stage in the treatment of reactive psychosis is the elimination of the traumatic situation. If you manage to do this, then there is a high probability of a quick recovery.
     Drug treatment reactive psychosis depends on the severity of manifestations and characteristics of the psychological state.

     At reactive depression antidepressants are prescribed: Imipramine 150-300 mg per day or Sertraline 50-100 mg once a day after breakfast. Therapy is supplemented with tranquilizers Sibazon 5-15 mg/day or Phenazepam 1-3 mg/day.

     Psychogenic paranoid treated with antipsychotics: Triftazin or Haloperidol 5-15 mg/day.
     For hysterical psychosis, it is necessary to take tranquilizers (Diazepam 5-15 mg/day, Mezapam 20-40 mg/day) and antipsychotics (Alimemazine 40-60 mg/day or Neuleptil 30-40 mg/day).
     Psychostimulants, for example Sidnocarb 30-40 mg/day or Ritalin 10-30 mg/day, can bring a person out of a psychogenic stupor.

     Psychotherapy can free a person from excessive fixation on a traumatic situation and develop defense mechanisms. However, it is possible to begin consultations with a psychotherapist only after the acute phase of psychosis has passed and the person has regained the ability to accept the specialist’s arguments.

     Remember – psychosis is curable! Self-discipline, regular medication, psychotherapy and help from loved ones guarantee the return of mental health.

   Under definition psychoses there are pronounced manifestations of mental disorders, in which the sick person’s perception and understanding of the world around him is distorted; are violated behavioral reactions; Various pathological syndromes and symptoms appear. Unfortunately, psychotic disorders are a common type of pathology. Statistical research show that the incidence of psychotic disorders is up to 5% of the general population.

   A person may develop a transient psychotic state caused by taking certain medications or drugs; or caused by exposure to severe mental trauma ( "reactive" or psychogenic psychosis).
   Mental trauma is a stressful situation, illness, job loss, natural disasters, a threat to the lives of loved ones.

   Sometimes so-called somatogenic psychoses occur ( developing due to serious somatic pathology, for example, due to myocardial infarction); infectious ( caused by complications after an infectious disease); and intoxication ( for example, delirium tremens).

   The manifestations of psychotic syndromes are very extensive, which reflects the richness of the human psyche. The main signs of psychosis are:

   • Mood disorders.
   • Crazy judgments and ideas.
   • Movement disorders.

   Hallucinations

   Hallucinations vary depending on the analyzer involved: gustatory, auditory, tactile, olfactory, visual. They are also differentiated into simple and complex. Simple ones include apparent calls, noises, and sounds. Difficult ones – voices, speech. The most common hallucination is auditory: a person hears voices inside his head or outside that can command, accuse, or threaten. Sometimes the voices are neutral.

   The most dangerous voices are commanding voices, since patients most often absolutely obey them and are ready to carry out all orders, even those that threaten the life and health of other people. Sometimes, due to illness, basic psychological mechanisms, for example, the instinct of self-preservation, are switched off. In this case, a person under the influence of voices can harm himself. It is not uncommon for patients in psychiatric clinics to attempt suicide because a voice ordered so.

   Mood disorders

   Mood disorders occur in patients with manic or depressive states. A depressive state is characterized by a triad of main symptoms from which all others follow: decreased mood, decreased activity, decreased libido. Depressed mood, melancholy, motor retardation, decreased cognitive abilities, ideas of guilt and self-blame, pessimism, suicidal ideas - all this characterizes a depressive state.

   A manic state is manifested by the opposite symptoms: increased libido, increased activity, increased mood. A person in a manic stage exhibits increased ability to work. He can stay awake at night and still look active, cheerful, cheerful and tireless. He makes plans and shares fantastic projects with those around him. Particularly characteristic of a manic state is the disinhibition of the sphere of drives: a person begins to lead a promiscuous sex life, drinks a lot, and abuses drugs.

   All of the above-described manifestations of psychotic disorders belong to the range of disorders called “positive”. This name was given to them because the symptoms that appear during the illness, relatively speaking, are added to the pre-illness behavior and state of the person’s psyche.

   Sometimes a person who has experienced a psychotic disorder, despite the obvious disappearance of symptoms, exhibits negative disorders. They have this name because the patient’s character undergoes changes in which everything that was characteristic of him is disrupted: behavior, habits, personal qualities. To put it simply, much disappears from the totality of his behavior and his inherent habits. Negative disorders can lead to even more severe social consequences than positive ones.

   Patients with negative disorders become uninitiative, lethargic, apathetic, and passive. Their energy tone decreases, dreams and desires, aspirations and motivations disappear, and emotional dullness increases. Such people isolate themselves from the world around them and do not enter into any social contacts. The previously inherent good traits such as sincerity, kindness, responsiveness, and goodwill are replaced by aggression, irritability, rudeness, and scandalousness. In addition, they develop disorders of cognitive functions, in particular, thinking, which becomes rigid, amorphous, unfocused, and meaningless. Because of this, sick people lose their job qualifications and work skills. Such inability to professional activities- a direct road to disability.

   Delusional ideas

   Delusional judgments, various ideas and conclusions of patients with psychotic syndrome cannot be corrected through explanation and persuasion. They take over the mind of a sick person so strongly that critical thinking turns off completely. The content of delusional obsessions is very diverse, but the most common are ideas of persecution, jealousy, external influence on the mind, hypochondriacal ideas, ideas of damage, reformism, and litigiousness.

   Delusions of persecution are characterized by the belief of patients that the special services are chasing them, that they will certainly be killed. The delusion of jealousy is more typical for men than for women, and it consists of ridiculous accusations of treason and attempts to extract a confession about it. Delusions of influence on the mind are characterized by the assurances of patients that they are being affected by radiation, under a spell, that aliens are trying to telepathically penetrate their minds.

   Hypochondriacal patients claim that they have an incurable disease terrible disease. Moreover, their psyche is so convinced of this that the body “adapts” to this belief and a person may actually exhibit symptoms of various diseases that he does not have. Delirium of damage consists of damaging the property of other people, often those who live in the same apartment with a sick person. It can go as far as adding poison to food or stealing personal belongings.

   Reformist nonsense consists of constantly producing impossible projects and ideas. However, a sick person does not try to bring them to life; as soon as he comes up with one thing, he immediately abandons this idea and takes on another.

   Litigative delirium means constant complaints to all authorities, filing lawsuits in court, and much more. Such people create a lot of problems for others.

   Movement disorders

   Two development options movement disorders: agitation or lethargy ( that is, stupor). Psychomotor agitation forces patients to be in active movement all the time and talk incessantly. They often mimic the speech of the people around them, grimace, and imitate the voices of animals. The behavior of such patients becomes impulsive, sometimes foolish, sometimes aggressive. They may commit unmotivated actions.

   Stupor is immobility, freezing in one position. The patient's gaze is directed in one direction, he refuses to eat and stops talking.

   Course of psychoses

   Most often, psychotic disorders have a paroxysmal course. This means that during the disease process there are outbreaks of acute attacks of psychosis and periods of remission. Attacks may occur seasonally ( that is, predictable) and spontaneously ( not predictable). Spontaneous outbreaks occur under the influence of various psychotraumatic factors.

   There is also a so-called single-attack course, which is most often observed at a young age. Patients suffer one long attack and gradually emerge from the psychotic state. Their ability to work is fully restored.

   In severe cases, psychosis can progress to a chronic continuous stage. In this case, symptoms partially manifest throughout life, despite supportive therapy.

   In unadvanced and uncomplicated clinical cases, treatment in a psychiatric hospital lasts approximately one and a half to two months. During your stay in the hospital, doctors select the optimal therapy and relieve psychotic symptoms. If the symptoms are not relieved by selected medications, then treatment algorithms have to be changed. Then the length of stay in the hospital extends to six months or even more.

   One of the most important factors that influence the prognosis of therapy for psychotic disorders is the early initiation of treatment and the effectiveness of drugs in combination with non-drug methods rehabilitation

   People with psychotic disorder and society

   For a long time, society has been developing collective image mentally ill people. Unfortunately, many people still believe that a person with mental disorders is something aggressive and crazy, threatening other people with his presence. People are afraid of sick people, they don’t want to maintain contact with them, and even their loved ones sometimes abandon them. They are indiscriminately called maniacs and murderers. People with psychotic disorders are believed to be absolutely incapable of any meaningful action. Not so long ago, during the USSR, when the treatment of such patients was not distinguished by diversity and humanity ( they were often treated and subdued with electric shocks), mental illnesses were considered so shameful that they were carefully hidden, fearing public opinion and condemnation.

   The influence of Western psychiatric luminaries in the last 20 years has changed this opinion, although some prejudice against patients with psychosis remains. Most people believe that they are normal and healthy, but schizophrenics are sick. By the way, the incidence rate of schizophrenia is no more than 13 people per 1000. In this case, the opinion that the other 987 people are healthy is statistically justified, but the 13 who are out of the total count are sick. However, not a single psychologist or psychiatrist in the world can give an exact definition: what is normal and what is abnormal?
   The boundaries of normality are changing all the time. Just 50 years ago, a diagnosis of autism in children was a death sentence. And now many doctors consider this condition as a different way of a child’s relationship with society. As evidence, they cite facts about the phenomenal memory of such children, their abilities for music, drawing, and chess.

   Social rehabilitation involves the use of a whole range of corrective measures and skills in teaching rational behavior. Learning social skills of communication and interaction with the environment helps to adapt to everyday aspects of life. If necessary, the patient works on everyday skills such as shopping, managing finances, and using public transport.

   Psychotherapy enables people with mental disorders to better understand themselves: to accept themselves as they are, to love themselves, to take care of themselves. It is especially important to undergo psychotherapy for those who experience shame and a feeling of inferiority from the awareness of their illness, and therefore vehemently deny it. Psychotherapeutic methods help to master the situation and take it into your own hands. Communication in groups is valuable, when patients who have undergone hospitalization share their problems and in personal ways their decisions. Communication in a close circle, involving common problems and interests, brings people together and gives them the opportunity to feel supported and needed.

   All these rehabilitation methods, at correct use, greatly increase the effectiveness of drug therapy, although they are not able to replace it. Majority mental disorders is not cured once and for all. Psychoses tend to recur, so after treatment, patients require preventive monitoring.

   Treatment of psychotic disorders with antipsychotic drugs

   Antipsychotics ( or antipsychotics) are the main, basic drugs used in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic practice.
   Chemical compounds that stop psychomotor agitation, eliminate delusions and hallucinations, were invented in the middle of the last century. An effective and very powerful treatment for psychosis has appeared in the hands of psychiatrists. Unfortunately, it was the excessive use of these drugs, as well as unjustified experiments with their dosages, that led to the fact that Soviet psychiatry received a negative image.
   It was called “punitive” because of the use of shock therapy. But in addition to shock therapy, doctors used antipsychotic drugs such as stelazine, aminazine And haloperidol. These are very powerful remedies, but they only affected positive symptoms and did not affect the negative ones. Yes, the patient got rid of hallucinations and delusions, but at the same time he was discharged from the hospital passive and apathetic, unable to fully interact with society and engage in professional activities.

   In addition, classical antipsychotics gave side complication– drug-induced parkinsonism. This complication appeared due to the drugs affecting the extrapyramidal structures of the brain.
   Symptoms of drug-induced parkinsonism: tremors, muscle stiffness, convulsive twitching of the limbs, sometimes a feeling of intolerance to being in one place. Such patients constantly move and cannot sit in one place. To eliminate these symptoms, additional therapy with corrective drugs was required: Akineton, cyclodol.

   In addition to extrapyramidal disorders, autonomic disorders were observed in some severe cases. In addition to tremor, the patient may have experienced: dry mouth, increased drooling, diuretic disorders, constipation, nausea, rapid heartbeat, fainting, surges in blood pressure, decreased libido, pathologies of ejaculation and erection, increased body weight, amenorrhea, galactorrhea, decreased cognitive function, fatigue, lethargy.

   Neuroleptics are effective means therapy, especially when combined with other methods mental rehabilitation However, according to statistics, 30% of people with psychotic disorders who received antipsychotic therapy did not respond well to treatment.

   One of the reasons for the ineffectiveness of treatment may be the fact that some patients who deny their illness violate the doctor’s recommendations ( for example, they hide pills behind their cheeks so that they can spit them out when the medical staff cannot see it). In such cases, of course, any therapeutic tactics will be ineffective.

   Over the past few decades, a new generation of antipsychotics has been discovered - atypical antipsychotics. They differ from classical antipsychotic drugs in their selective neurochemical action. They act only on certain receptors, so they are better tolerated and more effective. Atypical antipsychotics do not cause extrapyramidal disorders. The main drugs in this group are azaleptin, Seroquel, rispolept etc.
   Rispolept is the first-line drug, and azaleptin is used when the ineffectiveness of previous treatment is revealed.

   During treatment acute stage psychosis, atypical antipsychotics have the following advantages:

   • The effectiveness of treatment is negative symptoms, and not just positive.
   • Good tolerability, and as a result, the use of these drugs in weakened patients is acceptable.

   Preventive and supportive therapy for psychosis

   Psychoses tend to recur, and patients with this diagnosis require regular preventive monitoring. Therefore, international psychiatric conventions provide clear recommendations on the duration of primary treatment, as well as preventive and supportive treatment.

   Those patients who have experienced a first episode of acute psychosis should take low-dose antipsychotics as preventive therapy for two years. If they experience a repeated exacerbation, the period of preventive therapy is increased by 2 to 3 years.

   With a continuous course of the disease, maintenance therapy is carried out, the timing of which is established by the attending physician.

   Practicing psychiatrists believe that during the initial hospitalization of a patient with acute psychosis, treatment regimens should be covered as widely as possible and full, long-term socio-psychological rehabilitation measures should be carried out in order to reduce the risk of relapse of the disease.

   Reducing the risk of psychosis relapse

   To reduce the risk of exacerbation of a psychotic disorder, you should follow your doctor's recommendations:
   • Measured, ordered lifestyle.
   • Healthy physical activity, gymnastics.
   • Balanced diet and quitting alcohol and smoking.
   • Regular use of prescribed maintenance medications.
   Any changes in the usual rhythm of wakefulness and sleep can lead to relapse. The first signs of relapse: poor appetite, insomnia, irritability. Such signs require examination of the patient by the attending physician.
   Before use, you should consult a specialist.

   All people experience emotions: positive and not so, strong and weak. They play an important role for humans. Nevertheless, acute psychosis occurs quite often in nervous and emotional people. This is what we will talk about.

   What is psychosis

   So, we are surrounded by many people. They all differ in their character and behavior. But among them there are also those that stand out especially among others. In a bad way. Their behavior is inappropriate. In most cases, acute psychosis played a role here.

   Psychosis itself is behavior that manifests itself as inappropriate and unusual to society. That is, a person suffering from this disease can easily be called inadequate. There are quite a few reasons for its appearance. Nevertheless, let's talk about where this disease can come from and how to deal with it.

   Causes

   Acute psychosis, the causes of which are quite extensive, most often occurs in adolescents and mature women. At this time, special changes occur in the human body, the mentality and consciousness changes somewhat. If during this period any unpleasant event occurs that “hits you on the head,” then residual emotions can develop into acute psychosis.

   Thus, we can say that the main cause of any mental disorder is emotional shock. As a rule, negative. This also includes shock. Thus, people with a shaky psyche, suffering from paranoia, emotionally unstable and subject to sudden mood swings are prime candidates for this disease. After all, it’s easiest to shock them or “put pressure on their brains.”

   Frankly, acute psychosis, which has not yet been treated, may not manifest itself for a long time. In other words, the patient has the opportunity to calmly continue to live among healthy people. True, until the first shock. As soon as the next shock occurs, expect hysterics and psychosis.

   

   Does it go away on its own?

   Many people very often ask the question: “Do mental disorders go away on their own?” As mentioned above, a person who is struck by acute psychosis can live peacefully for some time among healthy people. But at one fine moment “patience will come to an end” - an outbreak will occur, after which the patient will calm down again. Thus, the nature of the disease is cyclical. From time to time psychoses will appear again and again. This cannot be done without external intervention.

   Although many psychologists argue that acute psychosis, which has not yet been treated, may be temporary. That is, with a low degree of probability, the patient has a chance of healing without unnecessary intervention. In fact, those psychoses that are associated with age and hormonal imbalances go away on their own.

   So, before we begin to study and understand the problem in more detail, let's talk about who is most susceptible to this disease. After all, the nature of the “healing” depends on many factors.

   

   Who is most susceptible

   As a rule, teenagers and people close to people are most susceptible to psychosis. At this time, hormones are seething and playing pranks in the body. They are known to play a huge role in the behavior of all living beings.

   In addition, acute psychosis often occurs as a “side effect” of intoxication or traumatic brain injury. In truth, any trauma inflicted on the body can cause mental disorders. Do not forget about some diseases that can also cause this disease. These include heavy operations and infectious diseases, especially severe ones. Plus, acute is quite common in women who have experienced abortion or the death of their own children. The shock from such “news” is so terrible that the body literally “goes out of control.”

   

   Affect

   One of the manifestations of acute psychosis is an affective state. Probably everyone knows it. This is that short, sharp period of time when a person does not understand what he is doing. Affect occurs, as a rule, in emergency situations that threaten life (natural disasters, fire, and so on). It can occur in excited and inhibited forms. In the first case, the patient begins to make sudden, panicky movements, rushes from side to side, asks for help and runs somewhere (usually towards danger). When acute psychosis stops, patients either do not remember what is happening, or cloudy particles of memories remain in the head.

   During an inhibited reaction, as you might guess, the patient experiences partial or complete immobilization (or, more simply put, stupor). During this period, the power of speech is lost, one of two pictures freezes on the face: indifference to everything or horror. This condition can last from several minutes to several hours.

   

   Ganser syndrome

   This is a fairly common acute psychosis. Its treatment is almost impossible. During attacks, the patient answers a question that he clearly understands incorrectly. With all this, for him any words sound humorous. The patient laughs, fools around and gets lost in space. He doesn’t understand what kind of people surround him. Instead of laughter, crying and sobbing may appear.

   Pseudo-dementia

   A simpler name for this type of psychosis is false dementia. A person answers simple questions very stupidly, but is able to give the correct answer to something complex. His behavior will also be shocking, although it does not pose any danger. The big one can eat eggs straight from the shell, put boots on his hands, pull trousers over his head, and a jacket on his legs. With all this, there may be a stupid smile on your face. Memories after the “climax” - as if everything happened in a dream.

   Puerilism

   The acute form of which manifests itself in the childish behavior of an absolutely adult person is called puerilism. The patient is unable to perform basic actions, makes gross mistakes, calls everyone aunt and uncle, lisps, teases, and generally behaves “like a little child.” Children's phrases and mannerisms fly from their lips. However, adult behavior remains. For example, the habit of smoking or wearing makeup.

   

   Hysterical stupor

   Another acute psychosis is hysterical stupor. It manifests itself in approximately the same way as stupor in principle. The person refuses food and water, may stare at one point for a long time, anger or despair is reflected on the face, and the body is tense. At the slightest mention of a stressful or shocking situation, the patient blushes, becomes hysterical, and his pulse quickens. It may go away on its own, but lead to paralysis, gait disturbance and other hysterical symptoms.

   Withdrawal

   Acute (or narcotic) is popularly called withdrawal. It is caused by the body's reaction to a lack of alcohol or drugs. It usually occurs due to dependence on harmful substances. During psychosis, increased excitability and aggression are observed. When the patient wakes up, he is unlikely to remember what happened.

   How to treat

   Now that we know what acute psychosis is, the symptoms and most susceptible to disease categories of people, we can talk about how to get rid of the disease.

   First, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease. This usually requires isolation of the patient. In an excited state, the patient is given antipsychotics and tranquilizers. In moments of depression, it is common to give antidepressants.

   Psychotherapy and conversations with a psychologist play a special role. Once the underlying cause of psychosis is found, it can most likely be treated through talking and reassurance.

   A person’s mental health plays a key role in his personal fulfillment, adaptation in society, and the formation of adequate positive self-esteem. In the modern world, high stress load leads to an increase in cases of nervous and mental illnesses of different nature. Just half a century ago, almost all people with such a diagnosis had to be treated voluntarily or forcibly in psychiatric hospitals.

   Today high level development modern medicine allows you to provide patients qualified assistance for mental disorders not only in a hospital, but also at home.

   In what situations is home treatment used?

   
   Of course, not all cases of mental illness can be treated at home. Severe mental disorders and acute forms of psychosis require hospitalization. If the disorder proceeds favorably without complications or is in remission, then treatment at home is fully justified. Before arranging home treatment, a person must agree to be examined by a psychiatrist, who will determine the procedure and form of therapy. Under no circumstances should you decide on your own how to treat. Only a qualified specialist, based on the basics of diagnosing mental disorders, can establish the exact form of the disease, predict its course and determine which therapy will be most effective. Treatment at home is possible if the patient is able to take care of himself, comply with the medication regimen, independently attend scheduled consultations with a psychotherapist, or if there is a person nearby who will care for the patient and monitor the treatment process.

   Diagnostic stage

   
   The decision to treat mental illness at home is made based on diagnostic results. A psychiatrist or psychotherapist examines the patient and prescribes necessary research, tests, conducts testing, assesses physical parameters, somatic symptoms. After this, he talks with family and friends, finds out the story mental disorders, listens to their complaints and suspicions. After voluntary consent The patient undergoes a psychiatric examination. Knowing the basics of diagnosing mental disorders, a qualified specialist can identify mental pathology and make a decision on how to treat a person. Many diseases can be cured at home in a few weeks or even days. The doctor will prescribe the necessary medications, consult the patient, as well as his relatives about the required doses and possible side effects, and will also tell you what to do if a person’s condition changes. The psychotherapist will instruct people who will care for the patient regarding the course of his mental disorder, the necessary procedures, regimen and conditions. If the diagnostic stage and all consultations are completed successfully, you can begin treatment at home.

   Organization of home treatment process

   
   At the first stage of home treatment, it is necessary to visit the doctor daily to ensure the effectiveness of the prescribed medications, the positive dynamics of the patient’s condition, the accuracy of the diagnosis, and to make timely adjustments to the treatment process. Early stage treatment at home involves changing a person’s lifestyle, teaching his relatives tactics of behavior and treatment of the patient, and constantly monitoring the person’s condition. The psychotherapist will also teach methods of preventing exacerbations of the disease. Properly organized regulation and self-regulation of the patient’s mental states allows one to prolong remission and speed up recovery. If the patient's condition has stabilized, the frequency of visits to the doctor is reduced to once a week, while maintaining a therapeutic dose of prescribed medications for a certain period, depending on the form of the disorder. What people should not do during home treatment is to get carried away with folk remedies without consulting their doctor. At the final stage of recovery, under continuous monitoring from loved ones and a psychotherapist, the dose of drugs is gradually reduced to a maintenance dose. The psychotherapist teaches the patient the rules of prevention and gives recommendations on what to do if signs of exacerbation appear.

   Folk remedies that help with mental illness

   
   Effective assistance for mental disorders can be provided by auxiliary treatment with folk remedies. This includes not only infusions and decoctions of herbs, but also correction of diet, physical activity and aromatherapy. Treatment strategy with folk remedies:

   • Herbs that have a calming effect help with nervous and mental illnesses. Infusions using oregano, valerian, geranium, lemon balm, fireweed, mint, thyme, and hops calm the nervous system, relieve headaches and help normalize sleep.
   • Proven folk remedies for depression and schizophrenia are teas with sage, cloves, cardamom, ginseng - they relieve stress well. If a person with schizophrenia has low magnesium levels, Epsom salts can be consumed in small quantities.
   • You should add poultry fillet, peas, and sea fish to your daily diet. It is useful to eat foods rich in nicotinic acid: tomatoes, potatoes, eggs, carrots, broccoli. At nervous diseases High content foods are recommended folic acid: green vegetables, bananas, liver, citrus fruits.
   • You should avoid drinking coffee, alcohol, and reduce the amount of sugar and white flour. But honey, on the contrary, will be useful for mental disorders.
   • You can calm the nervous system and relieve tension with relaxing massages and aromatherapy. Good fit essential oils lemon balm, mint, vanilla, bergamot, mandarin, lavender, cedar, etc.

   Moderate physical activity also has a positive effect on mental health. If you do exercises every day, walk in the fresh air, shower cool water and practice breathing exercises, this will help maintain a stable mental state.

   Pros and cons of this treatment

   
   Of course, there are a number of benefits to treating mental health problems at home. The main thing is that the patient is under supervision loving people in a familiar environment, his recovery has great value for loved ones. If a doctor monitors a patient at home, he has big time for a thorough examination, confidential conversation and control of the patient’s behavior. The advantage is that the patient himself and his relatives have the opportunity to influence the process of treatment and examination, and use folk remedies to alleviate the condition. Home treatment is organized individually for each specific patient, which makes therapy more effective. However, there are also disadvantages to this form of treatment. First of all, these are more significant material costs and changes in the lifestyle of all people living with the patient. In addition, loved ones at the first stage of treatment are not always able to cope with a physically stronger relative without outside help. Also, with home treatment, it is more difficult for the doctor to monitor the patient’s compliance with his prescriptions and medication schedule.

   Prevention of mental illness

   
   How to protect yourself and your family from mental illness as much as possible? To do this, preventive measures should be applied in everyday life. It is necessary to control the level of nervous and mental stress, try to avoid stressful situations, interpersonal and family conflicts. For prevention purposes, it is recommended to periodically visit a psychotherapist or psychologist, especially if there are suspicions of mental dysfunction. Medical and genetic counseling at the stage of pregnancy planning can reduce the risk of having a child with mental disorders. To prevent exacerbation and worsening of the course of a mental disorder, long-term maintenance therapy is used. If the doctor constantly monitors the patient and is well acquainted with his everyday environment, then he is able to intervene in a timely manner and prevent a relapse of the disease. As part of prevention severe consequences mental disorders, psychotherapy methods aimed at social adaptation and reducing patient aggression.

   
   
   

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