How does the psyche change after a left-sided stroke? How the psyche of a chronic gambler changes. A tendency to collect or immoderate generosity.

Psyche is one of the four non-physical aspects of the human being, along with consciousness, mind and soul. The term itself comes from the ancient Greek name Psyche (Greek ψυχή - “breath”, “blow”), which was used in literary language as a synonym for the word “soul”. It came into science and everyday life from mythology.

A well-known story tells how the god of love, Eros (Eros), fell in love with an ordinary, mortal woman. The love affair between them developed, overcoming betrayal, separation, and mortal danger. In the end, Eros and Psyche were reunited.

The ancient Greeks saw the story of Psyche and Eros as an allegory of life. Their mutual love, which flared up, goes through difficult trials, and in the end Psyche dies, but once in the afterlife, she gains immortality. Her long and dangerous journey between worlds is a symbol of the human soul making a difficult journey through life.

Psyche had to make difficult choices and experience intense emotions in order to achieve personal growth. Therefore, in ancient Greek, her name began to be associated with the word “soul”.

The human psyche is a kind of reflection of the world, passed through the prism of reason.

Objective reality takes on new shapes thanks to:

• subjective assessment;
• personal analysis;
• the person’s life experience;
• stock of knowledge;
• interests;
• aspirations;
• character;
• complexes, etc.

The psyche of an adult is in constant motion. It develops in the light of various events, under the influence of information, it is transformed by various emotions and experiences. The psyche is influenced by life experience, the past, and experiences.

Inhabited in the body, the human psyche belongs to non-material categories. But it influences all aspects of human life, largely determining the destinies of people.

Various functions of the psyche allow a person to:

• find a place in the world;
• interact with reality;
• build relationships in society;
• act in a certain way in different situations.

This is not a myth. Differences in the psyche and behavior of men and women really exist. This is due to the difference in neurochemical processes in representatives of the opposite sex. It is not without reason that a special mental test allows you to determine a person’s gender.

Men often feel like women read their minds. Scientific research shows that nature designed women in a special way. She gave them a wonderful mental function - more developed intuition, so that they could understand and provide life for their own offspring without relying on verbal communication.

The peculiarities of the psyche of representatives of the fair sex is that they do not like conflicts, but cannot stand the lack of reaction from their interlocutor, partner, etc. Scientists believe that this may be due to the fact that in the process of evolution, women have developed a special mental state - acute sensitivity to interpersonal signals, as a way to stay away from conflicts occurring at the state, public level, unlike men. Research shows that the surge in neurochemical activity that occurs in a woman's cerebral cortex during serious conflict, especially in close relationships, is almost at the same level as during apoplexy. Perhaps due to their experience in “reading” other people’s thoughts, women cannot calmly endure empty promises, excuses and long silence.

Another feature of the ladies’ psyche is that they “start up” at the drop of a hat. The mental state of women is influenced by objective factors:

• hormonal changes;
• pregnancy;
• care for children;
• menopause and many others.

The extent to which mental processes do not proceed in the same way is clearly demonstrated by the example of sexual relationships. For men, foreplay includes everything that happens a couple of minutes before sexual intercourse. For women, it consists of everything that happened 24 hours before intercourse.

Women's brains are better in sync with words and sounds, as proven by a scientific experiment in which men and women had to listen to people read aloud. The findings showed that while listening, women showed brain activity in both left and right hemispheres, while men had only the left hemisphere of their brain activated.

This explains why the mental development of girls occurs differently than that of boys. They tend to learn to speak earlier than boys and subsequently excel at learning languages.

It is often said that women experience mental disturbances during premenstrual syndrome. But this is not entirely true. The truth is that a woman's menstrual cycle affects her mental state almost every day of the month. Because changing hormone levels correlate with mood, sensitivity and energy levels. However, for most women it is true that their psyche and behavior change for the worse 12-24 hours before the onset of menstrual bleeding.

Women's brains generally don't need to take risks. He does not approve of the risky actions of his owners, unlike the brains of men, whose psyche is characterized by a thirst for extreme sports. After all, they experience a rush of endorphins when faced with a dangerous situation.

Menopause causes the essence of the psyche to change. By age 45, women's bodies tend to experience less of the effects of estrogen and oxytocin. This leads to the fact that ladies are less willing to build new romantic relationships, do not want to develop them and strive to preserve them, as they did in their youth.

This change misleads others regarding the development of the psyche of ladies of “Balzac’s age.” In fact, mature women tend to take more risks and attract attention.

Perhaps the uniqueness of the structure of the psyche of representatives of the stronger sex is most clearly manifested in relationships with women.

Some men are predisposed to emotional return in relationships with the opposite sex, while others are not ready for it. These mental characteristics are an integral part of the personality, being the result of experiences, previous positive or negative relationships, temperament and social norms. According to various experiments, observations and mental tests, male behavior patterns, as a rule, are divided into five simple categories.

The first group includes obligatory men, who are often called “man of his word.” They seek lasting relationships, value monogamy, reciprocity of feelings and friendly support. Such men admire, respect and love women. They feel comfortable in relationships with the opposite sex when their partners find themselves in the position of ruler. They view marriage as a relationship of equals. And they highly appreciate the important role that a woman plays in the family.

The development of the psyche of a committed man may encounter difficulties if he is so focused on family values ​​that he stops considering his partner as an individual and refuses romance in the relationship. However, by remembering and rediscovering a woman's individuality, they are often able to restore relationships and mutual support.

This category also includes men who feel comfortable in supporting roles. For example, if the partner is the main breadwinner, he does not experience difficulties, even if he ends up being the husband of his boss. He feels absolutely organic and does everything possible to provide support as an assistant in the family.

Another category is men, the essence of whose psyche psychologists define with the term “emotional controller.” Such representatives of the stronger sex treat their partners as delicate flowers, which should be carefully cared for so that they please and bear fruit. They take great pride in helping their significant other grow and develop, as long as the partner understands and respects a clear role in the relationship.

Everything that the emotional controller or “caretaker man” gives must come back in a slightly different capacity. He thinks about how to help and please his partner. And she should respond with gratitude, taking care of him, in turn.

A special mental test will probably identify such a man as a person who prefers predictability and rituals. He is for maintaining traditional roles in relationships.

In practice, this model of relationships has worked well, despite the fact that to some it seems old-fashioned. However, this design can be quite fragile. If any of the emotional controller's rules are challenged in the family, he may feel threatened, become more violent, and may even be willing to destroy the relationship. Therefore, it is important to maintain balance, an optimal balance of forces, which requires great effort from the partner.

There is a separate category of men, with a special form of psyche, who are never ready for long-term, deep relationships with the opposite sex. They often stay in a flock, part of a group of boys, which, as a rule, is formed in adolescence. But sometimes “free artists” or “confirmed bachelors” can unite in interests with their own kind during the life span of 20 to 30 years.

They often view male friendships as their primary communication. And they believe that women pose a threat, influencing their psyche and seeking to destroy relationships with friends. Ideological bachelors are focused on a single way of life and encourage the following of this pattern among their peers.

Since they still have certain sexual needs (and perhaps hidden emotional ones) that must be fulfilled, real "macho" men still enter into marital relationships with the opposite sex. But they do it demonstratively reluctantly.

One of the many difficulties that arise in close relationships with carriers of this form of psyche is a masculinity complex. They are afraid of not being brutal enough when entering into a serious romantic relationship. But with age, even real macho men often come to the conclusion that they are ready for family life.

Another common form of the male psyche is a complex of dependence on others. Such people are often dependent on their partners. They feel lost if there is no one nearby who sets the vector, controls aspirations, and on whom their psyche and behavior in everyday life depend. Sometimes a dependent man may suffer from an inferiority complex, which further intensifies his mental disorder.

This person's dependence and lack of awareness that he is too dependent on anyone often makes any relationship impossible. He requires someone to take care of him emotionally as well as possibly physically. But these requirements may seem impossible to your partner.

A man who has a mental disorder, in the form of a complex of dependence on others, constantly puts himself in the position of a victim, provoking a situation in which he becomes an outcast. The intensity of his own needs leaves no opportunity to pay attention to the desires of others. He simply is not able to determine when his partner will begin to suffocate in a relationship with him. Unable to reduce his demands, he experiences disappointment in his partner, feels unhappy, and eventually leaves or takes the path of infidelity.

The mental state of an addicted man often improves as he gains experience in unsuccessful relationships. Breakups give him the opportunity to learn to support his needs on his own, despite the discomfort of loneliness. Negative experiences allow you to feel more comfortable in your own skin before trying to build other, more harmonious relationships.

There are also single men. They may be afraid of relationships, do not want to experience pain, become vulnerable, having negative experiences in the past. Various mental disorders, in the form of complexes, are a consequence of psychological trauma received in previous relationships. Even if such a “lone wolf” seems tough on the outside, he feels very fragile inside, and therefore either categorically avoids relationships in order to protect himself, or can be in a relationship while remaining extremely secretive and withdrawn.

He goes to extremes to protect himself from emotional pain, including to avoid being put in a situation where he might become an outcast. With the support and consistency of his partner, he can learn to trust.

The essence of the male psyche is not limited to the listed models. It is much broader than the meager characteristics of its features. However, knowledge of typical patterns of male psychology and behavioral motivation helps to better understand them.

Absolutely all men, with different characteristics of mental development, need the confidence and patience of their partners. They help improve relationships.

Mental processes in childhood differ from those in adults. The child’s psyche develops from birth to the end of adolescence, and it has its own characteristics for different boys and girls.

As a scientific discipline with a solid empirical basis, children's psyche began to be studied relatively recently.

In 1840, Charles Darwin decided to record the growth and development of one of his offspring, collecting and organizing data as if he were studying an unknown animal species.

A similar, but more complex study was carried out by the German psychophysiologist Thierry William Preyer, who in 1882 published a revolutionary work for psychology, “The Soul of a Child.”

In 1891, American educational psychologist G. Stanley Hall created Teachers' Seminary, a periodical devoted to child psychology and pedagogy.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the development of intelligence tests and the creation of special clinics for children began, which further stimulated the development of the branch of psychology, the subject of which was the child’s psyche.

A number of famous psychologists of the twentieth century, Sigmund Freud, Melanie Klein, Freud's daughter, Anna Freud, dealt with the development of the child's psyche, mainly from a psychoanalytic point of view. Perhaps the greatest influence on modern child psychology was the Swiss scientist Jean Piaget. Through direct observation and practical action, Piaget developed a theory of the stages of development that the child's psyche goes through and the acquisition of understanding in children. He described the various stages of learning in childhood, characterizing the child’s psyche, perception of himself and the world at each stage of learning.

Today, child psychology has knowledge collected from various sources. Comments from relatives, teachers and other adults, as well as direct observation and interviews by professional psychologists provide a lot of new material about the child’s psyche.

Very different methods are used, such as a "one way window" or a room of mirrors, in which boys and girls can freely interact with their environment or others without knowing they are being watched. Personality tests for the psyche, intelligence, as well as various experimental methods turn out to be very useful for science, the subject of which is the child’s psyche.

Despite attempts to unify various theories of child mental development, it remains dynamic and changes as new knowledge and experience are acquired.

The age before 6 years is called “early childhood” or “preschool years”. Babies and preschool-age children grow quickly. Along with physical development, the child’s psyche is formed. Karapuz, a chubby baby who can barely pronounce sounds, suddenly becomes taller, slimmer, and chatters tirelessly. Particularly obvious in early childhood is the fact that the development of all skills, abilities, and abilities is integrated. The biological, psychological and social changes that occur during this time (as throughout the rest of life) are interrelated.

Despite the intensive physical development of preschool children, the structure of the psyche in early childhood changes more slowly, it becomes more stable in comparison with the dynamics in infancy. However, any changes in a child's brain have an important impact on physical development during the preschool period, including gross and fine motor skills.

The plastic psyche of a school-age child

School-age children have a keen interest in learning; they have already developed a sense of their own inner world. They become more skilled problem solvers.

Students learn to think concretely, to form specific, precise and unidirectional points of view, based on real and concrete experience, and not on abstraction. Older children fantasize less often and are not as easily deceived as younger children. Unlike preschool children, schoolchildren have a much more significant knowledge base, which affects their mental state.

Jean Piaget also noted that children’s thinking changes significantly at the stage of specific operations. School-age children are able to classify, highlight features, sequentially order, group, in accordance with a logical sequence. They come to understand cause and effect relationships and excel in math and science. Understand the concept of sustainable identity.

Piaget believed that preoperative cognitive abilities are limited by egocentrism, the inability to understand the point of view of others. But egocentrism levels off with age. During their school years, children tend to become aware that other people have their own views, feelings and desires.

Modern research into the development of children's psyche often contradicts some aspects of Piaget's theory. For example, Robert S. Siegler and some other cognitive theorists have explained the phenomenon of retention as slow, progressive changes in the rules that children use to solve problems, denying sudden change in cognitive abilities and schemas. Other researchers have shown that younger and older children develop gradually, rather than in leaps and bounds.

In addition, modern researchers believe that the child’s psyche is often much more perfect; children understand much more than teachers and other adults assume. For example, during the learning process, children of primary school age can perform many of the tasks that were previously considered feasible only for older children. Researchers have also found that children's mental capabilities and functioning are largely determined by biological and cultural influences.

Most adolescents reach the formal operations stage of cognitive development, identified by Jean Piaget, at the age of 12 years and older. During this period, they master new mental functions for manipulating information.

Previously, as children, they could only think concretely. At a new stage in the development of mental structures, adolescents learn to think abstractly and use deductive methods. This stage allows teenagers to learn to consider future possibilities, find answers, make decisions, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions about events that did not happen to them.

Mental maturity comes along with the maturation of the brain and the expansion of relationships in society, which offers enormous opportunities for life experiments. “Worldly” experiences play a big role in achieving spiritual growth. Research shows that abstract thinking and critical reasoning skills can be taught.

According to Robert Sternberg's theory, intelligence consists of three aspects:

• component (critical aspect);
• empirical aspect;
• contextual or situational (practical aspect).

The componential aspect of intelligence makes it possible to use internal information processing capabilities, search for solutions to problems, and evaluate results. Adolescents with a developed critical aspect successfully pass standardized intelligence tests.

The experiential aspect of intelligence enables effective learning of new skills. In other words, it is an opportunity to compare old and new information, to put facts together. Teenagers with developed insightful intelligence are good at absorbing new information and quickly learn to solve new problems automatically.

The contextual aspect of intelligence allows you to apply knowledge in practice, including taking into account social, cultural and historical contexts. Teenagers with a developed situational aspect of intelligence:

• able to easily adapt to the environment;
• can change when entering other environments;
• ready to adjust their environment when necessary.

Another aspect of adolescent mental development is moral development and the ability to reason about right and wrong. The famous American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg proposed a theory of moral development consisting of three levels and six stages:

• the first level – pre-conventional (pre-moral) morality, relates to moral argumentation, and determines behavior based on rules and fear of punishment (first stage) and self-interest (second stage);
• the second level is traditional morality, expressed in the desire to meet the expectations of society and help others (third stage), observing the law and maintaining order (fourth stage);
• the third level is post-conventional morality (the highest level), associated with the acceptance of the relativity and variability of rules and laws (fifth stage), as well as with conscience aimed at solving problems and protecting human rights (sixth stage).

The moral development of a teenager depends, in particular, on manifestations of empathy, shame and guilt. As mental structures mature, the child gains the ability to weigh the consequences of actions and words in the light of his own interests and the interests of others. Teenagers tend to demonstrate traditional morality as they get older, although some may take longer to gain the experiences necessary to make the transition from childhood to adulthood

Research generally supports Kohlberg's model. However, his theory has been criticized on several points. According to some experts, the model suffers from one-sidedness, since it is more suitable for characterizing the development of the psyche of educated people. In addition, some adolescents may experience mental regression due to family factors and negative environmental influences.

Previously, it was called the word “soul”. But gradually in science and in everyday life it was replaced by the term “psyche”, which includes the entire subjective world, uniting:

• memory;
• perception;
• thinking;
• dreams, etc.

The great psychoanalyst Carl Jung once said: “The psyche is the greatest of all cosmic wonders.” And it remains understudied.

Modern people sometimes lose sight of the fact that communication with the world is impossible without the psyche. Humanity has frozen at the first stage of realizing the importance of mental processes for creating everyday experience, people’s ideas about the world and themselves.

Not knowing the role played by the human psyche, people sometimes fantasize, modeling the world in such a way as to make it the basis of the universe. However, often a person does not realize the key role played by the psyche and consciousness, finding himself in a state of internal separation from the outside world.

Meanwhile, the outside world can be imagined as a canvas on which the brain and psyche reproduce the most bizarre forms, being its reflection. The external world, as well as the psyche and consciousness, represent a unity in which each element is a product of the other.

The world manifests itself in human consciousness, and the essence of the psyche lies in the reflection of the surrounding reality and one’s own assessment. Objective reality and the human psyche together form a unity that resembles a vicious circle. One component creates another, itself being formed under its influence.

There are currently two separate models used to describe the existence of the human psyche. The religious model believes that the human psyche is the “soul.” This concept also supports the idea that the soul is independent of the body and exists both before and after earthly existence ends. The second model, known as the secular model, refers to the psyche as the “mind.” According to the scientific concept, the psyche acts as an extension of the body, responds to brain functions and external stimuli

The mind unites the mental abilities of a person:

• will;
• intelligence;
• speech, etc.

The brain and psyche work together. The cerebral cortex, reminiscent of a complex labyrinth, an intricacy of grooves and convolutions, covers its surface. Any internal and external signals enter this body control center, where they are analyzed and synthesized. In the projection cortex, which is connected with the associative area and subcortical structures, important processes for controlling various functions of the body take place.

Certain areas of the cortex are responsible for:

• movements;
• breath;
• speech;
• sensitivity, etc.

In particular, mental processes are carried out through complex brain activity.

All cortical zones are conventionally divided into three blocks.

The first is called the “energy block”. It is not involved in receiving and sorting information, but ensures these processes, maintaining the cortex in optimal tone. Thanks to his work, a person can concentrate. The block of tone in the cortex ensures the activity of the psyche and consciousness. If any disturbances occur and the energy block does not cope with its tasks, a person may experience excessive excitement or, conversely, apathy and incredible fatigue. A significant malfunction in its operation can lead to loss of consciousness and even a coma.

The second unites several areas of the cortex responsible for the functioning of the senses and control of movements:

• parietal;
• occipital;
• temporal

If there are disturbances in one of these zones, they naturally have an impact on the psyche.

The third block controls people's behavior. It unites the zones of the cerebral cortex, primarily the anterior ones. The frontal lobes ensure complex human actions and are responsible for the psyche and behavior. If they work with violations, the person experiences difficulties:

• with concentration;
• gross and fine motor problems;
• unable to be critical of oneself;
• does not tolerate criticism from outside;
• is not capable of positive changes and personal growth, because he does not admit mistakes and does not know how to analyze them.

The human brain and the human psyche are fraught with many mysteries. In particular, it is known that although certain areas of the brain influence the psyche, there is no evidence to suggest that they act in isolation. Their influence is comprehensive. Evidence comes from the fact that if brain damage occurs in a specific area, it can lead to different mental disorders in different people. And vice versa: various mental disorders can be associated with disruptions in the functioning of areas of the cerebral cortex that are distant from each other.

Not only the cerebral cortex affects consciousness and psyche. They, in turn, evaluate brain functions and control higher nervous activity.

The two concepts are related and intersecting. Psyche and consciousness include interrelated phenomena. However, psyche is a broader term that combines consciousness, memory and cognitive functions. And consciousness is the highest form of the psyche. This is the waking state (without dreams or coma) that allows one to evaluate reality.

Psyche is a term that exists in common parlance, is discussed in philosophy, and is used in clinical psychology. It usually combines:

• consciousness;
• autobiographical memory;
• personal identity;
• self-control of actions;
• accurate self-analysis;
• the ability to control your thoughts.

Developed consciousness is able to detect discrepancies between memories and reality, as well as correct distortions of reality with the help of the mind. Therefore, the psyche is the most valuable factor for the development of consciousness.

The great psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud believed that the human personality consists of the Id (It), the Ego (I) and the Super-Ego (Super-I). According to Freud, three aspects of the human psyche are formed at different stages of personality development. The Identifier is impulsive and demands immediate gratification, while the Ego helps to relate its demands to the real world. The superego includes the values ​​and norms of the surrounding world.

According to Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality, human behavior is the result of three levels of the psyche interacting with each other:

• conscious,
• subconscious,
• unconscious.

Carl Jung refined the description of the structure of the psyche, including among other elements the collective unconscious state. He believed that the psyche is not only a product of the environment: it is inherent in a person from birth.

Mental processes

The human psyche has two main functions:

• it, like an intangible “hard drive”, stores memories;
• and also, as an intangible “digestive system”, “digests”, analyzes information, knowledge, sensations, experience.

Being a “repository” of impressions about the world and about oneself, the psyche acts as a link between the physical (body) and spiritual aspects (mind, soul) of a human being, and also serves as a bridge between other people. It is a dynamic structure that is constantly changing due to various processes occurring in the psyche.

All mental processes are conventionally divided into three types:

• intellectual or cognitive (promote the development of cognitive activity);
• communicative (provide communication in society);
• emotional-volitional (determine the behavior and actions of people).

In other classifications, leaving cognitive processes as the first type, they omit
communicative, considering them part of the volitional and emotional processes that are distinguished in
two separate groups.

They flow in an inextricable connection, providing the very possibility of each other’s existence.

The psyche can have different states at different times. If you imagine it in the form of a mirror ball, the quality of the image of the real picture will depend on the number and properties of reflective elements on its surface. A ball with fewer mirrors gives a simple image of reality. While a ball with many mirrors gives a very complex image of reality.

It is obvious that an “advanced” psyche is capable of presenting a more complex reality, but on the other hand, it is more prone to compiling pictures from distorted images of reality, due to many factors.
The degree of distortion corresponding to one or another at a certain point in time
mental state, influences various mental processes occurring in the body.

Mental states are distinguished by many properties, including:

• the nature of emotions (shame, sadness, anxiety, aggression, etc.);
• level of mental stress;
• intensity of experiences;
• physiological manifestations;
• duration;
• general mood (positive, negative).

All of them are constantly changing, influencing people's behavior, forcing them to act, think and speak in a certain way and not otherwise.

Among the properties of the human psyche are:

• personality orientation, which is the main property of the psyche (unites motives and goals);
• human character (a set of stable mental states characteristic of
• for a specific person);
• his temperament (choleric, sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic);
• individual abilities (general and special, talents).

Impact on the psyche

The human psyche is constantly changing under the influence of many factors:

• general health status;
• cognitive abilities;
• social environment;
• economic well-being;
• ecology, etc.

Influence on the psyche from the outside can be exerted in the form of:

• education and training;
• information, including false and disinformation;
• agitation;
• propaganda;
• manipulation of consciousness;
• zombification.

A classic example of the use of various methods of influencing the human psyche is religion. Absolutely all concessions actively exploit the entire arsenal of methods of influence. Architecture, music, painting, sculpture, incense, lighting, colors, texts of prayers, rituals make an impression, evoke vivid emotions, leave a special mark on the soul, and change the psyche.

A strong distortion of reality can lead to a state in which the basic functions of the psyche will temporarily not be performed, which means reality will not be perceived objectively and a person’s behavior will become inadequate. In this case, we are talking about poor mental health, and therefore the body as a whole.

Unlike physical health, mental health is determined by the absence not only of psycho-emotional disorders associated with damage to brain structures, but also of behavioral disorders that develop due to character, temperament, etc., under the influence of economic, everyday and other factors.

Experts from the World Health Organization identify several criteria that determine the state of mental health:

• normal self-identification of a person in space, time, etc.;
• typical, adequate emotions experienced in certain situations;
• a critical attitude towards oneself, one’s own capabilities, actions, etc.;
• the ability to control oneself, one’s feelings, in accordance with the expectations of society, social norms, public morality, secular laws;
• desire for long-term planning and implementation of set goals;
• plasticity of behavior when circumstances and environmental conditions change.

The famous American sociologist Talcott Parsons in the middle of the last century described mental health as a person’s ability to fulfill certain roles in society. He believed that this concept is relative, since it is limited by group and social laws and norms. And mental disorders, from a physiological point of view, even in the presence
certain pathological symptoms allow a person to live fully if
they do not conflict with social norms, values, or morals.

Statistics from the World Health Organization indicate that two out of ten people on the globe have mental disorders in which people are unable to perform certain tasks in their personal and family life, in work and social activities. According to various estimates, one child out of 12-20 children has mental disorders.

Experts believe that disorders cannot be identified with mental illnesses, since they are not always associated with physical disorders. Therefore, the modern international classification of diseases (ICD-10) uses the term “mental disorder”.

According to this classification, all mental disorders are divided into the following:

• associated with organic lesions;
• behavior and psyche that correlate with the use of substances with psychoactive properties;
• mood;
• schizophrenic, delusional;
• behavior caused by physiological disorders;
• somatoform and neurotic, as consequences of stress;
• caused by mental retardation;
• associated with mental development disorders;
• emotional and behavioral (in children and adolescents);
• personal and behavioral (in adulthood);
• mental disorders (no additional definitions).

In addition, depending on internal and external factors, mental disorders can be considered within two types of mental disorders:

• endogenous;
• exogenous.

The most common mental disorder is depression.

• Depressive disorders are diagnosed in the population, according to various data, in 9-20% of the total population.
• 5-10% experience recurrent depressive disorders.
• 5-10% of people experience anxiety disorders.
• Up to 8% of the world's inhabitants suffer from alcohol addiction.

They are associated with emotional processes of the psyche. We are talking about mood or affective disorders if a person experiences hypertrophied, inadequate in intensity emotions during sad or joyful events. Complains of frequent and very sharp mood swings.

Mood or affective disorders include:

• mania;
• depression;
• biopolar mental disorders.

Anxiety disorders

Often, a mental disorder can be expressed in the fact that a person is unable to correctly assess the danger. A healthy psyche is aware of the threat, but does not allow fear to take over. A pathologically altered psyche not only supports a distortion of reality, but also enhances the error, causing a person to experience panic, horror, which
often accompanied by tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), increased sweating and other unpleasant symptoms.

In this case, one of the types of anxiety disorders is diagnosed:

• generalized;
• social anxiety;
• post-stress or post-traumatic;
• panicky;
• obsessive-compulsive;
• phobias.

In such cases, outside help is often required (medication and
non-drug methods) to re-optimize thought processes, and
force the mind to rationally comprehend threats.

This group of mental disorders includes schizophrenia and other disorders that
characterized by delusions and hallucinations (in the form of auditory and visual images).

• A person perceives reality inadequately, his thinking is impaired.
• He can see things that don't exist.
• Hear voices.
• He may be possessed by delusional ideas, which he defends with particular fervor.

Psychotic disorders are considered one of the most severe and dangerous for
the person himself and society.

Various forms of mental dependence

Very often people find themselves unable to fight their desires, even if they can harm others or themselves. If such aspirations become permanent, we are talking about manias or mental addictions, under the influence of which destinies are broken, social, labor and family relationships and connections are interrupted.

A striking example of such mental disorders is gambling addiction. Under its influence, a person sometimes takes unjustified risks, loses money, work, family, and sometimes even life.

The human psyche develops depending on a combination of various factors:

• psychological;
• biological;
• social.

Her condition is influenced by stress, which leaves its mark
and lead to various consequences. An example would be a disaster or
a terrorist attack that a group of people experienced. Some of them can cope with a strong shock, while others receive such deep psycho-emotional trauma that it develops into a mental disorder.

Various deviations in people’s behavior, mood, and way of thinking that come into dissonance with socially accepted moral guidelines and cultural norms may indicate mental disorders. They are characterized by the following pathological symptoms:

• hypertrophied emotions or the absence of any changes in mood in situations where (normally) they should be;
• violations of social norms of behavior (obsessive actions, meaningless movements, sexual perversions, etc.);
• loss of the ability to be critical, ensuring a correct perception of oneself and the surrounding world;
• impairment of logical thinking abilities.

Often, complaints about physical health problems indicate a mental disorder. In this case, the pathology of the internal organs is absent or has nonspecific symptoms.

Since a person with a mental disorder does not adequately assess the world around him and himself as an element of reality, he often does not realize the problem. Only a specialist can evaluate the symptoms and clinical picture of a mental disorder.

Psychiatrists, psychologists and psychotherapists use various diagnostic mental tests or psychological self-esteem questionnaires to screen for disorders. They contain questions regarding the symptoms of the suspected disorder, which help to identify changes in behavior and psychology, demonstrating the intensity and frequency of symptoms of the disorder.

Restoring normal mental functions

In Russia, persons with mental disorders are observed in psychoneurological dispensaries. Drug and non-drug methods are used to treat mental disorders.

For the first time, drug treatment of patients with mental disorders was carried out in the middle of the last century, in France, with the help of chlorpromazine. Today there are a large number of antipsychotic drugs that can only be prescribed by a specialist, since each of them has its own indications, contraindications and side effects.

There are three main types of psychotherapeutic influence:

• behavioral or behavioral psychotherapy;
• deep psychological impact based on psychoanalysis;
• conversations as a form of supportive psychotherapeutic influence.

In most episodes, mental disorders are accompanied by somatic diseases, which must also be diagnosed and treated by a doctor.

AGING AND MENTAL PROCESSES
DISORDERS IN THE ELDERLY AND SENILE AGE.

Aging is a natural physiological
the process itself is not a disease. Although human aging is
normal process, it is accompanied
a complex set of age-related changes in almost all organs and systems
body. The skin gradually fades and the hair turns grey. Bones become brittle
joints lose mobility. The work of the heart weakens, the blood vessels become smaller
elastic, the speed of blood flow slows down. Metabolism changes, increases
cholesterol, lipid, blood sugar levels.
The activity of the respiratory and digestive systems is disrupted. Decreasing
immune system activity. Visibility decreases, hearing weakens, decreases
acuity of other senses. Endocrine and nervous activity weakens
systems. Age-related changes in the body
although they are not a disease in the medical sense, they cause a feeling
pain, uselessness, weakness.

The psyche also suffers during the aging process. Decreasing
mental flexibility, the ability to adapt to changing conditions
life, activity and general tone decrease, a feeling of weakness and general
ailments, mental processes slow down, memory and attention deteriorate,
the ability to rejoice and react emotionally to life events decreases,
a kind of senile conservatism appears. These mental changes
expressed to a greater or lesser extent,
accompany the aging process
almost every person.

The aging process is extremely uneven. Signs of aging in different organs and systems
organisms do not appear simultaneously. In other words, some organs “age”
earlier, and others later. For example, visual acuity begins to deteriorate already
after 20 years, changes in the musculoskeletal system appear after 30,
cardiovascular and muscular systems – after 40, hearing becomes worse
noticeable after 50. Once begun, age-related changes gradually progress
throughout a person's life. In domestic science, age 45-60 is designated
as a period of reverse development (involutional, climacteric), 60-75 years - as an elderly person
(pre-senile), 75-90 years - as actually senile. Older people
90 years old are considered long-livers.

The aging process is individual.
People age differently. This applies not only to the age of appearance of the first
involutional changes in the body, not only the predominant damage to some
organs and the relative safety of others, but also mental changes,
associated with the aging process. Many old people remain highly creative
activity and the ability to find joy in life in changed conditions.
Accumulated life experience and maturity of judgment allow an aging person
reconsider past attitudes and views, form a new life position, find a calm
contemplative attitude towards life. However, this is not always the case. In many cases the very fact
aging and a number of difficult life situations that accompany it create
conditions for disruption of human adaptation.
Loss of loved ones and the problem of loneliness, retirement, end
professional activities, changes in life stereotypes and emerging
financial difficulties, development of ailments and illnesses that limit physical
opportunities and causing a feeling of weakness, inability to independently
cope with everyday problems, fear of the future, awareness of the inevitability
approaching death - this is not a complete list of psychological problems,
faced by an elderly person.

Age-related biological changes in the body and
socio-psychological factors contribute to the development of mental illness in old age.

The most common manifestations of mental illness in the elderly and
old age - depression,
anxiety and hypochondria.

All old people periodically complain about being in a bad mood. IN
cases when the depressed mood becomes persistent, lasting for weeks,
especially months, we are talking about depression.
Sadness, sadness, gloominess, joylessness, melancholy or melancholy-anxious
mood, painful feeling of emptiness, feeling of one’s own uselessness,
the meaninglessness of existence - this is the main context of the experiences of depression
old man. With depression, activity decreases and interest in familiar activities decreases.
activities and hobbies. A patient with depression often complains that “he does everything
through force." Often appear
various unpleasant sensations and pains, general vitality decreases. Violated
sleep, decreased appetite. Depressed old people don't always tell
to others about their painful experiences. They are often embarrassed by them or
consider their condition as a natural manifestation of old age. If elderly
the person becomes sad, silent, inactive, lies in bed for a long time
bed, cries often, avoids communication - these behavioral changes can
indicate depression.

Depression is a serious illness. No treatment
depression in old age can last for years, creating a lot of
problems both for the patient and his relatives. At the first suspicion of development
depression, you need to see a doctor. The sooner treatment for depression is started
disorders - the faster a positive result is achieved. Depression in
old age is curable. There are a number of medications and
psychotherapeutic techniques that can save an elderly person from
depression and prevent its development in the future.

Many people become more anxious as they get older. Simple everyday situations
which a person could previously cope with without difficulty cause a whole series of
unreasonable fears, excitement and anxiety. Going to the doctor, payment
utilities, meeting with friends, buying groceries, cleaning and much more
others become a source of endless worries and fears. In these cases
talk about the development of anxiety
(neurotic) disorder. Such patients are fussy, restless,
pester those around them with the incessant repetition of their fears. Permanent
a feeling of internal tension with a sense of impending catastrophe makes
The life of such people is unbearable. A frequent topic of fear in old age is one’s own
health or the health and life of loved ones. Such patients are afraid to stay in
alone, they demand that someone close to them constantly
accompanied, they endlessly call their relatives with questions about their well-being. At times anxiety reaches
degree of panic. Patients cannot be at rest, they rush around the apartment,
moaning, crying, wringing their hands. Anxiety is often accompanied by a variety of
unpleasant sensations in the body (pain, palpitations, internal trembling, spasms in the
stomach, etc.), which further increases anxiety and gives rise to new fears. At
Anxiety often disrupts sleep. Patients cannot sleep for a long time and wake up at night.
Sleep disturbances, in turn, become a source of new concerns and fears.

Neuroses accompanied by anxiety are a serious disease that requires treatment from a specialist.
This condition cannot be overcome by the effort of one’s own will. Reception
sedatives provide only temporary relief. Meanwhile,
the use of modern therapeutic techniques allows you to completely get rid of
anxiety and fear.

Hypochondriasis is a person’s excessive fixation on
bodily sensations with the appearance of fears or beliefs in the presence of a serious
physical illness that is not confirmed by objective medical evidence
examinations. Old age itself with the inevitable development of physical illness and
variety of painful sensations provides abundant food for the formation
hypochondriacal experiences. Hypochondria usually manifests itself in the form of new
unusual and extremely painful bodily sensations for a person. Burning,
tightening, twisting, shooting or incessant aching pain, “bumps”
electric shock”, a feeling of burning in the body – this is not a complete list of complaints from patients with
hypochondria. A thorough examination by a therapist or neurologist does not allow
identify the cause of these sensations, and the prescription of painkillers turns out to be
ineffective. Hypochondriacal sensations and ideas are usually accompanied by decreased
mood with a hint of irritability, dissatisfaction, grumbling. These patients
They are distrustful, often change doctors, insist on additional
examinations. Constant fixation on painful sensations, endless
requirement for help from relatives, significant financial costs for everything
new expensive examinations – this is the lifestyle of a hypochondria patient
old man. Meanwhile, painful bodily sensations in hypochondria are based on
mental disorders.

Treatment of hypochondria
- difficult task. Only complex prescription of medications and
psychotherapy, persistence on the part of doctors and the help of loved ones will allow
for an elderly person to get rid of painful bodily sensations.

A relatively rare but very dangerous mental disorder
in old age - manic state
(mania). The main manifestation of mania is painfully increased
mood. Inappropriate gaiety with flat, often ridiculous jokes,
a complacent and euphoric mood with a tendency to boast and self-aggrandizement
easily replaced by outbursts of anger and aggression. These patients are tireless, sleep very little,
excited, constantly on the move, talkative, distractible. It's difficult for them
focus on any topic, they easily jump from one thought to
another. In a manic state, a person searches for new acquaintances, uncontrollably
spends money and often becomes a victim of scammers.

During mania
a person is uncritical of his behavior and rarely sees a doctor on his own
desire. Meanwhile, active treatment is necessary not only to
prevent inappropriate behavior during periods of manic excitement, but also
because mania usually gives way to severe depression. Without adequate
therapy in old age there is often a continuous change of manic and
depressive states.

Older people are often suspicious. They often
complain about unfair treatment from others, oppression from
sides of relatives, infringement of rights. In cases where these complaints have no basis
have real grounds, we can talk about the development of delusional ideas - false, untrue
judgments and inferences caused by
mental disorder. Delusional ideas - the main thing
manifestation of chronic delusional disorder - a disease that often
occurring in old age. Gradually suspicion intensifies, any
the actions of others are interpreted as directed against the patient. Content
crazy ideas are varied. Most often these are ideas of theft, material or
moral oppression, persecution for the purpose of taking possession of property, poisoning.
Patients say that ill-wishers want to “get rid of” them, evict them from their apartment,
steal things, products, mock them in every possible way, secretly enter
room, leaving garbage, dirt, adding inedible items to food,
they let gases into the apartment and scatter poisonous powders. Sometimes content
delirium is jealousy. Events that are the content of delirium, as a rule,
occur within the apartment. The detractors are usually
neighbors or relatives. Strangers are less likely to be drawn into the circle of pursuers
people, representatives of the police, public utilities, doctors.

In old age, delusions are often accompanied by false perceptions
(hallucinations). Patients “hear” unusual sounds in the apartment, knocking, steps,
vote. Sometimes they complain about unusual smells in the apartment, a changed taste of food.
Sometimes they “see” strangers in the apartment.

Delirium is always accompanied by anxiety, fear,
often with depressive feelings. The patients themselves suffer from their
diseases no less than the people around them. Crazy sayings from old people
are often perceived by people around them as psychologically understandable. Often
relatives, wanting to protect the patient from
unpleasant neighbors, change apartment. When the situation changes, some delirium
time subsides, but then resumes with the same force.

Patients with delirium are not critical of the content of their experiences; they
impossible to convince, logical arguments cannot prove them false
statements. They refuse psychiatrist consultation and treatment. In the absence of persistence on the part of
relatives, these patients can be at home for years, and sometimes decades, without
treatment. At the same time, having started treatment and feeling relief in the condition (disappearance of anxiety, fear, deactualization
delusional experiences) patients subsequently independently begin
seek the help of a doctor.

Specific
form of mental disorders in old age
is dementia (dementia).
The main manifestation of dementia is impairment of memory and higher mental
human functions. The most common forms of dementia in old age are vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Unsharp
memory loss
observed during normal mental aging. Decreases with aging
speed of mental processes, ability to concentrate, appears
forgetfulness, difficulty remembering names, worsening
the ability to remember new information. These memory impairments do not prevent
everyday and social life of elderly people remain
all personal characteristics of a person remain unchanged.

A different picture is observed in dementia. Memory impairments are never isolated, but
are always accompanied by changes in other mental functions and behavior in
in general. Alzheimer's disease develops gradually. The first manifestation
diseases are memory disorders and decreased memory for current and
past events. The person becomes forgetful, absent-minded, current events in
his experiences are replaced by the revival of memories of the past. Already in the early
During the stages of the disease, orientation in time suffers. The idea of
time sequence of events. The character also changes
of a person, the previously inherent personal characteristics are erased. He becomes
rude, selfish, sometimes apathy and inactivity come to the fore.
In some cases, the first manifestations
Alzheimer's disease may include delusions or hallucinations, as well as prolonged
depression.

By
As Alzheimer's disease progresses, symptoms of dementia become apparent.
The patient is disoriented in time,
space, environment. These patients cannot name the date, month
and a year, they often get lost on the street, they don’t always understand where they are, they don’t recognize
acquaintances and close people. Orientation in one’s own personality is also disturbed.
Patients cannot tell their age and forget key facts of life. Often
there is a “shift into the past”: they consider themselves children or young
people claim that their long-dead parents are alive. The usual
skills: patients lose the ability to use household appliances, cannot
dress yourself, wash yourself. Conscious actions are replaced by stereotypical ones
wandering and mindlessly collecting things. The ability to count is impaired
letter. Speech changes. At first, the vocabulary becomes significantly poorer. Current
events in the patient's statements are replaced by false memories. Gradually
speech loses more and more meaning, the statements of patients acquire character
stereotypical phrases, fragmentary words and syllables. In advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, patients completely lose
ability to exist without assistance, speech and motor activity
limited to meaningless screams and stereotypical movements within
bed.

At an early stage
Alzheimer's disease patients rarely see a doctor. Typically, memory impairment and personality changes
are assessed by others as manifestations
natural aging. Meanwhile, treatment started at an early stage of the disease
Alzheimer's, most effective. However, modern medicinal
drugs can slow down the progression of the disease, reduce the severity
memory impairment, facilitate patient care even in later stages of the disease
Alzheimer's.

In vascular dementia, the severity of mental
disorders usually do not reach such a deep degree as with the disease
Alzheimer's. These patients are characterized by significant fluctuations in severity
impairments of memory, orientation, awareness of the surrounding reality sometimes
even during the day. The prognosis in these cases is better than with the disease
Alzheimer's. It is extremely important to clarify the diagnosis in the early stages of the disease,
since therapeutic approaches
vary significantly across different forms of dementia.

Mental illness in old age is not always on time
are recognized. Often the person himself, his relatives, and sometimes general practitioners
practitioners consider the violations that have arisen as a manifestation of the “natural”
aging. Often an elderly person
Having suffered for years from painful manifestations of mental disorders, he is afraid to turn
to a psychiatrist, fearing that he would be considered “crazy.” These people especially need
help and support of relatives. Correctly prescribed treatment allows the elderly
a person to get rid of painful experiences that darken the last stage of his
life, and find a calm and happy old age.

In gerontology (the science of old age)
distinguish between the concepts of “painful” and “happy” aging. Currently, gerontopsychiatry
has great potential for
early diagnosis of mental disorders in old age and a wide range of
medicinal and psychotherapeutic methods
their effective treatment. Start treatment at the first symptoms
mental disorders in old age – the key to success of therapy and quality improvement
lives of elderly and senile people.

Stroke (stroke) is an acute disorder of cerebral circulation, which can have a general cerebral or focal clinical picture. Almost 90% of strokes are accompanied by apoplexy - a sudden hemorrhage in the cerebral hemispheres, the main manifestations of which are muscle paralysis and loss of consciousness. Depending on which hemisphere the blood flow occurred into, left-sided and right-sided strokes are distinguished. The life prognosis when the lesion is localized on the left side is very unfavorable.

Even if the patient survives, there is very little chance of a normal life in the future, since the vital centers responsible for speech, thinking, facial expressions and other functions are affected. To minimize pathological consequences, a person will have to undergo long-term rehabilitation, which cannot guarantee a positive result even if all recommendations are strictly followed.

Left side stroke: consequences

Experts distinguish three types of stroke, which have different signs and symptoms. It is very important to recognize in time what type of lesion is observed in a person, since the set of resuscitation measures that are provided to the patient before he is transported to the hospital depends on this.

Types of stroke and its consequences

Hemorrhagic left-sided stroke

When a hemorrhagic lesion of the brain occurs, a blood vessel ruptures, resulting in blood entering the cerebral hemisphere. Symptoms for this type of pathology develop rapidly - from a few minutes to 1-2 hours. Despite the left-sided localization of the process, the patient shows signs of pathological effects on the right side. This is due to the fact that during apoplexy the nerve endings connecting both hemispheres are damaged. The prognosis for a left-sided hemorrhagic stroke can be favorable only if assistance is provided to the patient within 15-20 minutes after the onset of the attack. In other situations, the probability of disability will be more than 88%.

Hemorrhagic stroke of the left side

A hemorrhagic stroke on the left side can be distinguished by the following features:

• violation of orientation in space;
• instant memory loss (a person suddenly forgets the names of people around him, where he is, etc.);
• paralysis of the facial muscles on the left side, causing impaired facial expressions;
• sudden loss of self-care skills.

The patient may not feel his body, he cannot dress himself, he confuses the names of objects and the names of people. After an attack, such patients often suffer from depressive disorders, complete or partial amnesia, and behavioral changes.

Functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain

Important! With a left-sided lesion of the hemorrhagic type, there is no speech impairment, or the changes in the first hours are weakly expressed. This is a distinctive sign of pathology compared to right-sided localization.

Ischemic stroke of the left side

With cerebral ischemia, a blockage of a blood vessel occurs, causing slow blood flow and poor circulation. At this moment, brain cells experience acute hypoxia (oxygen starvation) and a lack of nutrients. After a few hours, the process of cell death begins. From the onset of the pathology to the attack, it usually takes from 3 to 6 hours. If the disease is diagnosed during this period, the prognosis for future life will be quite favorable, since the most important task of stroke therapy is the elimination of negative consequences and the prevention of possible complications.

Hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke

An ischemic stroke always begins with an ischemic attack, which can last from 10-15 minutes to 2 hours (in rare cases, up to 10-12 hours). After this, the attack itself occurs, the duration of which in some situations can reach 24 hours.

Note! In very rare cases (less than 3-5%), the patient may experience a massive stroke in which both hemispheres are affected. There is almost no chance of a favorable prognosis for this clinical picture: more than 80% of patients die before doctors arrive or during surgery.

To understand exactly which functions will be impaired after an attack, you need to understand what actions each of the cerebral hemispheres is responsible for.

What are the left and right hemispheres of the brain responsible for?

Brain functions

The consequences of an attack are influenced by many factors, for example, the age of the patient. The younger the body, the greater the chance of avoiding severe consequences and maintaining an acceptable quality of life. In elderly patients, the mortality rate can reach 96%. Chronic diseases also matter. Doctors identify three pathologies that worsen the life prognosis after a stroke. These are arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.

The first signs of a stroke

Post-stroke manifestations are influenced by the speed of emergency measures, the qualifications of the doctor who performed the operation and the severity of the pathology: with an extensive heart attack, there is little chance of surviving and maintaining basic functions, even in young patients.

Muscular paralysis

Paralysis with a left-sided stroke can be complete or partial. With partial damage, the muscles of the face and limbs are mainly affected. A person develops asymmetry of facial tissues, and a so-called “false smile” may occur. Constant pain in the limbs makes it difficult to move and care for oneself independently; performing usual actions without outside help becomes impossible.

Muscle paralysis before and after recovery

There may also be constant numbness of the extremities, in which the patient does not feel his arms or legs and cannot move them.

Note! Facial paralysis with a left-sided stroke is observed not on the left, but on the right side. This is due to damage to the nerve receptors connecting the hemispheres to each other.

Signs of muscle paralysis

Visual impairment

After a stroke, the risk of glaucoma (including angle-closure glaucoma), cataracts and other pathologies of the visual system increases several times. In the first weeks after the attack, the patient develops the following signs of visual impairment:

• blurred contours of faces and objects;
• narrowing of the view (a person sees in a strictly defined projection);
• impaired lateral vision;
• a long period of focusing on one subject.

Vision pathologies after a stroke occur as a result of damage to the optic nerves. Intraocular pressure is always elevated in people who have had a stroke.

Causes of stroke

Inability to perform basic mental tasks

A person forgets how to write letters and numbers, handwriting becomes clumsy and almost unreadable. Reading skills also disappear. A person cannot add simple numbers or perform other basic operations with numbers. If medication correction is not carried out in time, the intellect may be completely impaired, and the person will not be able to control his actions and actions.

Loss of speech skills

Speech after a left-sided stroke may become slow and incoherent. The patient will most likely speak in separate words and will not be able to put short phrases into sentences. It may take up to several minutes to form a phrase. A characteristic mooing may appear. The patient stops using epithets, his speech is deprived of semantic and emotional load.

Consequences of a stroke

In most cases, the patient has a violation of articulation, which leads to the disappearance of vowel sounds. Movements of the oral cavity are chaotic and incoherent.

Important! Relatives of patients who have suffered a left-sided stroke need to be prepared for the fact that the person will most likely no longer be able to speak normally. Rehabilitation in special centers and classes with specialists will help to slightly correct speech skills, but it will not be possible to completely restore normal speech. The exception is people who, before the attack, did everything with their left hand - their speech apparatus functions may remain fully intact or suffer slightly.

Amnesia

Complete amnesia is especially dangerous after a left-sided stroke. With this type of disorder, the patient not only does not recognize close people and family members - he does not remember his name, the names of surrounding objects, and cannot describe what he sees around. With partial memory loss, certain pictures from childhood or the past may appear, but the patient may quickly forget them.

Factors that indicate a stroke

Memory impairments will remain in the post-stroke period after rehabilitation. During a conversation, a person may forget the name of the interlocutor or what he was told a few minutes ago. Such patients should not be left alone at home, because they forget what knives, gas stoves and other dangerous objects are for. Some may drink surface cleaners containing acids and alkalis, mistaking them for drinks because they do not remember the purpose of these substances. Such cases are being recorded more and more often, so the only solution in most cases may be to place a sick relative in a special boarding house.

A patient with various forms of amnesia should also not be allowed out into the street unattended - he will not be able to find his way on his own.

Dulling of natural reflexes

Most patients have impaired swallowing reflex. During meals, food may fall to the floor due to severe tremors of the limbs. The patient experiences profuse salivation, which he is unable to control. The processes of urination and defecation also become uncontrollable, so most patients may require certain hygienic care items, for example, absorbent diapers (if the patient mainly lies or sits) or adult diapers.

First aid for stroke

The mental state after an attack also changes, and doctors distinguish two completely opposite states, which depend on the degree of brain damage and the individual characteristics of the patient.

Apathy

Apathy most often appears in severe post-stroke lesions, when most of the most important functions are impaired. A person becomes indifferent to everything, he loses interest in life and communication. Such people avoid the company of relatives and friends, they prefer to be alone with themselves, and are not interested in the events happening in the family. Untidyness appears; attempts by loved ones to tidy up the person can be perceived aggressively.

Asthenia as a consequence of stroke

Important! Against the background of apathy, depressive disorders often develop, and suicidal tendencies may appear. Under no circumstances should such people be left alone. It is important to provide them with a calm environment and constant supervision without signs of imposition.

Aggressive behavior

Uncontrolled aggression usually manifests itself in people who have partially retained their functions, but have lost their usual quality of life. For example, a person who has preserved the functions of the speech apparatus, but lacks control over the processes of emptying the bladder and intestines, experiences anger and irritation towards the people caring for him. It is very important for relatives to remain calm and self-controlled at such moments, since a response can aggravate the patient’s condition and reduce the effectiveness of rehabilitation measures and drug treatment.

Consequences of stroke in numbers

A person experiencing aggression after a stroke may throw objects that come to hand at others, break dishes, and bite. If the patient’s behavior becomes threatening to the normal living indoors of the rest of the family, it is necessary to consult a doctor about the advisability of isolation.

Video - Consequences of a stroke

Epilepsy occurs mainly in people over 55-60 years of age if they have not received medical assistance in a timely manner. The first attacks may begin in the hospital during the recovery period after surgery, but in most cases this occurs 1-2 months after the onset of irreversible processes in the brain cells. As practice shows, it will no longer be possible to cope with this disorder. Therapy in this case is aimed at maintaining remission and preventing new attacks. For this purpose, the patient is prescribed special anticonvulsants, which are selected individually in a hospital setting with a mandatory assessment of the quality of treatment, positive dynamics and emerging side effects.

A left-sided stroke is a pathology with a less favorable life prognosis than a right-sided lesion. In most cases, the disease leads to disability and severe functional disorders, in which a person completely loses self-care skills and independent existence. Timely provision of emergency care is of great importance in determining the prognosis and negative consequences, therefore, if you are prone to brain damage, circulatory disorders and have a history of heart and vascular diseases, it is important to know the symptoms of a stroke and be able to provide first aid.

Psyche(from the Greek psychikos - spiritual) - a form of active reflection by the subject of objective reality, arising in the process of interaction of highly organized living beings with the outside world and carrying out a regulatory function in their behavior and activity.

Structure of the human psyche

The human psyche is a very complex system, consisting of separate subsystems; its elements are hierarchically organized and very changeable. The main property of the psyche is its systematicity, integrity and indivisibility.

The psyche as a system has a certain organization. It distinguishes mental processes, mental properties and mental states.

Mental processes- these are processes occurring in the human head and reflected in dynamically changing mental phenomena. They are divided into cognitive, regulatory and communicative processes.

Cognitive mental processes provide reflection of the world and transformation of information. They include sensory-perceptual processes (and), memory processes and, the thinking process.

Processes of mental regulation provide direction, intensity and temporal organization of behavior. These include the processes of motivation, goal setting, decision making, control processes, emotional and volitional processes.

The process that connects the cognitive and psychoregulatory spheres of the psyche is attention, which ensures selectivity of reflection, memorization and processing of information.

Communication processes provide communication between people, expression and understanding of thoughts and feelings. They are presented in speech and nonverbal communication - the transfer of information using facial expressions, postures, gestures, gaze, intonation, volume and pitch of voice, communication distance, etc.

Mental properties- individual psychological characteristics that determine the constant ways a person interacts with the world.

Like any system, the human psyche has mental properties that have an individual degree of expression. These properties are relatively constant over time, although they can change during life under the influence of external influences, activity experience and biological factors.

Mental properties include temperament, character, and personality abilities.

- an internal holistic characteristic of the individual psyche, relatively unchanged over time. The following main characteristics of mental states are distinguished:

• emotional (anxiety, joy, sadness, etc.);
• activation (activity, passivity);
• tonic (vigorance, depression);
• temporary (duration of the condition).

All forms of mental phenomena are interconnected and transform into one another. For example, such a complex mental process as thinking, depending on the object and conditions, can cause a state of fatigue and passivity or excitement and activity. If a person in the process of his activity (for example, a student) has to systematically study new material and solve problems, then various mental states associated with the thinking process are generalized and become a stable mental property of his personality, expressed in mental abilities. A person with developed thinking can mobilize attention, activate memory, and overcome fatigue.

In all forms of mental phenomena, the mind, feelings and will of a person, together with his needs, appear in an inextricable unity. Even in such a relatively simple mental process as sensation, awareness and evaluation of an object affecting the corresponding organ, experience caused by irritation, and regulation of practical actions can take place. The unity of the human psyche in more complex forms of its manifestation becomes even more obvious.

Mental processes, states and properties form the main conceptual “framework” on which the edifice of modern psychology is built.

Not all processes occurring in the human psyche are conscious of him; in addition to consciousness, a person also has the unconscious. In the structure of the human psyche with from the point of view of awareness of mental phenomena distinguish the unconscious, subconscious, preconscious, conscious and superconscious (Fig. 1).

The initial level of the psyche is . The unconscious is presented in the form of the individual unconscious and the collective unconscious. Individual unconscious associated mainly with instincts, which include the instincts of self-preservation, reproduction, territorial, etc. Concept collective unconscious was developed in the 30-40s. XX century Swiss psychologist K.G. Jung, who in his work “The Structure of the Soul” and in a number of others argued that in the depths of the human soul lives the memory of the history of the entire human race, that in a person, in addition to the personal properties inherited from his parents, the properties of his distant ancestors also live. The collective unconscious, in contrast to the individual (personal unconscious), is identical in all people and forms the universal basis of the mental life of each person, the deepest level of the psyche. Jung figuratively compares the collective unconscious to the sea, which is, as it were, a prerequisite for each wave. Likewise, the collective unconscious is a prerequisite for each individual psyche. Processes of “psychic penetration” occur all the time between an individual and other people.

Rice. 1. Structure of the human psyche

The collective unconscious is expressed in archetypes - the most ancient mental prototypes, directly embodied in myths.

TO subconscious These include those ideas, desires, aspirations that have left consciousness or were perceived by the psyche in the form of signals, but were not allowed into the sphere of consciousness.

Subconscious images can be updated. For example, a person can completely involuntarily remember some of his sensations, feelings, thoughts, seemingly long forgotten.

Preconscious is an intermediate mental state between the unconscious and consciousness, existing in the form of a “stream of consciousness” - a spontaneous flow of thoughts, images and associations. The level of preconsciousness is also represented by emotions, characterized by great diversity.

As a component of the psyche, it includes such higher mental functions as representation, thinking, will, memory, imagination.

TO superconscious These include mental formations that a person is able to form within himself as a result of purposeful efforts. These superpowers of the psyche can manifest themselves, for example, in the conscious regulation of somatic states (walking on hot coals, slowing down the heart rate, etc.).

The identification of levels in the structure of the psyche is associated with its complexity. The unconscious is a deeper level of the psyche compared to the subconscious, etc. In the psyche of a particular person, there are no hard boundaries between different levels. The psyche functions as a single whole.

Consciousness

Consciousness is the highest level of human reflection of reality, as a result of which knowledge and transformation of the surrounding world is achieved, if the psyche is considered from a materialistic position, and the actual human form of the mental principle of being, if the psyche is interpreted from an idealistic position.

In the history of psychology, the problem of consciousness is the most difficult and least developed.

Regardless of what ideological positions the researchers of consciousness adhered to, the so-called reflective ability, i.e. the readiness of consciousness to understand other mental phenomena and itself. The presence of such an ability in a person is the basis for the existence and development of psychology, for without it, mental phenomena would be closed to knowledge. Without reflection, a person could not have the idea that he has a psyche.

Psychological characteristics of consciousness include:

• feeling of being a knowing subject;
• the ability to mentally imagine existing and imagined reality;
• the ability to control and manage one’s own mental and behavioral states;
• the ability to perceive the surrounding reality in the form of images.

Consciousness is tight associated with volitional control on the part of a person, his own mental states and behavior. Consciousness differs from the unconscious in that a person voluntarily, i.e. with the help of volitional effort, he consciously focuses his attention on a mental image, an idea, a memory, a certain train of thought, and is distracted from what is unimportant at the moment.

Consciousness related to speech and without it it does not exist in its highest forms. Awareness of something is possible only if it has a verbal and conceptual meaning, endowed with a certain meaning associated with human culture. Words-concepts contain indications of the general and distinctive properties of the class of objects reflected in consciousness. Not all and not random ones are reflected in consciousness, but only the basic, main, essential characteristics of objects and phenomena, i.e. something that is inherent specifically to them and distinguishes them from other objects and phenomena that are externally similar to them.

The most important characteristic of consciousness is its ability to communicate, those. transmission to other people of what a given person is aware of using language and other sign systems.

Consciousness is structured and includes several layers. In the works of the leading Russian psychologist V.P. Zinchenko distinguished two levels of consciousness: existential and reflective.

The first initial level is existential consciousness(consciousness for being), or existential, - includes:

• biodynamic properties of movements, experience of actions;
• sensual images.

At the existential level of consciousness, very complex problems are solved, since for effective behavior it is necessary to update the image and the necessary program of movements needed at the moment. The mode of action must fit into the image of the world, which provides the existential layer of consciousness (Fig. 2).

Second level of consciousness - reflective(consciousness for consciousness) - includes:

• meaning;
• meaning.

Meaning - the content of social consciousness assimilated by a person.

Meaning - a person’s subjective understanding of the situation, information and attitude towards them.

Meaning and meaning are interconnected: meaning indicates the significance of a particular object or phenomenon for the individual. There are processes of mutual transformation of meanings and meanings (comprehension of meanings and meaning of meanings).

Rice. 2. Structure of consciousness

Let's consider this diagram from the point of view of the integrity of consciousness.

The world of objective-practical activity correlates with the biodynamic fabric of movement and action at the existential level of consciousness.

The world of ideas, imaginations, cultural symbols and signs correlates with the sensory fabric of the existential layer of consciousness.

The world of ideas, concepts, everyday and scientific knowledge correlates with the values ​​of the reflexive level of consciousness.

The world of human values, experiences, emotions correlates with the meanings of the reflexive level of consciousness.

Consciousness manifests and is present in all these worlds. It controls the most complex forms of behavior that require constant attention and conscious control from a person, and is activated in cases where:

• unexpected, intellectually challenging problems arise that have no obvious solution;
• it is necessary to overcome physical or psychological resistance to the movement of thought or bodily organ;
• you need to understand the conflict situation and find a way out of it;
• a person finds himself in a situation that poses a potential threat to him if immediate action is not taken.

Situations of this kind arise in front of people almost continuously, therefore consciousness, as the highest level of mental regulation of behavior, constantly functions.

In recent works, V.P. Zinchenko, along with other psychologists, recognizes the limitations of any model of consciousness in which its spiritual layer is not represented: “In my early works on the structure of consciousness, I developed a two-layer model. Now I am convinced of its inadequacy. The spiritual layer of consciousness in human life plays no less a role than the existential and reflective layers.” The presence of a spiritual layer for psychologists is now becoming obvious. Moreover, the spiritual layer in the structure of the whole consciousness should play a leading role, animate And inspire existential and reflective layers. However, within the framework of materialistically oriented psychology there are no concepts to express the spiritual components of consciousness. In modern scientific psychology, in contrast to Christian psychology, there is still too little experience in discussing the problems of consciousness on the basis of a three-layer model and considerable conceptual work is required in order to “fit” the spiritual layer into the structure of consciousness without contradictions.

Mental and spiritual in the human psyche

Much experience in understanding the spiritual layer of consciousness has been accumulated in Christian psychology, which explains the mental life of a person not only from the point of view of its functioning, but also the direction of a person’s life path towards higher spiritual values. The inner life of a person is described using the concepts of soul and spirit. A classic work that reveals the relationship between a person’s mental and spiritual life is the work of V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky, archbishop and neurosurgeon. Modern psychologists point to the need for scientific psychology to master the basic ideas outlined by V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky in the essay “Spirit, Soul and Body.”

In this work, Voino-Yasenetsky notes that Christian psychology accepts the scientific concept of mental activity as a colossally complex nervous activity, but does not consider it exhaustive.

States and acts of consciousness in a person are determined not only by the influence of the external and internal environment, but also influence of the highest spiritual reality - God.

According to V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky, states and acts of consciousness, such as thinking, will, feelings, passions, love and others, are caused by:

• organic sensations of our body;
• perceptions of the senses;
• perceptions from our transcendental (super-experienced) being;
• perceptions from the higher spiritual world;
• influences of our spirit.

Acts of consciousness are interconnected in nature, thought is always accompanied by feeling, feeling and will by thought, acts of will are associated with thought and feeling, etc. These states of consciousness are constantly changing, because acts of consciousness are in constant motion. The volume of consciousness is determined by the variety and depth of acts and states of consciousness. The volume of consciousness also constantly changes towards an increase or, in the case of pathology, towards a decrease. The spiritual side always participates in acts and states of consciousness, defining and directing them. In turn, the spirit grows and changes from the activity of consciousness, from its individual acts and states.

The fullness of mental life is designated in Christian psychology by the concept souls.

The soul is a complex of organic and sensory perceptions, thoughts, memories, emotions and volitional acts united by self-consciousness.

The activity of the soul involves the spirit, which has as its source the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which manifests itself in the highest properties of spirituality - religiosity, moral feeling, philosophical and scientific thinking, subtle artistic and musical sensitivity.

The life of the spirit is inseparably and intimately connected with the life of the body. The spiritual essence of a person is expressed in his entire appearance. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky draws attention to the fact that not only the eyes are the mirror of the soul, but also all forms of the human body and its movements correspond to the soul and spirit. The rough and cruel spirit, transmitted by inheritance, already in the process of embryogenesis directs the development of somatic elements and creates rough forms reflecting it. The pure spirit creates corresponding bodily forms. The formative influence of the spirit creates the subtlest difference between somatically similar faces: although they are similar, one face looks vulgar, while the other looks delicate and beautiful.

The spirit and soul of a person are inseparably united during life into a single entity: the manifestation of the spirit is associated with all neuroisychic activity.

All our thoughts, feelings, acts of will are imprinted in the spirit - everything that happens in our consciousness as a reflection of the external and internal world. Spiritual imprints are something different from the traces and imprints in nerve cells with which physiologists and psychologists explain memory.

In Christian psychology, the human spirit is seen as a more important and powerful substrate of memory compared to the brain. For the manifestation of the spirit, there are no time standards, there is no need for sequence and causation, reproduction in memory of the events of experience, necessary for the functions of the brain: “The spirit immediately embraces everything and instantly reproduces everything in its entirety.” The spirit can work without consciousness knowing about its work: very complex intellectual operations pass by consciousness, on the surface of which the finished result is given. A whole world of unknown ideas is contained within us.

Elements of a person’s mental activity, his feelings and mental processes, inextricably linked with the activity of the brain, organic and sensory perceptions, constituting the elements of self-awareness and self-perception, are mortal. But those elements of self-consciousness that are associated with the life of the spirit are immortal. The human spirit is free, the spirit breathes where it wants, and its lower sensual soul obeys the laws of causality.

Sometimes it seems that a loved one has gone crazy.

Or it starts to go away. How to determine that “the roof has gone crazy” and it’s not your imagination?

In this article, you will learn about the 10 main symptoms of mental disorders.

There is a joke among people: “There are no mentally healthy people, there are underexamined ones.” This means that individual signs of mental disorders can be found in the behavior of any person, and the main thing is not to fall into a manic search for corresponding symptoms in others.

And the point is not even that a person can become dangerous to society or himself. Some mental disorders arise as a consequence of organic brain damage, which requires immediate treatment. Delay can cost a person not only mental health, but also life.

Some symptoms, on the contrary, are sometimes regarded by others as manifestations of bad character, promiscuity or laziness, when in fact they are manifestations of illness.

In particular, depression is not considered by many to be a disease requiring serious treatment. “Pull yourself together! Stop whining! You are a weakling, you should be ashamed! Stop digging into yourself and everything will pass!” - this is how relatives and friends exhort the patient. But he needs the help of a specialist and long-term treatment, otherwise he won’t get out.

The onset of senile dementia or early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can also be mistaken for age-related decline in intelligence or bad character, but in fact it's time to start looking for a caregiver to look after the patient.

How can you determine whether you should worry about a relative, colleague, or friend?

Signs of a mental disorder

This condition can accompany any mental disorder and many somatic diseases. Asthenia is expressed in weakness, low performance, mood swings, and increased sensitivity. A person begins to cry easily, becomes instantly irritated and loses self-control. Asthenia is often accompanied by sleep disturbances.

Obsessive states

The wide range of obsessions includes many manifestations: from constant doubts, fears that a person is not able to cope with, to an irresistible desire for cleanliness or the performance of certain actions.

Under the power of an obsessive state, a person may return home several times to check whether he has turned off the iron, gas, water, or whether he has locked the door. An obsessive fear of an accident may force the patient to perform certain rituals, which, according to the sufferer, can ward off trouble. If you notice that your friend or relative washes their hands for hours, has become overly squeamish and is always afraid of getting infected with something, this is also an obsession. The desire to avoid stepping on cracks in asphalt, tile joints, avoiding certain types of transport or people wearing clothes of a certain color or type is also an obsessive state.

Mood changes

Melancholy, depression, a desire for self-recrimination, talk about one’s own worthlessness or sinfulness, and about death can also be symptoms of the disease. You should also pay attention to other manifestations of inadequacy:

• Unnatural frivolity, carelessness.
• Foolishness, not typical of age and character.
• A euphoric state, optimism that has no basis.
• Fussiness, talkativeness, inability to concentrate, chaotic thinking.
• Heightened self-esteem.
• Projecting.
• Increased sexuality, extinction of natural shyness, inability to restrain sexual desires.

You have cause for concern if your loved one begins to complain of unusual sensations in the body. They can be extremely unpleasant or downright annoying. These are sensations of squeezing, burning, moving “something inside,” “rustling in the head.” Sometimes such sensations can be a consequence of very real somatic diseases, but often senestopathies indicate the presence of hypochondriacal syndrome.

Hypochondria

Expressed in manic preoccupation with the state of one’s own health. Examinations and test results may indicate the absence of diseases, but the patient does not believe it and requires more and more examinations and serious treatment. A person talks almost exclusively about his well-being, does not leave clinics and demands to be treated as a patient. Hypochondria often goes hand in hand with depression.

Illusions

There is no need to confuse illusions and hallucinations. Illusions force a person to perceive real objects and phenomena in a distorted form, while with hallucinations a person perceives something that does not really exist.

Examples of illusions:

• the pattern on the wallpaper seems to be a tangle of snakes or worms;
• the size of objects is perceived in a distorted form;
• the patter of raindrops on the windowsill seems like the careful steps of someone scary;
• the shadows of the trees turn into terrible creatures creeping up with frightening intentions, etc.

If outsiders may not be aware of the presence of illusions, then the susceptibility to hallucinations may manifest itself more noticeably.

Hallucinations can affect all senses, that is, be visual and auditory, tactile and gustatory, olfactory and general, and also be combined in any combination. To the patient, everything he sees, hears and feels seems completely real. He may not believe that those around him do not feel, hear, or see all this. He may perceive their bewilderment as a conspiracy, deception, mockery, and become annoyed that he is not understood.

With auditory hallucinations, a person hears various kinds of noise, fragments of words or coherent phrases. “Voices” can give commands or comment on the patient’s every action, laugh at him or discuss his thoughts.

Gustatory and olfactory hallucinations often cause the sensation of an unpleasant property: a disgusting taste or smell.

With tactile hallucinations, the patient thinks that someone is biting, touching, strangling him, that insects are crawling on him, that some creatures are inserting themselves into his body and moving there or eating the body from the inside.

Externally, susceptibility to hallucinations is expressed in conversations with an invisible interlocutor, sudden laughter or constant intense listening to something. The patient may constantly shake something off himself, scream, look around himself with a worried look, or ask others if they see something on his body or in the surrounding space.

Rave

Delusional states often accompany psychosis. Delusion is based on erroneous judgments, and the patient stubbornly maintains his false belief, even if there are obvious contradictions with reality. Delusional ideas acquire super-value, significance that determines all behavior.

Delusional disorders can be expressed in erotic form, or in conviction of one's great mission, in descent from a noble family or aliens. The patient may feel that someone is trying to kill or poison him, rob or kidnap him. Sometimes the development of a delusional state is preceded by a feeling of unreality of the surrounding world or one’s own personality.

Hoarding or excessive generosity

Yes, any collector can be under suspicion. Especially in cases where collecting becomes an obsession and subjugates a person’s entire life. This can be expressed in the desire to drag things found in garbage dumps into the house, hoard food without paying attention to expiration dates, or pick up stray animals in quantities that exceed the ability to provide them with normal care and proper maintenance.

The desire to give away all your property and excessive spending can also be regarded as a suspicious symptom. Especially in the case when a person has not previously been distinguished by generosity or altruism.

There are people who are unsociable and unsociable due to their character. This is normal and should not raise suspicions of schizophrenia or other mental disorders. But if a born cheerful person, the life of the party, a family man and a good friend suddenly begins to destroy social ties, becomes unsociable, shows coldness towards those who were recently dear to him - this is a reason to worry about his mental health.

A person becomes sloppy, stops taking care of himself, and in society can begin to behave shockingly - commit acts that are considered indecent and unacceptable.

What to do?

It is very difficult to make the right decision when there are suspicions of a mental disorder in someone close to you. Perhaps the person is simply going through a difficult period in his life, and that is why his behavior has changed. Things will get better - and everything will return to normal.

But it may turn out that the symptoms you notice are a manifestation of a serious illness that needs to be treated. In particular, brain cancer in most cases leads to certain mental disorders. Delay in starting treatment can be fatal in this case.

Other diseases also need to be treated in a timely manner, but the patient himself may not notice the changes happening to him, and only those close to him will be able to influence the state of affairs.

However, there is another option: the tendency to see everyone around as potential patients of a psychiatric clinic may also turn out to be a mental disorder. Before calling emergency psychiatric help for a neighbor or relative, try to analyze your own condition. What if you have to start with yourself? Remember the joke about the under-examined?

“Every joke has some humor in it” ©