Children's mental disorders. How to know if a child is mentally ill. How not to miss a mental disorder in a child and what to do in these cases

If a neuropsychiatric disorder is identified at a young age, when the disease is at an early stage, treatment will be more effective and efficient. In addition, it will be possible to avoid many complications, for example, the complete collapse of the personality, the ability to think, to perceive reality.

It usually takes about ten years from the moment the first, barely noticeable symptoms appear until the day when the neuropsychiatric disorder manifests itself in full force. But then the treatment will be less effective if this stage of the disorder can be cured at all.

How to determine?

So that parents can independently identify the symptoms of mental disorders and help their child in time, psychiatrists have published a simple test consisting of 11 questions. The test will help you easily recognize warning signs that are common to a wide range of mental disorders. Thus, it is possible to qualitatively reduce the number of suffering children by adding them to the number of children who are already undergoing treatment.

Test "11 signs"

Have you noticed in a child a state of deep melancholy, isolation, which lasts more than 2-3 weeks?
Has the child exhibited uncontrolled, violent behavior that is dangerous to others?
Was there a desire to harm people, participation in fights, perhaps even with the use of weapons?
Has the child, adolescent attempted to harm his body or committed suicide, or expressed intentions to do so?
Perhaps there were attacks of sudden causeless all-consuming fear, panic, while the heartbeat and breathing quickened?
Has the child refused to eat? Perhaps you found laxatives in his things?
Does the child have chronic states of anxiety and fear that inhibit normal activity?
The child cannot concentrate, is restless, is characterized by school failure?
Have you noticed that the child repeatedly used alcohol and drugs?
Does the child's mood often change, is it difficult for him to build and maintain normal relationships with others?
Did the child's personality and behavior often change, were the changes abrupt and unreasonable?

This technique was created to help parents determine what behavior for a child can be considered normal, and what requires special attention and observation. If most of the symptoms regularly appear in the child's personality, parents are advised to seek a more accurate diagnosis from specialists in the field of psychology and psychiatry.

Mental retardation

Mental retardation is diagnosed from an early age, manifested by the underdevelopment of general mental functions, where thinking defects predominate. Mentally retarded children are distinguished by a low level of intelligence - below 70, they are not socially adapted.

Symptoms

Symptoms of mental retardation (oligophrenia) are characterized by disorders of emotional functions, as well as significant intellectual insufficiency:

impaired or absent cognitive need;
slows down, narrows perception;
having difficulty with active attention;
the child remembers information slowly, unstable;
poor vocabulary: words are used inaccurately, phrases are undeveloped, speech is characterized by an abundance of cliches, agrammatisms, pronunciation defects are noticeable;
moral, aesthetic emotions are poorly developed;
there are no stable motivations;
the child is dependent on external influences, does not know how to control the simplest instinctive needs;
having difficulty predicting the consequences of one's own actions.

The reasons

Mental retardation occurs due to any damage to the brain during fetal development, during childbirth, or in the first year of life. The main causes of oligophrenia are due to:

genetic pathology - "fragile x-chromosome".
taking alcohol, drugs during pregnancy (fetal alcohol syndrome);
infections (rubella, HIV and others);
physical damage to brain tissue during childbirth;
CNS diseases, brain infections (meningitis, encephalitis, mercury intoxication);
the facts of socio-pedagogical neglect are not a direct cause of oligophrenia, but significantly exacerbate other probable causes.

Can it be cured?

Mental retardation is a pathological condition, the signs of which can be detected many years after exposure to likely damaging factors. Therefore, it is difficult to cure oligophrenia, it is easier to try to prevent pathology.

However, the child's condition can be significantly alleviated by special training and education, and a child with mental retardation can develop the simplest hygiene and self-care skills, communication and speech skills.

Treatment with drugs is used only in case of complications, such as behavioral disorders.

Impaired mental function

With a delay in mental development (ZPR), the child has a pathologically immature personality, the psyche develops slowly, the cognitive sphere is disturbed, and tendencies of reverse development are manifested. Unlike oligophrenia, where violations of the intellectual sphere predominate, mental retardation primarily affects the emotional and volitional sphere.

Mental infantilism

Often children manifest mental infantilism, as one of the forms of mental retardation. The neuropsychic immaturity of an infantile child is expressed by disorders of the emotional and volitional spheres. Children prefer emotional experiences, games, while cognitive interest is reduced. An infantile child is not able to make strong-willed efforts to organize intellectual activity at school, and does not adapt well to school discipline. Other forms of mental retardation are also distinguished: delayed development of reading, writing, reading and counting.

What is the prognosis?

Predicting the effectiveness of the treatment of mental retardation, it is necessary to take into account the causes of violations. For example, signs of mental infantilism can be completely smoothed out by organizing educational and training activities. If the developmental delay is due to a serious organic insufficiency of the central nervous system, the effectiveness of rehabilitation will depend on the degree of damage to the brain by the main defect.

How to help a child?

Comprehensive rehabilitation of children with mental retardation is carried out by several specialists at once: a psychiatrist, a pediatrician and a speech therapist. If a referral to a special rehabilitation institution is necessary, the child is examined by doctors from the medical and pedagogical commission.

Effective treatment of a child with mental retardation begins with daily homework with parents. It is reinforced by visits to specialized speech therapy and groups for children with mental retardation in preschool institutions, where the child is assisted and supported by qualified speech pathologists and teachers.

If by school age the child has not been completely relieved of the symptoms of neuropsychic developmental delay, you can continue your education in special classes, where the school curriculum is adapted to the needs of children with pathologies. The child will be provided with ongoing support, ensuring the normal formation of personality and self-esteem.

attention deficit disorder

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) affects many preschool children, schoolchildren and adolescents. Children are not able to concentrate attention for a long time, they are excessively impulsive, hyperactive, not attentive.

signs

ADD and hyperactivity are diagnosed in a child if:

excessive excitability;
restlessness;
the child is easily distracted;
not able to restrain himself and his emotions;
unable to follow instructions;
distracted attention;
easily jumps from one thing to another;
does not like quiet games, prefers dangerous, mobile affairs;
excessively chatty, in conversation interrupts the interlocutor;
does not know how to listen;
does not know how to keep order, loses things.

Why does ADD develop?

The causes of Attention Deficit Disorder are related to many factors:

the child is genetically predisposed to ADD.
during childbirth there was a brain injury;
The central nervous system is damaged by toxins or a bacterial-viral infection.

Effects

Attention deficit disorder is an intractable pathology, however, using modern methods of education, over time, manifestations of hyperactivity can be significantly reduced.

If the ADD condition is left untreated, the child may have difficulties with learning, self-esteem, adaptation in the social space, and family problems in the future. Adult children with ADD are more likely to experience drug and alcohol addiction, conflicts with the law, antisocial behavior, and divorce.

Types of treatment

The approach to the treatment of attention deficit disorder should be comprehensive and versatile, include the following techniques:

vitamin therapy and antidepressants;
teaching children self-control using various methods;
supportive environment at school and at home;
special strengthening diet.

Autism

Children with autism are in a state of constant "extreme" loneliness, they are not able to establish emotional contact with others, they are not socially and communicatively developed.

Autistic children do not look into the eyes, their gaze wanders, as if in an unreal world. There is no expressive facial expressions, speech has no intonation, they practically do not use gestures. It is difficult for a child to express his emotional state, especially to understand the emotions of another person.

How is it manifested?

Children with autism exhibit stereotypical behavior, it is difficult for them to change the environment, living conditions to which they are accustomed. The slightest changes cause panic fear and resistance. Autistic people tend to perform monotonous speech and motor actions: shake their hands, jump, repeat words and sounds. In any activity, a child with autism prefers monotony: he becomes attached and performs monotonous manipulations with certain objects, chooses the same game, topic of conversation, drawing.

Violations of the communicative function of speech are noticeable. It is difficult for autistic people to communicate with others, to ask their parents for help, but they are happy to recite their favorite poem, constantly choosing the same work.

Children with autism have echolalia, they constantly repeat the words and phrases they hear. Incorrect use of pronouns, may refer to themselves as "he" or "we". Autistic people never ask questions, and practically do not react when others turn to them, that is, they completely avoid communication.

Reasons for development

Scientists have put forward many hypotheses about the causes of autism, identified about 30 factors that can provoke the development of the disease, but none of them is an independent cause of autism in children.

It is known that the development of autism is associated with the formation of a special congenital pathology, which is based on CNS insufficiency. Such a pathology is formed due to genetic predisposition, chromosomal abnormalities, organic disorders of the nervous system during pathological pregnancy or childbirth, against the background of early schizophrenia.

Treatment

It is very difficult to cure autism, it will require huge efforts on the part of parents, in the first place, as well as the teamwork of many specialists: a psychologist, speech therapist, pediatrician, psychiatrist and speech pathologist.

Specialists face many problems that need to be solved gradually and comprehensively:

correct speech and teach the child to communicate with others;
develop motor skills with the help of special exercises;
using modern teaching methods to overcome intellectual underdevelopment;
solve problems within the family in order to remove all obstacles for the full development of the child;
using special drugs to correct behavioral disorders, personality and other psychopathological symptoms.

Schizophrenia

With schizophrenia, personality changes occur, which are expressed by emotional impoverishment, a decrease in energy potential, a loss of unity of mental functions, and the progression of introversion.

Clinical signs

In preschoolers and schoolchildren, the following signs of schizophrenia are observed:

infants do not respond to wet diapers and hunger, rarely cry, sleep restlessly, often wake up.
at a conscious age, the main manifestation is unreasonable fear, which is replaced by absolute fearlessness, the mood often changes.
states of motor depression and excitation appear: the child freezes for a long time in an absurd pose, practically immobilized, and at times they suddenly begin to run back and forth, jump, and scream.
there are elements of a "pathological game", which is characterized by monotony, monotony and stereotypical behavior.

Students with schizophrenia behave as follows:

suffer from speech disorders, using neologisms and stereotypical phrases, sometimes agrammatism and mutism appear;
even the child's voice changes, becomes "singing", "chanting", "whispering";
thinking is inconsistent, illogical, the child is inclined to philosophize, philosophize on sublime topics about the universe, the meaning of life, the end of the world;
suffers from visual, tactile, occasionally auditory hallucinations of an episodic nature;
somatic disorders of the stomach appear: lack of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, incontinence of feces and urine.

Schizophrenia in adolescents is manifested by the following symptoms:

at the physical level, headache, fatigue, absent-mindedness appear;
depersonalization and derealization - the child feels that he is changing, he is afraid of himself, walks like a shadow, school performance decreases;
there are crazy ideas, a frequent fantasy of "alien parents", when the patient believes that his parents are not his relatives, it seems to the child that others around him are hostile, aggressive, dismissive;
there are signs of olfactory and auditory hallucinations, obsessive fears and doubts that make the child do illogical actions;
affective disorders appear - fear of death, insanity, insomnia, hallucinations and painful sensations in various organs of the body;
visual hallucinations are especially tormenting, the child sees terrible unrealistic pictures that inspire fear in the patient, pathologically perceives reality, suffers from manic states.

Treatment with drugs

For the treatment of schizophrenia, antipsychotics are used: haloperidol, chlorazine, stelazin and others. For younger children, weaker antipsychotics are recommended. With sluggish schizophrenia, treatment with sedatives is added to the main therapy: indopan, niamid, etc.

During the period of remission, it is necessary to normalize the home environment, apply educational and educational therapy, psychotherapy, and labor therapy. Supportive treatment with prescribed neuroleptic drugs is also carried out.

Disability

Patients with schizophrenia can completely lose their ability to work, while others retain the opportunity to work and even grow creatively.

Disability is given for continuously ongoing schizophrenia, if the patient has a malignant and paranoid form of the disease. Usually, patients are referred to the II group of disability, and if the patient has lost the ability to independently serve himself, then to the I group.
With recurrent schizophrenia, especially during acute attacks, patients are completely unable to work, so they are assigned a group II disability. During remission, a transfer to group III is possible.

Epilepsy

The causes of epilepsy are mainly associated with genetic predisposition and exogenous factors: CNS damage, bacterial and viral infections, complications after vaccination.

Seizure symptoms

Before an attack, the child experiences a special state - an aura, which lasts 1-3 minutes, but is conscious. The condition is characterized by a change in motor restlessness and fading, excessive sweating, hyperemia of the facial muscles. Toddlers rub their eyes with their hands, older children talk about gustatory, auditory, visual or olfactory hallucinations.

After the aura phase, there is a loss of consciousness and an attack of convulsive muscle contractions. During the attack, the tonic phase predominates, the complexion becomes pale, then purplish-cyanotic. The child wheezes, foam appears on the lips, possibly with blood. Pupillary reaction to light is negative. There are cases of involuntary urination and defecation. An epileptic seizure ends with a sleep phase. Waking up, the child feels broken, depressed, his head hurts.

Urgent care

Epileptic seizures are very dangerous for children, there is a threat to life and mental health, so emergency care is urgently needed during seizures.

As an emergency, early therapy measures, anesthesia, and the introduction of muscle relaxants are used. First, you need to remove all squeezing things from the child: a belt, unfasten the collar so that there are no obstacles to the flow of fresh air. Insert a soft barrier between the teeth so that the child does not bite the tongue during a seizure.

Preparations

You will need an enema with a solution of chloral hydrate 2%, as well as an intramuscular injection of magnesium sulfate 25%, or diazepam 0.5%. If the attack does not stop after 5-6 minutes, you need to enter a half dose of an anticonvulsant drug.

neuroses

Neurosis in a child manifests itself in the form of mental discoordination, emotional imbalance, sleep disturbances, symptoms of neurological diseases.

How are

The reasons for the formation of neuroses in children are psychogenic in nature. Perhaps the child had a mental trauma or he was haunted for a long time by failures that provoked a state of severe mental stress.

The development of neurosis is influenced by both mental and physiological factors:

Prolonged mental stress can be expressed in violations of the functions of internal organs and provoke peptic ulcer, bronchial asthma, hypertension, neurodermatitis, which in turn only aggravate the mental state of the child.
Disorders of the autonomic system also occur: blood pressure is disturbed, pains in the heart appear, palpitations, sleep disorders, a headache, fingers tremble, fatigue and discomfort in the body. This condition is quickly fixed and it is difficult for the child to get rid of the feeling of anxiety.
The level of stress resistance of the child significantly affects the formation of neuroses. Emotionally unbalanced children experience petty quarrels with friends and relatives for a long time, so neuroses form more often in such children.
It is known that neurosis in children occurs more often during periods that can be called "extreme" for the child's psyche. So most of the neuroses occur at the age of 3-5 years, when the child's "I" is formed, as well as at the period of puberty - years.

Among the most common neurotic disorders in children are: neurasthenia, hysterical arthrosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders mainly affect teenagers, whose self-esteem is severely underestimated due to negative thoughts about their own weight and appearance. As a result, a pathological attitude to nutrition is developed, habits are formed that contradict the normal functioning of the body.

It was believed that anorexia and bulimia were more characteristic of girls, but in practice it turns out that boys suffer from eating disorders with equal frequency.

This type of neuropsychiatric disorders spreads very dynamically, gradually becoming threatening. Moreover, many teenagers successfully hide their problem from their parents for many months, and even years.

Anorexia

Children suffering from anorexia are tormented by constant feelings of shame and fear, illusions about being overweight and a distorted opinion about their own body, size and shape. The desire to lose weight sometimes reaches the point of absurdity, the child brings himself to a state of dystrophy.

Some teenagers use the most severe diets, multi-day fasts, limiting the amount of calories consumed to a deadly low limit. Others, in an effort to lose "extra" pounds, endure excessive physical exertion, bringing their body to a dangerous level of overwork.

bulimia

Adolescents with bulimia are characterized by periodic drastic weight swings because they combine periods of binge eating with periods of fasting and purging. Experiencing a constant need to eat whatever they can get their hands on, and at the same time feeling uncomfortable and ashamed of being noticeably rounded, children with bulimia often use laxatives and emetics to cleanse themselves and make up for the calories they eat.

In fact, anorexia and bulimia manifest themselves in almost the same way, with anorexia, the child can also use the methods of artificial cleansing of food that he has just eaten, by artificial vomiting and the use of laxatives. However, children with anorexia are extremely thin, and bulimics are often completely normal or slightly overweight.

Eating disorders are very dangerous for the life and health of the child. Such neuropsychiatric diseases are difficult to control and very difficult to overcome on their own. Therefore, in any case, you will need professional help from a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Prevention

In order to prevent children who are at risk, you need regular monitoring by a child psychiatrist. Parents should not be afraid of the word "psychiatry". You should not turn a blind eye to deviations in the development of the personality of children, behavioral features, convince yourself that these features “just seem” to you. If something worries you in the behavior of the child, you notice the symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders, do not hesitate to ask a specialist about it.

Psychoneurological disorders in children, their prevention

1. The main manifestations of neuropsychiatric disorders.

2. The concept of psychopathy, their types, causes, signs, prevention.

3. Neuroses and neurotic states in children and adolescents

The main manifestations of neuropsychiatric disorders

In recent years, teachers and physicians have been concerned about the deterioration in the health of schoolchildren, which is closely related to their neuropsychic status: most children have various forms of neuroses and neurotic conditions that not only form their clinic, but also contribute to the development of disorders of vital organs and body systems. . The relationship between the state of health of children and adolescents and their academic success is noted. The state of neuropsychic health of children affects their social adaptation, reproductive opportunities. The vulnerability and sensitivity of the child and adolescent nervous system make schoolchildren especially vulnerable in modern conditions of information overload, lack of time, etc. All mental processes are inextricably linked and represent different aspects of a single human mental activity:

Intellectual (cognitive);

emotional, thanks to which the attitude of a person to the surrounding influences and to himself is manifested;

strong-willed, that determine human activity.

Therefore, mental health disorders can be divided into

1. disorders of cognitive activity

volitional disorders.

Cognitive disorders can be:

- perception disorders (illusions- distorted perception of real-life objects - visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, gustatory; hallucinations(imaginary perceptions) - a pathological disorder consisting in the perception of objects that do not currently affect the corresponding sense organs);

memory disorders (memory impairment- the ability to learn new material is lost; playback violation, c (including amnesia - loss of memories);

thinking disorders(accelerated thinking, slow thinking, fragmentation of thinking, obsessive states, delirium, dementia, i.e. a decrease in the ability to understand the connection between phenomena, to separate the main from the secondary).

Emotional disorders can manifest themselves:

-increased emotionalityeuphoria - increased joyful cheerful mood, a state of complacency and carelessness, when everything around is perceived in iridescent colors, which does not correspond to objective circumstances; anxiety, fear)

reduced emotionality (emotional dullness, indifference- an extreme degree of decrease in emotionality, there are no plans for the future, patients are cold and callous even to relatives; depression- an affective state characterized by a negative emotional background, a change in the motivational sphere, and a general passivity of behavior).

Disorders of volitional activity are observed in psychosis, neurasthenia, organic lesions of the brain and can manifest themselves:

increased volitional activity arises motor and speech stimulation, the activity is purposeful, but the violation of attention deprives the activity of completeness);

decrease in volitional activity(a person can sit for hours in one position, doing nothing, answers questions slowly, in monosyllables).

The prevalence of mental disorders among the population of developed countries is very significant. However, most people are unaware of the manifestations of these diseases, so they remain unrecognized and untreated, although such children, adolescents and adults could be helped.

Mental disorders do not go away on their own. If you do not pay attention to them, then they become heavier, and the prognosis worsens. Timely diagnosis is especially important in childhood and adolescence. Many mental disorders in adults are a consequence of the fact that they were not treated in a timely manner in childhood. All this also applies to the so-called borderline states (psychopathies, neuroses).

Knowledge of borderline mental disorders will help teachers and educators to objectively assess the characteristics of the child's character and find the right approach to him.

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Psychoneurological diseases in children

Mental disorders in children arise due to special factors that provoke violations in the development of the child's psyche. The mental health of children is so vulnerable that the clinical manifestations and their reversibility depend on the age of the baby and the duration of exposure to special factors.

The decision to consult a child with a psychotherapist, as a rule, is not easy for parents. In the understanding of parents, this means the recognition of suspicions that the child has neuropsychiatric disorders. Many adults are afraid of registering a baby, as well as the limited forms of education associated with this, and in the future a limited choice of profession. For this reason, parents often try not to notice the peculiarities of behavior, development, oddities, which are usually manifestations of mental disorders in children.

If parents are inclined to believe that the child should be treated, then at first, as a rule, attempts are made to treat neuropsychiatric disorders with home remedies or advice from familiar healers. After unsuccessful independent attempts to improve the condition of the offspring, the parents decide to seek qualified help. Turning to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist for the first time, parents often try to do this anonymously, unofficially.

Responsible adults should not hide from problems and when recognizing early signs of neuropsychiatric disorders in children, consult a doctor in a timely manner and then follow his recommendations. Every parent should have the necessary knowledge in the field of neurotic disorders in order to prevent deviations in the development of their child and, if necessary, seek help at the first sign of a disorder, since the issues that relate to the mental health of babies are too serious. It is unacceptable to experiment in treatment on your own, so you should contact specialists in time for advice.

Often, parents attribute mental disorders in children to age, implying that the child is still small and does not understand what is happening to him. Often this condition is perceived as a common manifestation of whims, however, modern experts argue that mental disorders are very noticeable with the naked eye. Often these deviations are reflected negatively on the social opportunities of the baby and his development. With timely seeking help, some disorders can be completely cured. If suspicious symptoms are detected in a child in the early stages, serious consequences can be prevented.

Mental disorders in children are divided into 4 classes:

Causes of mental disorders in children

The appearance of mental disorders can be caused by various reasons. Doctors say that all sorts of factors can influence their development: psychological, biological, socio-psychological.

The provoking factors are: genetic predisposition to mental illness, incompatibility in the type of temperament of the parent and child, limited intelligence, brain damage, family problems, conflicts, traumatic events. Last but not least is family education.

Mental disorders in children of primary school age often arise due to the divorce of parents. Often there is an increased chance of mental disorders in children from single-parent families, or if one of the parents has a history of any mental illness. To determine what kind of help you need to give your baby, you should accurately determine the cause of the problem.

Symptoms of mental disorders in children

These disorders in a baby are diagnosed by the following symptoms:

anxiety disorders, fears;
tics, obsession syndrome;
ignoring the established rules, aggressiveness;
for no apparent reason, often changing mood;
decreased interest in active games;
slow and unusual body movements;
deviations associated with impaired thinking;
childhood schizophrenia.

The periods of greatest susceptibility to mental and nervous disorders occur during age-related crises, which cover the following age periods: 3-4 years, 5-7 years, years. From this it is clear that adolescence and childhood are the right time for the development of psychogenies.

Mental disorders in children under one year old are due to the existence of a limited range of negative and positive needs (signals) that babies must satisfy: pain, hunger, sleep, the need to cope with natural needs.

All these needs are of vital importance and cannot be satisfied, therefore, the more pedantically parents follow the regimen, the faster a positive stereotype is developed. Failure to satisfy one of the needs can lead to a psychogenic cause, and the more violations are noted, the more severe the deprivation. In other words, the reaction of a baby up to a year old is due to the motives for satisfying instincts and, of course, in the very first place - this is the instinct of self-preservation.

Mental disorders in children 2 years of age are noted if the mother maintains an excessive connection with the child, thereby contributing to infantilization and inhibition of its development. Such attempts by the parent, creating obstacles to the self-affirmation of the baby, can lead to frustration, as well as elementary psychogenic reactions. While maintaining a sense of overdependence on the mother, the passivity of the child develops. Such behavior with additional stress can take on a pathological character, which often happens in children who are insecure and shy.

Mental disorders in children of 3 years old reveal themselves in capriciousness, disobedience, vulnerability, increased fatigue, irritability. It is necessary to carefully suppress the growing activity of a baby at the age of 3, since in this way it is possible to contribute to a lack of communication and a deficit of emotional contact. A lack of emotional contact can lead to autism (isolation), speech disorders (delayed development of speech, refusal to communicate or speech contact).

Mental disorders in children of 4 years old are manifested in stubbornness, in protest against the authority of adults, in psychogenic breakdowns. There are also internal tension, discomfort, sensitivity to deprivation (restriction), which causes frustration.

The first neurotic manifestations in 4-year-old children are found in behavioral reactions of refusal and protest. Minor negative impacts are enough to disturb the mental balance of the baby. The baby is able to respond to pathological situations, negative events.

Mental disorders in children of 5 years old reveal themselves in advance of the mental development of their peers, especially if the interests of the baby become one-sided. The reason for seeking help from a psychiatrist should be the loss of previously acquired skills by the baby, for example: aimlessly rolls cars, vocabulary becomes poorer, becomes untidy, stops role-playing games, communicates little.

Mental disorders in children 7 years of age are associated with the preparation and admission to school. Instability of mental balance, fragility of the nervous system, readiness for psychogenic disorders may be present in children aged 7 years. The basis for these manifestations is a tendency to psychosomatic asthenization (disturbances in appetite, sleep, fatigue, dizziness, reduced performance, a tendency to fear) and overwork.

Classes at school then become the cause of neurosis when the requirements for the child do not correspond to his abilities and he lags behind in school subjects.

Mental disorders in children are manifested in the following features:

Tendency to sharp mood swings, anxiety, melancholy, anxiety, negativism, impulsiveness, conflict, aggressiveness, inconsistency of feelings;

Sensitivity to others' assessment of their strength, appearance, skills, abilities, excessive self-confidence, excessive criticality, disregard for the judgments of adults;

Combination of sensitivity with callousness, irritability with painful shyness, desire for recognition with independence;

Rejection of generally accepted rules and the deification of random idols, as well as sensual fantasy with dry sophistication;

Schizoid and cycloid;

The desire for philosophical generalizations, a tendency to extreme positions, the internal inconsistency of the psyche, the egocentrism of youthful thinking, the uncertainty of the level of claims, the inclination to theorizing, maximalism in assessments, the variety of experiences associated with awakening sexual desire;

Intolerance to guardianship, unmotivated mood swings.

Often the protest of adolescents grows into ridiculous opposition and senseless stubbornness to any reasonable advice. Self-confidence and arrogance develop.

Signs of a mental disorder in children

The likelihood of developing mental disorders in children at different ages varies. Given that the mental development of children is uneven, then at certain periods it becomes disharmonic: some functions are formed faster than others.

Signs of a mental disorder in children can manifest themselves in the following manifestations:

Feeling of isolation and deep sadness, lasting more than 2-3 weeks;

Attempts to kill or harm yourself;

All-consuming fear for no reason, accompanied by rapid breathing and a strong heartbeat;

Participation in numerous fights, the use of weapons with the desire to harm someone;

Uncontrolled, violent behavior that harms both oneself and others;

Refusing to eat, using laxatives, or throwing away food in order to lose weight;

Severe anxiety that interferes with normal activities;

Difficulty concentrating, as well as the inability to sit still, which is a physical danger;

Alcohol or drug use;

Severe mood swings leading to relationship problems

Changes in behavior.

Based on these signs alone, it is difficult to establish an accurate diagnosis, so parents should, having found the above manifestations, contact a psychotherapist. These signs do not necessarily have to appear in babies with mental disabilities.

Treatment of mental problems in children

For help in choosing a method of treatment, you should contact a child psychiatrist or psychotherapist. Most disorders require long-term treatment. For the treatment of small patients, the same drugs are used as for adults, but in smaller doses.

How to treat mental disorders in children? Effective in the treatment of antipsychotics, anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants, various stimulants and mood stabilizers. Family psychotherapy is of great importance: parental attention and love. Parents should not ignore the first signs of disorders developing in a child.

With the manifestations of incomprehensible symptoms in the behavior of the child, you can get advice on exciting issues from child psychologists.

91 comments on the entry “Mental disorders in children”

Hello! My middle son is 10 years old. He completely ceased to obey, does not want to do anything on his own, he only gives orders either to me or to his older brother. Pour me some tea, help me with the lessons, I don’t want this, I don’t know how, this is mine, buy me a tablet, a new jacket, etc. As a result, there are constant fights with the older one, the younger one hugs, kisses, then beats (and the youngest is only 2 years old). I explain that he is still small, everything is useless. There is no more strength to endure. And at school, this is a completely different child, quiet, obedient. At home, a real tyrant. Where should I go? How to determine the disease is it or something else?

Hello. My granddaughter constantly transforms into the image of a dog. Runs with his tongue out, barks, wags his imaginary tail. This worries me a lot. And more love. He hugs and kisses everyone. At home please, but she behaves the same way at school. Where should we turn? Where to begin?

My child is a year and a month old, but for about half a year he has a strange reaction to both “good and bad” .. He seems to twitch from the cold, while he presses his chin to his chest and then shakes his head, you can even say that he is shaking his head as if the muscles of the neck were completely relaxed. I used to think that these twitches start when he pisses, but now it’s always when he sees something good that he likes or when I make a remark to him, like “aaaaaaa, you can’t do this, well, well.” The child is reactive enough, if something I don’t like it, it’s already shaking all over with anger, but it’s a very sociable and cheerful, very patient kid, in public places it’s always calm and doesn’t throw tantrums even when we stay for a long time. or throws him on the floor and so he can sit for a long time, attempts to play cubes, a pyramid, etc., are not very attractive to him, speech - mom dad woman, etc., show parts of the body and how the cat says the dog, etc. only when he wants or is in the mood, sometimes it seems that he doesn’t know, although every day I work with him and books and rhymes of a counting rhyme .. But there is no reaction .. he makes patties, magpie, waves goodbye and hello .. I am worried about jerking and shaking my head; leans forward and talks back and forth) for a short time but until I say or shout by name ((do we need to worry about this? She said nothing to the pediatrician with a lost look ..

Hello Christina. Address internally on the problem with the child to the children's neurologist.

Hello! My name is Oksana, I just have a cry of the soul. My story is very similar to Elena's story above, which has no answer. Only my daughter is already 8, not 5. Well, from birth, everything is very similar, she screamed always and everywhere, she didn’t sit in a stroller, but the most similarity is that the look changes before the “frills”. Then it became a little easier, somewhere around the age of 5. At the same time, she developed a fear of being left without me ... It happened after she started going to the theater studio. From there she was taken away and recorded for dancing. There, the fear continued, but thanks to the coach, everything passed with time. And then the school began ... There they prepared her both grammatically and psychologically. On September 1, it went great, after 2 weeks I even stayed in the aftercare. And then the fear began again, I won’t go to school tantrums ... And where I just didn’t take her and they were in the hospital, nothing. So until the end of the year and sat at school with her. Summer passed, we were at sea, everything was fine there. I thought it was over, but no. On September 1, everything again, only they forbade me to sit at school, they began to study at home, with the permission of the school, without any special documents. But every day it gets worse, aggression and hysteria returned, it is not known when everything will start, he refuses to do homework, and if he sits down, this psycho will definitely arrange it. He starts throwing everything, yelling in a voice that is not his own, repeats do not touch me, even if I do not touch it anyway, in general horror. Then he asks for forgiveness, but the most incomprehensible thing is that everything does not begin with anything. And one more thing, this never happens in public, no matter what the situation is. Maybe just cry, if something. I forgot to write that, unlike Elena's case, my daughter, on the contrary, is a very affectionate and gentle girl. All the time fawning, hugging, and we also hug her all the time. And when it is bridged, just another person. Thanks in advance.

Hello Oksana. We recommend that you and your daughter visit a practical child psychologist. The specialist will conduct psychodiagnostics and if the problem is within his competence, he will carry out corrective work, if not, he will refer you to a neuropsychiatrist or psychotherapist, since practical psychologists work only with the norm or borderline state of their clients.

The child's psyche is very sensitive and easily vulnerable, so a lot of provoking factors can cause mental disorders at such a young age. The clinical severity of symptoms, their duration and reversibility depend on the age of the child and the duration of the traumatic events.

Often, adults attribute the pathology of development and behavior to the age of the child, believing that over the years his condition can normalize. Oddities in the mental state are usually attributed to childhood whims, age-related infantilism and a lack of understanding of things happening around. Although in fact, all these manifestations may indicate problems with the psyche.

It is customary to distinguish four groups of mental disorders in children:

autism spectrum disorders;
mental retardation;
attention deficit disorder.

What can cause a mental disorder?

Mental disorders in childhood can be caused by many reasons. A child's mental health is affected by psychological, social and biological factors.

This includes:

genetic predisposition to the occurrence of mental illness;
organic brain damage;
conflicts in the family and at school;
dramatic life events;
stress.

Children can often react neurotically to their parents' divorce. In addition, the likelihood of developing mental problems is higher in children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The presence of a sick relative can lead to mental disorders. In this case, the cause of the disease can affect the tactics and duration of further treatment.

How do mental disorders manifest in children?

Symptoms of mental illness are:

fears, phobias, increased anxiety;
nervous tics;
obsessive movements;
aggressive behavior;
mood lability, emotional imbalance;
loss of interest in familiar games;
slowness of body movements;
thinking disorders;
isolation, depressive mood for two weeks or longer;
auto: self-harming and suicidal attempts;
, which are accompanied by tachycardia and rapid breathing;
symptoms of anorexia: refusal to eat, inducing vomiting, taking laxatives;
problems concentrating, hyperactive behavior;
addiction to alcohol and drugs;
changes in behavior, sudden changes in the character of the child.

Children are more prone to nervous disorders during age-related crises, namely at the age of 3-4 years, 5-7 years and 12-18 years.

At the age of one year, psychogenic reactions are the result of the dissatisfaction of the main vital needs: sleep and food. At 2-3 years old, children may begin to suffer due to excessive attachment to the mother, which leads to infantilization and inhibition of development. At 4-5 years of age, mental illness can manifest itself in nihilistic behavior and protest reactions.

It is also worth being wary if the child shows degradation in development. For example, the baby's vocabulary is depleted, he loses already acquired skills, becomes less sociable and ceases to take care of himself.

At the age of 6-7 years, school is a stressful factor. Often, mental disorders in these children are manifested psychosomatically by a deterioration in appetite and sleep, fatigue, headaches and dizziness.

In adolescence (12-18 years), mental disorders have their own characteristics of symptoms:

The child becomes prone to melancholy, anxiety, or vice versa to aggressiveness, conflict. A common feature is emotional instability.
A teenager shows vulnerability to other people's opinions, assessments from the outside, excessive self-criticism or overestimated self-esteem, disregard for the advice of adults.
Schizoid and cyclical.
Children demonstrate youthful maximalism, theorizing, philosophizing, many internal contradictions.

It must be remembered that the above symptoms do not always indicate the presence of a mental illness. Only a specialist can understand the situation and determine the diagnosis.

Methods of treatment

It is usually very difficult for parents to decide on a visit to a psychotherapist. Recognition of mental disorders in a child is often associated with various restrictions in the future, ranging from the need to attend a special school to a limited choice of specialty. Because of this, changes in behavior, developmental features and oddities of character, which can be symptoms of mental dysfunctions, are often ignored.

If parents want to somehow solve the problem, then treatment often begins at home using alternative medicine. Only after prolonged failures and deterioration in the health of the offspring does the first visit to a qualified medical specialist occur.

Mental disorders in children or mental dysontogenesis is a deviation from normal behavior, accompanied by a group of disorders that are pathological conditions. They arise due to genetic, sociopathic, physiological reasons, sometimes injuries or diseases of the brain contribute to their formation. Violations that occur at an early age cause mental disorders and require treatment by a psychiatrist.

The formation of the child's psyche is associated with the biological characteristics of the organism, heredity and constitution, the rate of formation of the brain and parts of the central nervous system, acquired skills. The root of the development of mental disorders in children should always be sought in the biological, sociopathic or psychological factors that provoke the onset of disorders, often the process is triggered by a combination of agents. The main reasons include:

genetic predisposition. Assumes initially incorrect functioning of the nervous system due to the innate characteristics of the body. When close relatives had mental disorders, there is a possibility of passing them on to the child.

Deprivation (inability to meet needs) in early childhood. The connection between mother and baby begins from the first minutes of birth, it sometimes has a major impact on a person’s attachments, the depth of emotional feelings in the future. Any type of deprivation (tactile or emotional, psychological) partially or completely affects the mental development of a person, leads to mental dysontogenesis.

Limitation of mental abilities also refers to a kind of mental disorder and affects physiological development, sometimes causing other disorders.

Brain injury occurs as a result of difficult childbirth or head bruises, encephalopathy is caused by infections during fetal development or after past illnesses. According to the prevalence, this reason occupies a leading place along with the hereditary factor.

The bad habits of the mother, the toxicological effects of smoking, alcohol, and drugs have a negative effect on the fetus even during the period of bearing a child. If the father suffers from these ailments, the consequences of intemperance often affect the health of the child, affecting the central nervous system and the brain, which negatively affects the psyche.

Family conflicts or an unfavorable situation in the house are a significant factor that traumatizes the emerging psyche, aggravating the condition.

Mental disorders in childhood, especially under one year, are united by a common feature: the progressive dynamics of mental functions is combined with the development of dysontogenesis associated with impaired morphofunctional brain systems. The condition occurs due to cerebral disorders, congenital features or social influences.

Mental illness in children

Signs of neuropsychiatric diseases can go unnoticed for many years. Almost three-quarters of children with serious mental disorders (ADHD, eating disorders and bipolar disorders) are left alone with their problems without help from specialists.

It usually takes about ten years from the moment the first, barely noticeable symptoms appear until the day when the neuropsychiatric disorder manifests itself in full force. But then the treatment will be less effective if this stage of the disorder can be cured at all.

How to determine?

Test "11 signs"

Have you noticed in a child a state of deep melancholy, isolation, which lasts more than 2-3 weeks?
Has the child exhibited uncontrolled, violent behavior that is dangerous to others?
Was there a desire to harm people, participation in fights, perhaps even with the use of weapons?
Has the child, adolescent attempted to harm his body or committed suicide, or expressed intentions to do so?
Perhaps there were attacks of sudden causeless all-consuming fear, panic, while the heartbeat and breathing quickened?
Has the child refused to eat? Perhaps you found laxatives in his things?
Does the child have chronic states of anxiety and fear that inhibit normal activity?
The child cannot concentrate, is restless, is characterized by school failure?
Have you noticed that the child repeatedly used alcohol and drugs?
Does the child's mood often change, is it difficult for him to build and maintain normal relationships with others?
Did the child's personality and behavior often change, were the changes abrupt and unreasonable?

Mental retardation

Mental retardation is diagnosed from an early age, manifested by the underdevelopment of general mental functions, where thinking defects predominate. Mentally retarded children are distinguished by a low level of intelligence - below 70, they are not socially adapted.

Symptoms of mental retardation (oligophrenia) are characterized by disorders of emotional functions, as well as significant intellectual insufficiency:

impaired or absent cognitive need;

slows down, narrows perception;

having difficulty with active attention;

the child remembers information slowly, unstable;

poor vocabulary: words are used inaccurately, phrases are undeveloped, speech is characterized by an abundance of cliches, agrammatisms, pronunciation defects are noticeable;

moral, aesthetic emotions are poorly developed;

there are no stable motivations;

the child is dependent on external influences, does not know how to control the simplest instinctive needs;

having difficulty predicting the consequences of one's own actions.

Mental retardation occurs due to any damage to the brain during fetal development, during childbirth, or in the first year of life. The main causes of oligophrenia are due to:

genetic pathology - "fragile x-chromosome".

taking alcohol, drugs during pregnancy (fetal alcohol syndrome);

infections (rubella, HIV and others);

physical damage to brain tissue during childbirth;

CNS diseases, brain infections (meningitis, encephalitis, mercury intoxication);

the facts of socio-pedagogical neglect are not a direct cause of oligophrenia, but significantly exacerbate other probable causes.

Can it be cured?

However the condition of the child can be significantly alleviated by special training and education, to develop in a child with oligophrenia the simplest hygiene and self-service skills, communication and speech skills.

Treatment with drugs is used only in case of complications, such as behavioral disorders.

Impaired mental function

With a delay in mental development (ZPR), the child has a pathologically immature personality, the psyche develops slowly, the cognitive sphere is disturbed, and tendencies of reverse development are manifested. Unlike oligophrenia, where violations of the intellectual sphere predominate, ZPR affects mainly the emotional and volitional sphere.

Mental infantilism

What is the prognosis?

How to help a child?

attention deficit disorder

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) affects many preschool children, schoolchildren and adolescents. Children are not able to concentrate attention for a long time, they are excessively impulsive, hyperactive, not attentive.

ADD and hyperactivity are diagnosed in a child if:

excessive excitability;

restlessness;

the child is easily distracted;

not able to restrain himself and his emotions;

unable to follow instructions;

distracted attention;

easily jumps from one thing to another;

does not like quiet games, prefers dangerous, mobile affairs;

excessively chatty, in conversation interrupts the interlocutor;

does not know how to listen;

does not know how to keep order, loses things.

Why does ADD develop?

The causes of Attention Deficit Disorder are related to many factors:

the child is genetically predisposed to ADD.

during childbirth there was a brain injury;

The central nervous system is damaged by toxins or a bacterial-viral infection.

Effects

Attention deficit disorder is an intractable pathology, however, using modern methods of education, over time, manifestations of hyperactivity can be significantly reduced.

Types of treatment

The approach to the treatment of attention deficit disorder should be comprehensive and versatile, include the following techniques:

vitamin therapy and antidepressants;

teaching children self-control using various methods;

supportive environment at school and at home;

special strengthening diet.

Children with autism are in a state of constant "extreme" loneliness, they are not able to establish emotional contact with others, they are not socially and communicatively developed.

How is it manifested?

Violations of the communicative function of speech are noticeable. It is difficult for autistic people to communicate with others, ask parents for help, however, they are happy to recite their favorite poem, choosing constantly the same work.

In children with autism echolalia observed They constantly repeat the words and phrases they hear. Incorrect use of pronouns may refer to themselves as "he" or "we". autistic never ask questions, and hardly react when others turn to them, that is, they completely avoid communication.

Reasons for development

Specialists face many problems that need to be solved gradually and comprehensively:

correct speech and teach the child to communicate with others;

develop motor skills with the help of special exercises;

using modern teaching methods to overcome intellectual underdevelopment;

solve problems within the family in order to remove all obstacles for the full development of the child;

using special drugs to correct behavioral disorders, personality and other psychopathological symptoms.

Schizophrenia

Clinical signs

In preschoolers and schoolchildren, the following signs of schizophrenia are observed:

infants do not respond to wet diapers and hunger, rarely cry, sleep restlessly, often wake up.

at a conscious age, the main manifestation is unreasonable fear, which is replaced by absolute fearlessness, the mood often changes.

states of motor depression and excitation appear: the child freezes for a long time in an absurd pose, practically immobilized, and at times they suddenly begin to run back and forth, jump, and scream.

there are elements of a "pathological game", which is characterized by monotony, monotony and stereotypical behavior.

Students with schizophrenia behave as follows:

suffer from speech disorders, using neologisms and stereotypical phrases, sometimes agrammatism and mutism appear;

even the child's voice changes, becomes "singing", "chanting", "whispering";

thinking is inconsistent, illogical, the child is inclined to philosophize, philosophize on sublime topics about the universe, the meaning of life, the end of the world;

suffers from visual, tactile, occasionally auditory hallucinations of an episodic nature;

somatic disorders of the stomach appear: lack of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, incontinence of feces and urine.

Schizophrenia in adolescents is manifested by the following symptoms:

at the physical level, headache, fatigue, absent-mindedness appear;

depersonalization and derealization - the child feels that he is changing, he is afraid of himself, walks like a shadow, school performance decreases;

there are crazy ideas, a frequent fantasy of "alien parents", when the patient believes that his parents are not his relatives, it seems to the child that others around him are hostile, aggressive, dismissive;

there are signs of olfactory and auditory hallucinations, obsessive fears and doubts that make the child do illogical actions;

affective disorders appear - fear of death, insanity, insomnia, hallucinations and painful sensations in various organs of the body;

visual hallucinations are especially tormenting, the child sees terrible unrealistic pictures that inspire fear in the patient, pathologically perceives reality, suffers from manic states.

Treatment with drugs

For the treatment of schizophrenia used neuroleptics: haloperidol, chlorazine, stelazine and others. For younger children, weaker antipsychotics are recommended. With sluggish schizophrenia, treatment with sedatives is added to the main therapy: indopan, niamid, etc.

Disability

Patients with schizophrenia can completely lose their ability to work, while others retain the opportunity to work and even grow creatively.

Disability is given with ongoing schizophrenia if the patient has a malignant and paranoid form of the disease. Usually, patients are referred to the II group of disability, and if the patient has lost the ability to independently serve himself, then to the I group.
For recurrent schizophrenia, especially during acute attacks, patients are completely unable to work, so they are assigned the II group of disability. During remission, a transfer to group III is possible.

The causes of epilepsy are mainly associated with genetic predisposition and exogenous factors: CNS damage, bacterial and viral infections, complications after vaccination.

Seizure symptoms

After the aura phase, there is a loss of consciousness and an attack of convulsive muscle contractions. During the attack, the tonic phase predominates, the complexion becomes pale, then purplish-cyanotic. The child wheezes, foam appears on the lips, possibly with blood. Pupillary reaction to light is negative. There are cases of involuntary urination and defecation. An epileptic seizure ends with a sleep phase. Waking up, the child feels broken, depressed, his head hurts.

Urgent care

Epileptic seizures are very dangerous for children, there is a threat to life and mental health, so emergency care is urgently needed during seizures.

As an emergency, early therapy measures, anesthesia, and the introduction of muscle relaxants are used. First, you need to remove all squeezing things from the child: a belt, unfasten the collar so that there are no obstacles to the flow of fresh air. Insert a soft barrier between the teeth so that the child does not bite the tongue during a seizure.

Would need enema with a solution of chloral hydrate 2%, as well as an intramuscular injection of magnesium sulfate 25% or diazepam 0.5%. If the attack does not stop after 5-6 minutes, you need to enter a half dose of an anticonvulsant drug.

With a prolonged epileptic seizure, it is prescribed dehydration with a solution of eufillin 2.4%, furomeside, concentrated plasma. Last resort using inhalation anesthesia(nitrogen with oxygen 2 to 1) and emergency measures to restore breathing: intubation, tracheostomy. This is followed by emergency hospitalization in the intensive care unit or neurological hospital.

Neurosis in a child manifests itself in the form of mental discoordination, emotional imbalance, sleep disturbances, symptoms of neurological diseases.

How are

The development of neurosis is influenced by both mental and physiological factors:

Prolonged mental stress can be expressed in violations of the functions of internal organs and provoke peptic ulcer, bronchial asthma, hypertension, neurodermatitis, which in turn only aggravate the mental state of the child.
Disorders of the autonomic system also occur: blood pressure is disturbed, pains in the heart appear, palpitations, sleep disorders, a headache, fingers tremble, fatigue and discomfort in the body. This condition is quickly fixed and it is difficult for the child to get rid of the feeling of anxiety.
The level of stress resistance of the child significantly affects the formation of neuroses. Emotionally unbalanced children experience petty quarrels with friends and relatives for a long time, so neuroses form more often in such children.
It is known that neurosis in children occurs more often during periods that can be called "extreme" for the child's psyche. So most of the neuroses occur at the age of 3-5 years, when the child's "I" is formed, as well as during puberty - 12-15 years.

Among the most common neurotic disorders in children are: neurasthenia, hysterical arthrosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Eating Disorders

It was believed that anorexia and bulimia were more characteristic of girls, but in practice it turns out that boys suffer from eating disorders with equal frequency.

Children suffering from anorexia are tormented by constant feelings of shame and fear, illusions about being overweight and a distorted opinion about their own body, size and shape. The desire to lose weight sometimes reaches the point of absurdity, the child brings himself to a state of dystrophy.

Teenagers with bulimia characterized by periodic sudden changes in weight, because they combine periods of gluttony with periods of fasting and purification. Experiencing a constant need to eat whatever they can get their hands on, and at the same time feeling uncomfortable and ashamed of being noticeably rounded, children with bulimia often use laxatives and emetics to cleanse themselves and make up for the calories they eat.
In fact, anorexia and bulimia manifest themselves in almost the same way, with anorexia, the child can also use the methods of artificial cleansing of food that he has just eaten, by artificial vomiting and the use of laxatives. However, children with anorexia are extremely thin, and bulimics are often completely normal or slightly overweight.

Prevention

In order to prevent children who are at risk, you need regular monitoring by a child psychiatrist. Parents should not be afraid of the word "psychiatry". You should not turn a blind eye to deviations in the development of the personality of children, behavioral features, convince yourself that these features “just seem” to you. If something worries you in the behavior of the child, you notice the symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders, do not hesitate to ask a specialist about it.

A consultation with a child psychiatrist does not oblige the parents to immediately refer the child for treatment to the appropriate institutions. However, there are often cases when a planned examination by a psychologist or psychiatrist helps to prevent serious neuropsychiatric pathologies at an older age, providing children with the opportunity to remain full and live a healthy and happy life.

lecheniedetej.ru

Child psychiatry

General principles of childhood psychiatry.

The issue of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence is a topic that will always be acute for psychiatrists and parents. I would like to reflect the general issues of this problem and consider the approaches to their resolution that exist today in medicine in our country. This work is not a specialized medical article. It is aimed at a wide range of readers, parents, their children, as well as all other persons for whom this issue is interesting and relevant.

Tasks and history of child psychiatry

Many authors note that psychiatry has recently greatly expanded the scope of its activities and, having gone beyond the walls of psychiatric hospitals, has included elementary and borderline forms in its terms of reference. However, this expansion has not gone deep enough in all respects, and this primarily applies to neuropsychiatric diseases of childhood. Very little is taken into account that it is at this age that most of the changes occur, which have to be regarded as the beginnings of future serious diseases.

More attention to children's health

In general, child psychiatry has not emerged from the derogation to which it was subjected before the war and the revolution. Since the latter, there has been a hope that in connection with the placement of questions of child upbringing and education in full, the position of child psychiatry will also change. Unfortunately, out of the very broad program of activities outlined at the beginning, which for various reasons could not be fully developed, very little fell to the share of child psychiatry. The reason for this must be considered not only significant financial difficulties, but also the fact that in general there are very few ideas about the importance of child psychiatry, its tasks and significance in general psychiatry and medicine in wide circles. Unfortunately, this also applies to many doctors, especially general practitioners, who often underestimate, and sometimes simply do not want to notice violations in children that require referral of the child to a child psychiatrist. At the same time, it should be noted that the later the patient got an appointment with a pediatric specialist, the later the treatment and correction of mental disorders in the child were started, the less effective this treatment is and the more time it will take to compensate for the child’s problems, preventing the transition of the disease to the phase of stable disorders, often not amenable to medical and psychological correction.

Of course, child psychiatry has its own tasks and its own characteristics compared to general psychiatry, the most important of which are that it is even more connected with neurology and internal medicine, it is more difficult to diagnose and predict, more unstable, but that is why specialists who have devoted their lives in this specialty, are often professionals with a capital letter.

The most common mental disorders in children

I consider it expedient to build my article according to the following principle: firstly, to present the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents that require observation and treatment by a child psychiatrist; secondly, to talk about the general principles for correcting these violations; thirdly, to try to justify the need for treatment of these diseases and try to give brief information on the prognosis for children receiving and, accordingly, not receiving treatment.

Delayed psycho-speech development

In the first place in terms of frequency of occurrence in early childhood, various forms of delays in psycho-speech development currently occupy the first place. Often, in the absence of significant motor disorders (the child begins to roll over, sit down, walk, etc. in a timely manner) due to early combined pathology of pregnancy and childbirth (chronic infections in the mother during pregnancy, abuse of tobacco, alcohol, toxic and narcotic drugs, childbirth injuries of varying severity, prematurity, congenital chromosomal anomalies (Down's syndrome, etc.), etc.), the problems of untimely speech development of the child come first.

Development norm, assessment of the child's level in speech development

It is rather difficult to talk about the presence of any clear temporal norms of speech development, but still we believe that the absence of individual words at the age of 1.5 years or the lack of formation of phrasal speech (the child pronounces short sentences that carry full semantic content) to 2, maximum 2 , 5 years is the basis for determining the child's speech development delay. The very fact of the presence of a delay in speech development can be due to both hereditary factors (“mom and dad started talking late”), and the presence of any significant mental disorders, up to early childhood autism or mental retardation; but the fact is that only specialists who know the pathology of this circle, know how to identify and treat it can make a decision, the right decision about the true causes of these violations, identify the roots of the problem and offer a real, effective solution to it.

Often general practitioners, speech therapists of general kindergartens, friends and neighbors who do not fully possess specialized information reassure parents by saying phrases that are painfully familiar to everyone: “Don’t worry, by the age of 5 he will catch up, grow up, speak”, but often in For 4-5 years, these same people tell their parents: “Well, why did you wait so long, you should have been treated!”. It is at this age, at the age of 4-5 years, that children most often get their first appointment with a child psychiatrist, and they get there already having concomitant behavioral disorders, emotions, intellectual and physical retardation. The human body, and even more so the child's body, is a single system in which all components are closely interconnected, and when the work of one of them is disrupted (in this case, the formation of speech), gradually other structures begin to fail, aggravating and aggravating the course of the disease.

Symptoms of mental disorders, childhood autism

As mentioned above, speech and motor developmental delay in a child can be not only an independent diagnosis, but also be one of the symptoms of more significant mental disorders. In confirmation of this, a significant increase in the incidence of childhood autism in our country in recent years should be noted. Over the past 3 years, the detection rate of this disease in children aged 3-6 years has increased more than 2 times, and this is due not only and not so much to the improvement in the quality of its diagnosis, but also to a significant increase in the incidence in general.

It should be said that the course of this process today has become much more difficult: today it is almost impossible to meet a child with “pure” autism (social isolation) in medical practice. This disease often combines a pronounced developmental delay, decreased intelligence, behavioral disorders with clear auto- and hetero-aggressive tendencies. And at the same time, the later the treatment begins, the slower the compensation, the worse the social adaptation and the more severe the long-term consequences of this disease. More than 40% of childhood autism at the age of 8-11 years pass into diseases of the endogenous circle, such as schizotypal disorder or childhood schizophrenia.

Behavioral disorder in children, hyperactivity

A special place in the practice of a psychiatrist is occupied by violations of behavior, attention and activity in children. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is currently probably the most widely used diagnosis, which is happily made by therapists, pediatricians, and neurologists. But few people remember that according to the nomenclature of diseases, this disease belongs to mental disorders and most often the most effective treatment of children with such disorders is by a child psychiatrist and psychotherapist, who can fully use in their practice all the necessary methods and methods of drug correction of data. violations.

Often, mild violations can be compensated on their own, as the child grows and physiologically matures, but often, even with a favorable course of the process, the results of inattention to such violations at an early age are pronounced difficulties in learning at school, as well as behavioral disorders with a tendency to everything " negative" in adolescence. Moreover, it should be noted that getting used to everything “bad” (various addictions, antisocial behavior, etc.) in such children occurs much more quickly and the decompensation of the state with the depletion of physiological compensatory mechanisms also occurs faster than in persons who did not have a history of such violations.

Mental retardation in children

The percentage of children with a diagnosis of "mental retardation" of varying severity is high. This diagnosis, of course, is never established before the age of 3, because it is difficult to determine the level of intellectual impairment in a child under 3 years of age. The criteria for establishing this diagnosis is the lack of effect of the treatment, the uncompensated condition against the background of intensive treatment at an early age.

The goal of teaching children with an established diagnosis of mental retardation is not intellectual compensation and an attempt to bring them to the general age level, but social adaptation and the search for that type of activity, albeit not difficult from an intellectual point of view, that can enable them to exist independently in adulthood and provide for yourself. Unfortunately, this is often only possible with a mild (rarely moderate) degree of the disease. With more pronounced disorders, these patients need to be monitored and cared for by relatives throughout their lives.

Mental disorders of the endogenous circle, schizophrenia

The percentage of children and adolescents with purely mental disorders of the endogenous circle is quite large. In this case, we are talking about schizophrenia and disorders similar to it, in which there is a violation of thought processes and grossly changing personality traits. Untimely detection and initiation of therapy for these disorders leads to a very rapid increase in the personality defect and exacerbates the course of this disease in adulthood.

Childhood mental illness needs to be treated

Summarizing all that has been said, I would like to note that this article presents a very short and rough list of the main mental illnesses of childhood. Perhaps, if it turns out to be interesting, in the future we will continue the series of articles and even then we will dwell in detail on each type of mental disorder, how to detect them, and the principles of effective therapy.

Don't put off seeing a doctor if your child needs help

But I want to say one thing now: do not be afraid to visit a child psychiatrist, do not be afraid of the word “psychiatry”, do not hesitate to ask about what worries you about your child, what seems “wrong” to you, do not close your eyes to any peculiarities in behavior and your child's development by convincing yourself that "it just seems." A consultative appeal to a child psychiatrist will not oblige you to anything (the topic of monitoring forms in psychiatry is a topic for a separate article), and at the same time, often timely contacting a psychiatrist with your child prevents the development of severe mental disorders at a later age and makes it possible Your child will continue to live a full healthy life.

Psychiatrist of the children's dispensary department of TsMOKPB.

Mental health is a very sensitive topic. Clinical manifestations depend on the age of the child and the influence of certain factors. Often, due to fear for the upcoming changes in their own lifestyle, parents do not want to notice some problems with the psyche of their child.

Many are afraid to catch the sidelong glances of their neighbors, to feel the pity of friends, to change the usual order of life. But the child has the right to qualified timely help from a doctor, which will help alleviate his condition, and in the early stages of some diseases, cure one spectrum or another.

One of the complex mental illnesses is children's. This disease is understood as an acute condition of a baby or already a teenager, which manifests itself in his incorrect perception of reality, his inability to distinguish the real from the fictitious, the inability for them to really understand what is happening.

Features of childhood psychosis

And in children they are not diagnosed as often as in adults and. Mental disorders come in different types and forms, but no matter how the disorder manifests itself, no matter what the symptoms of the disease are, psychosis significantly complicates the life of the child and his parents, makes it difficult to think correctly, control actions, and build adequate parallels in relation to established social norms.

Childhood psychotic disorders are characterized by:

Childhood psychosis has different forms and manifestations, therefore it is difficult to diagnose and treat.

Why children are prone to mental disorders

Multiple causes contribute to the development of mental disorders in babies. Psychiatrists distinguish whole groups of factors:

genetic;
biological;
sociopsychological;
psychological.

The most important provoking factor is the genetic predisposition to. Other reasons include:

problems with intellect (and (like) with it);
incompatibility of the temperament of the baby and the parent;
family discord;
conflicts between parents;
events that left psychological trauma;
drugs that can cause a psychotic state;
high temperature, which can cause or;

To date, all possible causes have not been fully studied, but studies have confirmed that children with schizophrenia almost always have signs of organic brain disorders, and patients with autism are often diagnosed with the presence, which is explained by hereditary causes or trauma during childbirth.

Psychosis in young children may occur due to the divorce of parents.

At-risk groups

Thus, children are at risk:

one of the parents had or has a mental disorder;
who are brought up in a family where conflicts constantly arise between parents;
transferred;
who have undergone psychological trauma;
whose blood relatives have mental illnesses, and the closer the degree of kinship, the greater the risk of the disease.

Varieties of psychotic disorders among children

Diseases of the child's psyche are divided according to some criteria. Depending on age, there are:

early psychosis;
late psychosis.

The first type includes patients from infancy (up to a year), preschool (from 2 to 6 years) and early school age (from 6-8). The second type includes patients of preadolescent (8-11) and adolescence (12-15).

Depending on the cause of the development of the disease, psychosis can be:

exogenous- disorders caused by external factors;
- violations provoked by the internal characteristics of the body.

Depending on the type of course of psychosis can be:

that arose as a result of prolonged psychotrauma;
- arising instantly and unexpectedly.

A kind of psychotic deviation is. Depending on the nature of the course and symptoms, affective disorders are:

Symptoms depending on the form of failure

Different symptoms of mental illness are justified by different forms of the disease. The usual symptoms of the disease are:

- the baby sees, hears, feels what is not really there;
- a person sees the existing situation in his incorrect interpretation;
passivity, not initiative;
aggressiveness, rudeness;
obsession syndrome.
deviations associated with thinking.

Psychogenic shock often occurs in children and adolescents. Reactive psychosis occurs as a result of psychological trauma.

This form of psychosis has signs and symptoms that distinguish it from other mental spectrum disorders in children:

the reason for it is a deep emotional shock;
reversibility - symptoms weaken with the passage of time;
symptoms depend on the nature of the injury.

Early age

At an early age, mental health disorders manifest themselves in. The kid does not smile, in any way does not show joy on his face. Up to a year, the disorder is detected in the absence of cooing, babbling, clapping. The baby does not react to objects, people, parents.

Age crises, during which children are most susceptible to mental disorders from 3 to 4 years, from 5 to 7, from 12 to 18 years.

Mental disorders of the early period are manifested in:

frustrations;
capriciousness, disobedience;
increased fatigue;
irritability;
lack of communication;
lack of emotional contact.

Later in life up to adolescence

Mental problems in a 5-year-old child should worry parents if the baby loses already acquired skills, communicates little, does not want to play role-playing games, and does not take care of his appearance.

At the age of 7, the child becomes unstable in the psyche, he has a violation of appetite, unnecessary fears appear, working capacity decreases, and rapid overwork appears.

At the age of 12-18, parents need to pay attention to a teenager if he has:

sudden mood swings;
melancholy,;
aggressiveness, conflict;
, inconsistency;
a combination of incongruous: irritability with acute shyness, sensitivity with callousness, the desire for complete independence with the desire to be always close to mom;
schizoid;
rejection of accepted rules;
a penchant for philosophy and extreme positions;
care intolerance.

More painful signs of psychosis in older children are manifested in:

Diagnostic criteria and methods

Despite the proposed list of signs of psychosis, no parent will be able to accurately diagnose it on their own. First of all, parents should show their child to a psychotherapist. But even after the first appointment with a professional, it is too early to talk about mental personality disorders. A small patient should be examined by the following doctors:

neuropathologist;
speech therapist;
psychiatrist;
a doctor who specializes in developmental diseases.

Sometimes the patient is determined in a hospital for examination and carrying out the necessary procedures and tests.

Providing professional assistance

Short-term seizures of psychosis in a child disappear immediately after the disappearance of their cause. More severe illnesses require long-term therapy, often in a hospital setting. Specialists for the treatment of childhood psychosis use the same drugs as for adults, only in suitable doses.

Treatment of psychosis and psychotic spectrum disorders in children involves:

If the parents were able to identify the failure of the psyche in their child on time, then a few consultations with a psychiatrist or psychologist are usually enough to improve the condition. But there are cases that require long-term treatment and being under the supervision of doctors.

A psychological failure in a child, which is associated with his physical condition, is cured immediately after the disappearance of the underlying disease. If the disease was provoked by an experienced stressful situation, then even after the condition improves, the baby requires special treatment and consultations from a psychotherapist.

In extreme cases, with manifestations of strong aggression, the baby may be prescribed. But for the treatment of children, the use of heavy psychotropic drugs is used only in extreme cases.

In most cases, psychoses experienced in childhood do not recur in adult life in the absence of provocative situations. Parents of recovering children should fully comply with the daily regimen, do not forget about daily walks, a balanced diet and, if necessary, take care of taking medications in a timely manner.

The baby should not be left unattended. At the slightest violation of his mental state, it is necessary to seek help from a specialist who will help to cope with the problem that has arisen.

For treatment and avoiding consequences for the child's psyche in the future, it is necessary to follow all the recommendations of specialists.

Every parent concerned about the mental health of their child should remember:

Love and care is what any person needs, especially a small and defenseless one.

Nowadays, mental deviations are found in almost every second person. Not always the disease has bright clinical manifestations. However, some deviations cannot be neglected. The concept of the norm has a wide range, but inaction, with obvious signs of illness, only exacerbates the situation.

Mental illness in adults, children: list and description

Sometimes, different ailments have the same symptoms, but in most cases, diseases can be divided and classified. Major mental illnesses - a list and description of deviations can attract the attention of loved ones, but only an experienced psychiatrist can establish the final diagnosis. He will also prescribe treatment based on the symptoms, coupled with clinical studies. The sooner the patient seeks help, the greater the chance of successful treatment. We need to discard stereotypes, and not be afraid to face the truth. Now mental illness is not a sentence, and most of them are successfully treated if the patient turns to the doctors for help in time. Most often, the patient himself is not aware of his condition, and this mission should be taken on by his relatives. The list and description of mental illnesses is for informational purposes only. Perhaps your knowledge will save the lives of those who are dear to you, or dispel your worries.

Agoraphobia with panic disorder

Agoraphobia, in one way or another, accounts for about 50% of all anxiety disorders. If initially the disorder meant only the fear of open space, now the fear of fear has been added to this. That's right, a panic attack overtakes in an environment where there is a high probability of falling, getting lost, getting lost, etc., and fear will not cope with this. Agoraphobia expresses non-specific symptoms, that is, increased heart rate, sweating can also occur with other disorders. All the symptoms of agoraphobia are exclusively subjective signs experienced by the patient himself.

Alcoholic dementia

Ethyl alcohol, with constant use, acts as a toxin that destroys the brain functions responsible for human behavior and emotions. Unfortunately, only alcoholic dementia can be tracked, its symptoms can be identified, but treatment will not restore lost brain functions. You can slow down alcohol dementia, but you can't heal a person completely. Symptoms of alcoholic dementia include slurred speech, memory loss, sensory loss, and lack of logic.

Allotriophagy

Some are surprised when children or pregnant women combine incompatible foods, or, in general, eat something inedible. Most often, this is the lack of certain trace elements and vitamins in the body. This is not a disease, and is usually “treated” by taking a vitamin complex. With allotriophagy, people eat what is basically not edible: glass, dirt, hair, iron, and this is a mental disorder, the causes of which are not only a lack of vitamins. Most often, this is a shock, plus beriberi, and, as a rule, treatment also needs to be approached comprehensively.

Anorexia

In our time of craze for gloss, the mortality rate from anorexia is 20%. An obsessive fear of getting fat makes you refuse to eat, up to complete exhaustion. If you recognize the first signs of anorexia, a difficult situation can be avoided and measures can be taken in time. The first symptoms of anorexia:
Table setting turns into a ritual, with calorie counting, fine cutting, and spreading/smearing food on a plate. All life and interests are focused only on food, calories, and weighing five times a day.

Autism

Autism - what is this disease, and how can it be treated? Only half of the children diagnosed with autism have functional brain disorders. Children with autism think differently than normal children. They understand everything, but cannot express their emotions due to the disruption of social interaction. Ordinary children grow up and copy the behavior of adults, their gestures, facial expressions, and so learn to communicate, but with autism, non-verbal communication is impossible. do not strive for loneliness, they simply do not know how to establish contact themselves. With due attention and special training, this can be somewhat corrected.

Delirium tremens

Delirium tremens refers to psychosis, against the background of prolonged use of alcohol. Signs of delirium tremens are represented by a very wide range of symptoms. Hallucinations - visual, tactile and auditory, delirium, rapid mood swings from blissful to aggressive. To date, the mechanism of brain damage is not fully understood, as well as there is no complete cure for this disorder.

Alzheimer's disease

Many types of mental disorders are incurable, and Alzheimer's disease is one of them. The first signs of Alzheimer's disease in men are non-specific, and it is not immediately evident. After all, all men forget birthdays, important dates, and this does not surprise anyone. In Alzheimer's disease, short-term memory is the first to suffer, and a person literally forgets today. Aggression, irritability appear, and this is also attributed to a manifestation of character, thereby missing the moment when it was possible to slow down the course of the disease and prevent too rapid dementia.

Pick's disease

Niemann Pick disease in children is exclusively hereditary, and is divided according to severity into several categories, according to mutations in a certain pair of chromosomes. The classic category "A" is a sentence for a child, and death occurs by the age of five. Symptoms of Niemann Pick disease appear in the first two weeks of a child's life. Lack of appetite, vomiting, clouding of the cornea of the eye and enlarged internal organs, due to which the child's stomach becomes disproportionately large. Damage to the central nervous system and metabolism leads to death. Categories "B", "C", and "D" are not so dangerous, since the central nervous system is not affected so rapidly, this process can be slowed down.

bulimia

Bulimia - what kind of disease is it, and should it be treated? In fact, bulimia is not just a mental disorder. A person does not control his feeling of hunger and eats literally everything. At the same time, the feeling of guilt makes the patient take a lot of laxatives, emetics, and miracle remedies for weight loss. Obsession with your weight is just the tip of the iceberg. Bulimia occurs due to functional disorders of the central nervous system, with pituitary disorders, with brain tumors, the initial stage of diabetes, and bulimia is only a symptom of these diseases.

Hallucinosis

The causes of hallucinosis syndrome occur against the background of encephalitis, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, hemorrhage, or tumors. With full lucid consciousness, the patient may experience visual hallucinations, auditory, tactile, or olfactory. A person can see the world around him in a somewhat distorted form, and the faces of the interlocutors can be presented as cartoon characters, or as geometric shapes. The acute form of hallucinosis can last up to two weeks, but you should not relax if the hallucinations have passed. Without identifying the causes of hallucinations, and appropriate treatment, the disease may return.

Dementia

Senile is a consequence of Alzheimer's disease, and is often referred to by the people as "old man's insanity." The stages of development of dementia can be divided into several periods. At the first stage, memory lapses are observed, and sometimes the patient forgets where he went and what he did a minute ago.

The next stage is the loss of orientation in space and time. The patient can get lost even in his room. Further, hallucinations, delusions, and sleep disturbances follow. In some cases, dementia proceeds very quickly, and the patient completely loses the ability to reason, speak and serve himself within two to three months. With proper care, supportive care, the prognosis of life after the onset of dementia is from 3 to 15 years, depending on the causes of dementia, patient care, and individual characteristics of the body.

Depersonalization

Depersonalization syndrome is characterized by a loss of connection with oneself. The patient cannot perceive himself, his actions, words, as his own, and looks at himself from the outside. In some cases, this is a defensive reaction of the psyche to a shock, when you need to evaluate your actions from the outside without emotions. If this disorder does not go away within two weeks, treatment is prescribed based on the severity of the disease.

Depression

It is impossible to answer unequivocally whether it is a disease or not. This is an affective disorder, that is, a mood disorder, but it affects the quality of life, and can lead to disability. A pessimistic attitude triggers other mechanisms that destroy the body. Another option is also possible, when depression is a symptom of other diseases of the endocrine system or pathology of the central nervous system.

dissociative fugue

Dissociative fugue is an acute mental disorder that occurs against a background of stress. The patient leaves his home, moves to a new place, and everything connected with his personality: name, surname, age, profession, etc., is erased from his memory. At the same time, the memory of the books read, of some experience, but not related to his personality, is preserved. A dissociative fugue can last from two weeks to many years. Memory may return suddenly, but if this does not happen, you should seek qualified help from a psychotherapist. Under hypnosis, as a rule, the cause of the shock is found, and the memory returns.

Stuttering

Stuttering is a violation of the tempo-rhythmic organization of speech, expressed by spasms of the speech apparatus, as a rule, stuttering occurs in physically and psychologically weak people who are too dependent on someone else's opinion. The area of the brain responsible for speech is adjacent to the area responsible for emotions. Violations occurring in one area are inevitably reflected in another.

gambling addiction

Gambling is considered a disease of the weak. This is a personality disorder, and treatment is complicated by the fact that there is no cure for gambling. Against the background of loneliness, infantilism, greed, or laziness, addiction to the game develops. The quality of treatment for gambling addiction depends solely on the desire of the patient himself, and consists in constant self-discipline.

Idiocy

Idiocy is classified in the ICD as profound mental retardation. The general characteristics of personality and behavior are correlated with the level of development of a three-year-old child. Patients with idiocy are practically incapable of learning and live exclusively by instinct. Typically, patients have an IQ of around 20, and treatment consists of patient care.

Imbecility

In the International Classification of Diseases, imbecility has been replaced by the term "mental retardation". Impairment of intellectual development in the degree of imbecility represents the average level of mental retardation. Congenital imbecility is a consequence of intrauterine infection or defects in the formation of the fetus. The level of development of the imbecile corresponds to the development of a child of 6-9 years. They are moderately trainable, but the imbecile's independent living is impossible.

Hypochondria

It manifests itself in an obsessive search for diseases in oneself. The patient carefully listens to his body and looks for symptoms that confirm the presence of the disease. Most often, such patients complain of tingling, numbness of the extremities and other non-specific symptoms, requiring doctors to accurately diagnose. Sometimes, patients with hypochondria are so sure of their serious illness that the body, under the influence of the psyche, fails and really gets sick.

Hysteria

The signs of hysteria are quite violent, and, as a rule, women suffer from this personality disorder. With a hysteroid disorder, there is a strong manifestation of emotions, and some theatricality, and pretense. A person seeks to attract attention, arouse pity, achieve something. Some consider it just whims, but, as a rule, such a disorder is quite serious, since a person cannot control his emotions. Such patients need psychocorrection, since hysterics are aware of their behavior, and suffer from incontinence no less than their loved ones.

Kleptomania

This psychological disorder refers to the disorder of drives. The exact nature has not been studied, however, it is noted that kleptomania is a concomitant disease with other psychopathic disorders. Sometimes kleptomania manifests itself as a result of pregnancy or in adolescents, with a hormonal transformation of the body. The craving for theft in kleptomania does not aim to get rich. The patient is looking for only thrills from the very fact of committing an illegal act.

Cretinism

Types of cretinism are divided into endemic and sporadic. As a rule, sporadic cretinism is caused by a deficiency of thyroid hormones during embryonic development. Endemic cretinism is caused by a lack of iodine and selenium in the mother's diet during pregnancy. In the case of cretinism, early treatment is of the utmost importance. If, with congenital cretinism, therapy is started at 2-4 weeks of a child's life, the degree of his development will not lag behind the level of his peers.

"Culture shock

Many do not take culture shock and its consequences seriously, however, the state of a person with culture shock should be of concern. Often people experience culture shock when moving to another country. At first a person is happy, he likes different food, different songs, but soon he encounters the deepest differences in deeper layers. Everything that he used to consider normal and ordinary goes against his worldview in a new country. Depending on the characteristics of the person and the motives for moving, there are three ways to resolve the conflict:

1. Assimilation. Complete acceptance of a foreign culture and dissolution in it, sometimes in an exaggerated form. One's own culture is belittled, criticized, and the new one is considered more developed and ideal.

2. Ghettoization. That is, creating your own world inside a foreign country. This is a separate residence, and the restriction of external contacts with the local population.

3. Moderate assimilation. In this case, the individual will keep in his home everything that was accepted in his homeland, but at work and in society he tries to acquire a different culture and observes the customs generally accepted in this society.

Persecution mania

Mania of persecution - in a word, one can characterize the real disorder as spy mania, or persecution. Persecution mania can develop against the background of schizophrenia, and manifests itself in excessive suspicion. The patient is convinced that he is an object of surveillance by special services, and suspects everyone, even his relatives, of espionage. This schizophrenic disorder is difficult to treat, since the patient cannot be convinced that the doctor is not an employee of the special services, but the pill is a medicine.

Misanthropy

A form of personality disorder characterized by hostility towards people, up to hatred. What is misanthropy, and how to recognize a misanthrope? Misanthrope opposes himself to society, its weaknesses and imperfections. To justify his hatred, a misanthrope often raises his philosophy to a kind of cult. A stereotype has been created that a misanthrope is an absolutely closed hermit, but this is not always the case. The misanthrope carefully selects whom to let into his personal space and who can be his equal. In a severe form, the misanthrope hates all of humanity as a whole and may call for massacres and wars.

Monomania

Monomania is a psychosis, expressed in focusing on one thought, with full preservation of reason. In today's psychiatry, the term "monomania" is considered obsolete, and too general. Currently, there are "pyromania", "kleptomania" and so on. Each of these psychoses has its own roots, and treatment is prescribed based on the severity of the disorder.

obsessive states

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is characterized by the inability to get rid of annoying thoughts or actions. As a rule, OCD suffers from individuals with a high level of intelligence, with a high level of social responsibility. Obsessive-compulsive disorder manifests itself in endless thinking about unnecessary things. How many cells are on the companion's jacket, how old is the tree, why the bus has round headlights, etc.

The second version of the disorder is obsessive actions, or rechecking actions. The most common impact is related to cleanliness and order. The patient endlessly washes everything, folds and washes again, to the point of exhaustion. The syndrome of persistent states is difficult to treat, even with the use of complex therapy.

narcissistic personality disorder

The signs of narcissistic personality disorder are easy to recognize. prone to overestimated self-esteem, confident in their own ideality and perceive any criticism as envy. This is a behavioral personality disorder, and it's not as harmless as it might seem. Narcissistic personalities are confident in their own permissiveness and are entitled to something more than everyone else. Without a twinge of conscience, they can destroy other people's dreams and plans, because for them it does not matter.

Neurosis

Is obsessive-compulsive disorder a mental illness or not, and how difficult is it to diagnose the disorder? Most often, the disease is diagnosed on the basis of patient complaints, and psychological testing, MRI and CT of the brain. Often, neuroses are a symptom of a brain tumor, aneurysm, or previous infections.

Oligophrenia

This is a form of mental retardation in which the patient does not develop mentally. Oligophrenia is caused by intrauterine infections, defects in genes, or hypoxia during childbirth. The treatment of oligophrenia consists in the social adaptation of patients, and teaching the simplest self-service skills. For such patients, there are special kindergartens, schools, but it is rarely possible to achieve development more than the level of a ten-year-old child.

Panic attacks

A fairly common disorder, however, the causes of the disease are unknown. Most often, doctors in the diagnosis write VVD, since the symptoms are very similar. There are three categories of panic attacks:

1. Spontaneous panic attack. Fear, increased sweating and palpitations occur without any reason. If such attacks occur regularly, somatic diseases should be ruled out, and only after that you should be referred to a psychotherapist.

2. Situational panic attack. Many people have phobias. Someone is afraid to ride in an elevator, others are afraid of airplanes. Many psychologists successfully cope with such fears, and you should not delay visiting a doctor.

3. Panic attack when taking drugs or alcohol. In this situation, biochemical stimulation is on the face, and the psychologist in this case will only help get rid of the addiction, if any.

Paranoia

Paranoia is a heightened sense of reality. Patients with paranoia can build the most complex logical chains and solve the most intricate tasks, thanks to their non-standard logic. - a chronic disorder characterized by periods of calm and violent crises. During such periods, the treatment of the patient is especially difficult, since paranoid ideas can be expressed in persecution mania, megalomania, and other ideas where the patient considers doctors enemies or they are unworthy of treating him.

Pyromania

Pyromania is a mental disorder characterized by a morbid passion for watching fire. Only such contemplation can bring joy, satisfaction and calm to the patient. Pyromania is considered a type of OCD, due to the inability to resist the urge to set something on fire. Pyromaniacs rarely plan a fire in advance. This is spontaneous lust, which does not give material gain or profit, and the patient feels relieved after the arson has been committed.

psychoses

They are classified according to their origin. Organic psychosis occurs against the background of brain damage due to infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis, syphilis, etc.)

1. Functional psychosis - with a physically intact brain, paranoid deviations occur.

2. Intoxication. The cause of intoxication psychosis is the abuse of alcohol, drug-containing drugs, and poisons. Under the influence of toxins, nerve fibers are affected, which leads to irreversible consequences and complicated psychoses.

3. Reactive. Psychosis, panic attacks, hysteria, and increased emotional excitability often occur after psychological trauma.

4. Traumatic. Due to traumatic brain injuries, psychosis can manifest itself in the form of hallucinations, unreasonable fears, and obsessive-compulsive states.

Self-damaging behavior "Patomimia"

Self-harmful behavior in adolescents is expressed in self-hatred, and self-infliction of pain as a punishment for their weakness. During adolescence, children are not always able to show their love, hate, or fear, and self-aggression helps to cope with this problem. Often, pathomimia is accompanied by alcoholism, drug addiction, or dangerous sports.

seasonal depression

Conduct disorder is expressed in apathy, depression, increased fatigue, and a general decrease in vital energy. All these are signs of seasonal depression, which affects mainly women. The causes of seasonal depression lie in the reduction of daylight hours. If the breakdown, drowsiness and melancholy began from the end of autumn and last until the very spring - this is seasonal depression. The production of serotonin and melatonin, the hormones responsible for mood, is affected by the presence of bright sunlight, and if it is not there, the necessary hormones fall into "hibernation".

Sexual perversions

The psychology of sexual perversion changes from year to year. Separate sexual inclinations do not correspond to modern standards of morality and generally accepted behavior. In different times and in different cultures, their understanding of the norm. What can be considered a sexual perversion today:

Fetishism. The object of sexual attraction is clothing or an inanimate object.
Egsbizionism. Sexual satisfaction is achieved only in public, by demonstrating one's genitals.
Voyeurism. Does not require direct participation in sexual intercourse, and is content with spying on the sexual intercourse of others.

Pedophilia. Painful longing to satisfy one's sexual passion with pre-pubescent children.
Sadomasochism. Sexual satisfaction is possible only in the case of causing or receiving physical pain or humiliation.

Senestopathy

Senestopathy is in psychology one of the symptoms of hypochondria or depressive delirium. The patient feels pain, burning, tingling, for no particular reason. In a severe form of senestopathy, the patient complains of freezing of the brain, itching of the heart, and itching in the liver. Diagnosis of senestopathy begins with a complete medical examination to exclude somatics and nonspecific symptoms of diseases of the internal organs.

negative twin syndrome

The delusional negative twin syndrome is also known as Capgras syndrome. In psychiatry, they have not decided whether to consider this an independent disease or a symptom. A patient with the negative twin syndrome is sure that one of his relatives, or himself, has been replaced. All negative actions (crashed the car, stole a candy bar in the supermarket), all this is attributed to the double. Of the possible causes of this syndrome, the destruction of the connection between visual perception and emotional is called, due to defects in the fusiform gyrus.

irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation is expressed in bloating, flatulence, and impaired defecation. The most common cause of IBS is stress. Approximately 2/3 of all TCS sufferers are women, and more than half of them suffer from mental disorders. Treatment for IBS is systemic and includes medication to treat constipation, flatulence, or diarrhea, and antidepressants to relieve anxiety or depression.

chronic fatigue syndrome

Already reaching epidemic proportions. This is especially noticeable in large cities, where the rhythm of life is more rapid and the mental burden on a person is enormous. The symptoms of the disorder are quite variable and home treatment is possible if this is the initial form of the disease. Frequent headaches, sleepiness throughout the day, fatigue even after vacations or weekends, food allergies, memory loss and inability to concentrate are all symptoms of CFS.

Burnout Syndrome

The syndrome of emotional burnout in medical workers occurs after 2-4 years of work. The work of doctors is associated with constant stress, often doctors feel dissatisfied with themselves, the patient, or feel helpless. After a certain time, they are overtaken by emotional exhaustion, expressed in indifference to someone else's pain, cynicism, or outright aggression. Doctors are taught to treat other people, but they don't know how to deal with their own problem.

Vascular dementia

It is provoked by a violation of blood circulation in the brain, and is a progressive disease. Those who have high blood pressure, blood sugar, or someone from close relatives suffered from vascular dementia should be attentive to their health. How long they live with such a diagnosis depends on the severity of the brain damage, and on how carefully loved ones care for the patient. On average, after diagnosis, the life of the patient is 5-6 years, subject to appropriate treatment and care.

Stress and adjustment disorder

Stress and impaired behavioral adaptation are quite persistent. Violation of behavioral adaptation usually manifests itself within three months, after the stress itself. As a rule, this is a strong shock, the loss of a loved one, a catastrophe, violence, etc. A behavioral adaptation disorder is expressed in violation of the moral rules accepted in society, senseless vandalism, and actions that endanger one's life or others.
Without appropriate treatment, stress disorder can last up to three years.

Suicidal behavior

As a rule, adolescents have not yet fully formed the idea of death. Frequent suicide attempts are caused by the desire to relax, take revenge, get away from problems. They do not want to die forever, but only temporarily. Nevertheless, these attempts may be successful. To prevent suicidal behavior in adolescents, prevention should be carried out. Trusting relationships in the family, learning to cope with stress and resolve conflict situations - this greatly reduces the risk of suicidal ideation.

Madness

Insanity is an outdated concept for the definition of a whole complex of mental disorders. Most often, the term madness is used in painting, in literature, along with another term - "madness". By definition, insanity or insanity can be temporary, caused by pain, passion, possession, and is mostly treated with prayer or magic.

Tapophilia

Tapophilia manifests itself in attraction to the cemetery and funeral rituals. The reasons for tapophilia mainly lie in the cultural and aesthetic interest in monuments, in rites and rituals. Some old necropolises are more like museums, and the atmosphere of the cemetery pacifies and reconciles with life. Tapophiles are not interested in dead bodies, or thoughts about death, and show only cultural and historical interest. As a general rule, taphophylia does not require treatment unless visiting cemeteries develops into compulsive behavior with OCD.

Anxiety

Anxiety in psychology is unmotivated fear, or fear for minor reasons. There is a “useful anxiety” in a person’s life, which is a protective mechanism. Anxiety is the result of an analysis of the situation, and a forecast of the consequences, how real the danger is. In the case of neurotic anxiety, a person cannot explain the reasons for his fear.

Trichotillomania

What is trichotillomania and is it a mental disorder? Of course, trichotillomania belongs to the OCD group and is aimed at pulling out one's hair. Sometimes hair is pulled out unconsciously, and the patient can eat personal hair, which leads to gastrointestinal problems. As a rule, trichotillomania is a reaction to stress. The patient feels a burning sensation in the hair follicle on the head, on the face, body, and after pulling out, the patient feels calm. Sometimes patients with trichotillomania become recluses, as they are embarrassed by their appearance, and they are ashamed of their behavior. Recent studies have revealed that patients with trichotillomania have damage in a particular gene. If these studies are confirmed, the treatment of trichotillomania will be more successful.

hikikomori

To fully study such a phenomenon as hikikomori is quite difficult. Basically, hikikomori deliberately isolate themselves from the outside world, and even from members of their family. They do not work, and do not leave the limits of their room, except for an urgent need. They maintain contact with the world via the Internet, and can even work remotely, but they exclude communication and meetings in real life. It is not uncommon for hikikomori to suffer from autism spectrum disorder, social phobia, and anxiety disorder. In countries with an underdeveloped economy, hikikomori is practically not found.

Phobia

A phobia in psychiatry is fear, or excessive anxiety. As a rule, phobias are classified as mental disorders that do not require clinical research and psychocorrection will do better. The exception is already rooted phobias that get out of control of a person, disrupting his normal life.

Schizoid personality disorder

Diagnosis - schizoid personality disorder is based on the signs characteristic of this disorder.
In schizoid personality disorder, the individual is characterized by emotional coldness, indifference, unwillingness to socialize, and a tendency to retire.
Such people prefer to contemplate their inner world and do not share their experiences with loved ones, and are also indifferent to their appearance and how society reacts to it.

Schizophrenia

On the question: is it a congenital or acquired disease, there is no consensus. Presumably, for the appearance of schizophrenia, several factors must come together, such as genetic predisposition, living conditions, and socio-psychological environment. It is impossible to say that schizophrenia is an exclusively hereditary disease.

selective mutism

Selective mutism in children aged 3-9 years is manifested in selective verbality. As a rule, at this age, children go to kindergarten, school and find themselves in new conditions for themselves. Shy children experience difficulties in socialization, and this is reflected in their speech and behavior. At home they may talk incessantly, but at school they won't utter a single sound. Selective mutism is classified as a behavioral disorder, and psychotherapy is indicated.

Encoprese

Sometimes parents ask the question: "Encopresis - what is it, and is it a mental disorder?" With encopresis, the child cannot control his feces. He can "go big" in his pants, and not even understand what's wrong. If such a phenomenon is observed more than once a month, and lasts at least six months, the child needs a comprehensive examination, including by a psychiatrist. During potty training, parents expect the child to get used to it the first time, and scold the baby when he forgets about it. Then the child has a fear of both the potty and defecation, which can be expressed in encopresis on the part of the psyche, and a host of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Enuresis

As a rule, it disappears by the age of five, and special treatment is not required here. It is only necessary to observe the regime of the day, do not drink a lot of liquid at night, and be sure to empty the bladder before going to bed. Enuresis can also be caused by neurosis against the background of stressful situations, and psychotraumatic factors for the child should be excluded.

Of great concern is enuresis in adolescents and adults. Sometimes in such cases there is an anomaly in the development of the bladder, and, alas, there is no treatment for this, except for the use of an enuresis alarm clock.

Often, mental disorders are perceived as a person’s character and they blame him for what, in fact, he is not guilty. The inability to live in society, the inability to adapt to everyone is condemned, and the person, it turns out, is alone with his misfortune. The list of the most common ailments does not cover even a hundredth of mental disorders, and in each case, symptoms and behavior may vary. If you are concerned about the condition of a loved one, do not let the situation take its course. If the problem interferes with life, then it must be solved together with a specialist.

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