Querulantism and how it is treated. Querullants. Only own interests

Chapter Four Delusions of Attitude and Delusions of Meaning General Concept of Delusions of Attitude One of the main pillars of schizophrenic delusions is "pathological reference to oneself." This morbid phenomenon underlies the delusion of attitude and its variety - the delusion of meaning.

Chapter Eleven Delusions in schizophrenia and delusions of other origin, their commonality and differences As already mentioned, a symptom of delusions, taken in isolation from clinical picture in general, has no absolute diagnostic value and does not speak undeniably for schizophrenia. He points

Delusion of sinfulness In the case of delusional sinfulness, the patient considers all other people to be better, more noble, sinless. Under the weight of a pathologically inflated sense of guilt, he demands from the social environment only punishment for his sins. There is also a desire to

Delusions of invention In delusions of invention or, rather, creativity (crazy ideas are not limited to inventions), the patient's mission is to create a great creation that will glorify him and make people happy. In the delirium of invention, as well as in

Delusion of insignificance Delusion of insignificance (nihilistic) is the antithesis of delusion of grandeur. The patient considers himself the worst of all people, the degenerate of society, dust and insignificance. The feeling of insignificance is sometimes transferred to one's own body: internal organs supposedly stop

Catastrophic delirium In catastrophic delirium the world is subject to destruction. This world can be the immediate environment (home, family), or a wider environment (countries, the cultural circle in which the patient lives, finally, the globe and the whole Cosmos) in

Delusions of love In cases of delusions of love, there is a desire to be loved. The patient (this type of delusion is more common in women) seems to be the object of passionate love and love. Every word or gesture, seemingly meaningless, she interprets

Delusions of Pregnancy Crazy ideas associated with motherhood - the ideas of pregnancy and the birth of a wonderful child - are distinguished by pronounced conditioning, desire. Delusions of pregnancy must be distinguished from hysterical pregnancy. In the case of delusions of pregnancy, the image

Delusions of the "wunderkind" Normal maternal feelings of pride and dreams of a happy and brilliant future for the child take on the grotesque form of the delusions of the "wunderkind". They represent, as it were, a delusion of grandeur transferred to the child. Critical attitude of others

Delusions of Jealousy Jealousy, which Shakespeare called the green-eyed monster, is perhaps the most destructive emotion. The boundary between normal and pathological jealousy is not easy to define. Usually pathological is considered jealousy that has arisen without obvious

Hypochondriacal delusions Anxiety associated with own body- “something has gone bad”, “is everything all right with me”, “what is it like”, - turns into nonsense when a ready-made answer arises that does not correspond to the actual state. The answer to the first question can be cancer or

Delusions and hallucinations The strongest impression on the environment is usually made by the patient's delusions and hallucinations. The fact that the patient "sees" and that he "talks" is most often cited as evidence mental illness. delusional hallucinatory world

Litigation is perceived by people around as simply harmfulness and a tendency to complain everywhere and everywhere. However, querullants may not be aware of the reasons for their behavior and do not subject their actions to self-criticism. In fact, a litigious disorder is always based on a psychopathological problem that needs to be identified in time and carried out. necessary measures for its elimination.

What is querulism

The term querulism also has another name in psychiatry - litigation or persistent complaints syndrome.

This disease is characterized by constant unconscious complaints about the environment. social sphere and the behavior of other people.

The behavior of litigants is very typical and easily recognizable in Everyday life. Querullants always quite aggressively defend their point of view, show indifference to the interests of loved ones. They fixate on their imaginary problem and try to possible ways solve it. Very often, the complaints of litigants do not remain only in words, they are able to show aggression and cruelty towards far-fetched offenders.

Also in modern psychiatry there is such a thing as the "Querulant complex". This term describes the behavior inherent in a pathological brawler. Such an individual complains always and everywhere, regardless of the initial situation. At the same time, his behavior is aggressive towards the interlocutor. Such a person can make a scandal from scratch, which will be accompanied by insults and possible assault.

Reasons for Litigation

There are two opinions about the causes of the development of the suture syndrome:

1. genetic reason. It provides for an initial predisposition to the occurrence of symptoms of litigation. AT this case the disease usually begins in people 40-70 years old in the presence of various predisposing factors: small size pensions, lack of work, infringement of rights and others. According to research, litigious syndrome occurs more often in stuck individuals.
2. Querulantism is a symptom of another mental illness. This theory considers querulants as psychopathic individuals capable of committing actions that are of a mass nature against the background of the underlying disease (schizophrenia or paranoid disorder). For example, quarrelers can organize riots or murders in order to attract the attention of officials.

Convulsive syndrome can occur regardless of gender. Men and women are equally susceptible to this disease.

Symptoms of the disease

The main manifestations of querulism include:

• increased emotionality and excessive touchiness;
• constant thoughts about the imaginary infringement of personal rights;
• indifference to their duties in relation to other people;
• demonstrating one's displeasure in public;
• paranoid thoughts;
• aggressive behavior;
• persecution mania;
• exalting oneself over other people;
• excessive exaggeration of their problems;
• constant dissatisfaction with the surrounding life situations.

The querulant never realizes the morbidity of their behavior and does not admit that he has a mental illness. Such people enjoy being pitied and constantly feel their own inferiority.

Diagnostic methods

The possibility of diagnosing querulism depends on the form of manifestation of this disease. There are two such forms:

1. Litigation as a symptom complex as part of the main psychiatric syndrome. In this case, the diagnosis is not difficult, since the patient is already under the supervision of a psychotherapist. In psychoanalysis and psychotherapy qualified specialist easily detect signs of the syndrome.
2. Convulsive syndrome as an independent isolated disease. In this case, the diagnosis is difficult, and people can live with this diagnosis without knowing about it, a large number of time. To those around them, arguing just seems strange, and no one thinks about the psychiatric reason.

It is very important to recognize the signs of querulism in a person in time, since his behavior without proper treatment can be dangerous for the people around him and for himself.

Basic treatment

The following methods are used to treat querulism:

1. Medications that help reduce anxiety and normalize the patient's sleep. To do this, use neuroleptics (, Neuleptil) and tranquilizers (Relanium).
2. Psychotherapeutic methods: psychoanalysis and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Psychoanalytic theory is based on the search for the underlying causes of delusions of litigiousness. This method can lead to positive result treatment only if the psychotherapist has high professional knowledge and skills. Also, a specialist needs to show great patience with a patient who, due to his illness, will accuse him of incompetence, and show negativity in the treatment process.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy provides for the elimination of conflict situations, which are the basis for the litigious syndrome. The therapist needs to explain to the patient that everything intrusive thoughts regarding the infringement of his rights are unfounded and do not correspond to reality.

Consequences of mental deviation

Querulant personality disorder is a very complex psychopathological process, the treatment of which is still under investigation. big question. It is known that even with the correct and timely treatment of this disease, some only experience a deterioration in their condition and their symptoms return each time with renewed vigor.

The consequences of such a behavioral syndrome can be very serious and terrible actions that litigants carry out to draw attention to their imaginary problems. Paranoid litigants tend to display aggression and cruelty in the process of defending their rights.

In order for the consequences not to be deplorable for the patient himself and those around him, it is necessary constant control psychotherapist. In most cases, the placement of the patient in a psychiatric clinic is required.

There is a certain subtype of people who constantly complain about the infringement of personal rights, social injustice and the lack of proper legal norms. Filing applications with the courts and centers for the protection of human rights, many years of finding out the guilt of the other side for such individuals is the meaning of life. The meaning of the term "querulantism" in Latin means "complain". The querulant suffers to fight for his imaginary infringed rights in all spheres of life: in hospitals, at work, in a store, on the streets, etc. A person with querulant reactions is often quick-tempered, aggressive, shows rigidity and perseverance in order to achieve his goals.

Querulantism can be both a single syndrome and an accompanying symptom in many psycho-organic lesions of the brain.

The concept and signs of querulism

The study of querulant reactions was carried out back in the 19th century and turned to these states Special attention. The German psychiatrist, K. T. Jaspers, believed that given state occupies a borderline place between delirium and psychopathic fanaticism and attributed querulism to "passion psychosis". The syndrome of persistent complaints has another name - litigious disorder.

At present, the strife syndrome has practically disappeared from psychiatry, scientists are reluctant to study this problem, since the upholding of human rights, imposed by Western society, has become business as usual within the limits of both norm and pathology. Thus, the diagnosis and treatment of litigious disorder is a rather complex and time-consuming task.

The syndrome is equally affected by both men and women. The period of development of litigious reactions falls on the age of 40 - 70 years, the peak of discontent reaches during socio-political crises. Psychogenic factors, such as a small pension, infringement of rights, unemployment, are a trigger for the development of a litigious syndrome.

There are two hypotheses for the development of lingering reactions:

• genetic;
• symptom .

The first hypothesis considers litigious activity as an innate predisposition that is activated when negative impact psychogenic factors. Special place in this scientific view assigned to accentuations of character, for example, the risk of developing a litigious syndrome increases in stuck personalities (according to A. E. Lichko).

Protracted behavior may be one of the symptoms mental illness, for example, at or paranoid disorder. Psychopathologies with litigious delusions are rather complex modifications, which are accompanied by outbreaks of aggression. There are cases when people with querulant mental disorder committed riots and massacres.

Among the main symptoms of the striated syndrome are:

• increased sensitivity, emotionality;
• constant dissatisfaction with the political situation, the health care system, work, etc.;
• litigious nonsense;
• persecution mania;
• paranoia;
• obsessive thoughts about the infringement of their rights;
• hypomanic;
• aggressive behavior;
• egocentrism;
• indifference to the rights of other people;
• negativism;
• exaggeration of problems, suspiciousness;
• demonstrative behavior;
• overvalued ideas;
• lack of awareness of their illness;
• confidence in one's own superiority.

Sutyags are rather quick-tempered, suspicious, selfish and indifferent to the interests and rights of other people. The behavior of querullants is demonstrative, often aggressive, veiled as a defense of personal rights. According to numerous studies, the complaints of litigious people have a direct or indirect threatening connotation. Persistent querullants usually threaten with dismissal, payment of financial compensation, physical violence. Most of the complaints are only in words, but there were situations when, obsessed with infringing on their rights, querullants committed illegal acts.

A distinctive feature of querullants is the upholding of personal rights, and not general social ones. Such people are fighting their own fictional enemies, they are of little interest to the opinions of others. Overvalued ideas are the driving force for querullants, their life position is based on self-affirmation and a statement of its significance.

Querullants are distinguished by their perseverance, they can participate in legal proceedings for years, just to win the case. In most cases, the judicial conclusion does not satisfy the querulants, since they see in everything a hidden negative connotation in relation to their person. Such people get a hidden pleasure from feeling their own inferiority, they love to be pitied. Litigation failures spur the querullants even more, giving them a new boost of energy and encouraging them to be even more active. There is a known case when a resident of the United States filed close to three thousand lawsuits with various complaints over seven years, for which he got into the Guinness Book of Records. Almost all litigious personalities lack self-criticism in relation to their mental health.

Treatment of sutyazhny syndrome

Therapy for strife disorder is based on two approaches:

• pharmacotherapy;

As drug treatment persons with a sutyazhny syndrome are prescribed antipsychotics and tranquilizers.

For psychotherapy this syndrome the following methods can be used:

• psychoanalysis;
• cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy;
• psychodynamic approach.

The psychoanalytic approach in the treatment of this phenomenon requires from the psychotherapist not only high professional qualities but also patience. Litigious personalities have high level negativism, which is skillfully projected onto the surrounding people. Querullants often blame psychotherapists for incompetence, especially when the session enters the stage of psychoanalytic theory and the search for the underlying causes of the disorder.

The cognitive-behavioral therapy of querulants is based on the elimination of conflicts, which are the basis of their activities. The psychotherapist helps to understand the cause of the syndrome, explains the imaginary infringed rights and interests of the individual, eliminates obsessive thoughts.

Sutyazhny syndrome usually lasts for several years, after which remission may occur. The outbreak of new litigation directly depends on the action of psychosocial traumatic factors. Treatment of the strife syndrome does not always have a favorable outcome, many patients have even greater delirium and querulant behavior. Therapy of such people remains today a rather difficult problem.

Querullants, or litigants, are a clinically heterogeneous group that includes mental and psychopathic personalities. Querulism is quite common, and there are many examples of this in life. Such people experience constant thrust to litigation, lead constant struggle with "injustice", trying to restore their rights, which seem to them infringed. Scientists have been studying patients suffering from querulism for several decades, which has led to two opinions regarding this problem.

The first study considered this disorder, given the innate predisposition to litigation, the background of which are psychopathic disorders. According to another concept, litigation is a variety. And today the definition of "litigation" is found in the special literature on psychiatry.

In addition, some psychiatrists even today attribute querulism to, and if the form is lighter, then it can be regarded as pseudo-querulism. As for most specialists, they distinguish between litigation and querulism, considering litigation as a psychogenic disease, which is caused by hereditary factors as a result of the influence of external circumstances.

It has been established that querulism can develop at almost any age, although most often similar signs make themselves felt in patients older than forty. Moreover, the beginning can be marked by an “unfair” dismissal, an incorrectly calculated tariff for paying utility bills, ineffective treatment prescribed by a doctor, or any other manifestations regarded by a person as social injustice. With a long litigious struggle, the patient participates in stubborn and long-term lawsuits, writes numerous complaints to various authorities.

In such cases, the court decision is not always taken in favor of the complainant, that is, the querulant. At a certain stage, he considers this as an injustice, greatly stimulating his activities related to the protests. In addition, the failures of patients do not stop, on the contrary, they are even more convinced that in their case there is a biased attitude, and therefore it is required to continue to resist injustices.

Based on this, new protests arise, the querullant accuses the judges, and may allow insults against them. It is characteristic that such people are very stubborn and persistent, achieving their goal. They are ready to restore their rights by any means, or to seek compensation for the damage allegedly caused to them.

For people suffering from querulism is feature selfishness, often they are surprisingly stubborn and self-confident. Such patients are characterized by hypomanic and hysterical traits. As for the understanding of other people's rights, this feature is absent, they show indifference.

Among other character traits of querullants, one can name pettiness, concentration of non-existent details. From an insignificant everyday situation, they can make a whole event, elevating it to the rank of national importance. Small grievances by them can be regarded as serious insults.

More difficult situations are often noted, for example, it arises, a typical picture of litigious delirium develops. More often, delusional ideas are in the circle of judicial experiences, without going beyond, hallucinations do not occur. Such patients can behave quite calmly, although at the peak of their litigious actions, their behavior may become aggressive, inappropriate.

Often, patients commit acts that are socially dangerous, violent actions on their part are not excluded. This means that in various occasions the patient's activity may be insignificant, or the condition has severe form, delusional ideas are persistently expressed, the course is long.

The litigious activity in querulism can be maintained for a long period, and sometimes such processes drag on for years. As conflict situation allowed, such activity may be reduced. But as soon as new unfavorable circumstances arise, the period of remission ends, and a new wave of querulism rises.

AT medical practice there are cases when patients have been treated for more than twenty years, and all this time they write complaints about medical workers, clinic management, and attending physicians.

Moreover, when the period of exacerbation passes, the patient stops sending complaints to various authorities, and remission in each case has a different duration. At this time, the patient may generally disappear from the field of view of doctors, so that through certain period reappear.

Such a patient has no doubts that his behavior is correct, he believes that, in fact, no one wants to treat him and pay attention. As for the psyche, the patient is sure that in this respect he is absolutely healthy.

Treatment