This is how life changes Around this time, Kanae began to get a little worried because for some reason her monthly cycle was disrupted. We traveled a lot, held classes and seminars, and she hoped that her biological clock had become confused due to worries and

Everything changes in life Anger is the most energy-intensive stress. If your body requires food, you should think about what made you angry. They usually don’t think about this, don’t want to remember, but start eating. If you feel full, but your appetite does not decrease, then begin to forgive your

Exercise 38 Everything changes! Read the following text and answer the question posed. One day at 9 p.m., my daughter’s friend’s mother calls me on the phone and asks me to borrow her a van for a couple of hours next week so she can move some furniture.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Menopause is a natural stage in the development of the female body. It cannot be missed and it cannot be ignored. Therefore, the best option is to prepare for the onset of menopause by knowing the mental changes it can cause.

What is menopause?

Menopause is a natural change in the female body associated with the cessation of... menstruation and the end of the reproductive period. Typically, these changes occur in women aged 40-50 years.

It is often believed that menopause necessarily means depressive states, endless hysterics and incessant neurosis. However, not all women experience menopause this way. Therefore, immediately tuning in to the bad is obviously a false path.

Changes in life

It is important to know that menopause occurs at a certain age, and many negative processes in a woman’s psyche are often associated with it. Therefore, it would be unreasonable to call them the mental consequences of menopause, as well as to overcome all this with the same methods.

40-50 years is also the age of greatest blossoming for women. The age they reach success at work, are in high positions or are successfully running their business. At this age, more than ever, a woman reveals herself as a woman and deserves true love and admiration.

If a woman is married, this is usually the age of her second family (or the most stable period of her first). The woman has already gone through all the stages of “getting accustomed” to her husband, their relationship is already calm and stable. And against the backdrop of all this calm happiness, health problems suddenly arise when menopause begins.

During these years, women usually have adult children who build their own families and leave their “parental home.” However, there is a percentage of women who are single at this age. It is precisely because of unpreparedness for loneliness, as well as taking into account changes in the body, that serious difficulties can begin in work and in family relationships.

Let's take a closer look at the mental state of a woman during menopause.

1. About tantrums

“Luda was 48 years old when I noticed that even the smallest issues that are not worth any attention in our country develop into major scandals. I didn’t buy milk - it’s bad, I bought milk - it’s bad, because I didn’t see that there was no bread yet, I called to ask if I could buy anything else - I’m inattentive and I can’t decide for myself what to do.

Previously, such questions did not arise, but now, figuratively speaking, a whole hysteria flows out of a carton of milk, which ends with a list of all the conceivable and inconceivable shortcomings and mistakes in behavior,” says Dmitry, 51 years old.

What's happening?

Indeed, during menopause, female hysterics are a fairly common phenomenon. Hysteria is a direct consequence of hormonal changes and the accompanying sudden change in mood. During this period, a woman reacts to everything that happens more sharply, takes to heart those things that she had not paid attention to before.

What should loved ones do?

All a woman wants to achieve with such behavior is to throw out the inner discomfort that overcomes her and which she cannot cope with alone. Therefore, it is important to remember that all reproaches relate not to her husband, but to herself. Not everyone can experience such depressive states and at the same time admit to themselves that they themselves are to blame.

It is better for a man to distance himself from unfounded claims during her hysterics and remain calm. There is no need to tell her that everything she feels and thinks is stupid. Perhaps this is true. But often a woman is reassured by the fact that a man simply allows she feels like this. And this is typical for women not only during menopause.

If a woman is upset by the situation with a carton of milk, her loved ones should not shout back that it is stupid to be upset about this. It is better to hug her and tell her that they understand her upset feelings and will definitely find milk in a very short time, even if it means buying a cow.

It is especially important for men to do this; children may simply remain silent. Male calm is a unique and always effective recipe for female peace. At the same time, it is important to distinguish between calmness (read acceptance) and indifference. The latter causes an even greater storm of emotions.

A hysterical woman wants get emotions. And it depends on her loved ones how she will receive them - either with love, or with abuse and the subsequent tense atmosphere at home.

2. “I'm afraid to be alone!”

“I remember that period very well. They say that menopause is not accompanied by some kind of depression for everyone. Then I sincerely believed that this fate had spared me, but now I understand that this is not so.

I felt very uncomfortable internally, everything seemed wrong: I raised my children wrong, and I achieved nothing at work, although everything was not so tragic. Then most of all I was afraid of being left alone with this, without my husband. By that time, the children no longer lived with us, and he was the only person close to me.

I didn’t let him go on business trips, I constantly called, asked where he was, threw tantrums when he was late or spent time with someone else. I made it a tragedy that he didn’t notice what a delicious dinner I had prepared, or that I had changed my hairstyle,” shares Valentina, 49 years old.

What's happening?

The period of menopause is often accompanied by the departure of children from the parental “nest” and the stability of relationships with their husbands. Against this background, a completely natural process for a woman occurs - fear of loneliness. And this is not associated only with menopause; rather, these are normal processes that take place in the life of almost every woman at the age of 40-50. Menopause can only exacerbate these processes.

Therefore, it is absolutely not worth attributing the fear of loneliness or the need for increased attention only to menopause. Think about the fact that during this period a woman loses what she devoted almost her entire life to, and her condition will no longer seem so strange and inexplicable to you.

During menopause, a woman becomes more sensitive. Previously, when her life was on the rise, she easily coped with all difficulties. Now she feels that problems have arisen that she simply cannot cope with and that she has no control over. In addition, her former attractiveness begins to gradually leave her, and in order not to lose faith in herself, a woman needs to feel the support of loved ones and especially her husband.

It is important for a woman to know that nothing will change in her relationship because she started having health problems and somehow her appearance began to change. Attention for a woman during this period also means that someone needs her, she will not be abandoned, and she will not be left alone with her problems.

What should loved ones do?

The demand for increased attention due to fear of loneliness most often causes the same reaction in all people: to distance oneself - at best, and respond with hysteria to hysteria and distance oneself - at worst. Although in such situations it is still extremely dangerous to be guided by the first instinct that appears.

In such a situation, a husband should predict (not an easy task, we understand!) a woman’s behavior, and instead of then answering the questions of an angry wife, “Where have you been? Was it difficult to call?”, it’s better to call in advance and answer still unasked questions. Being angry, reproaching your wife for total control, is also not a good option, because a woman is unlikely to be able to change her behavior.

Menopause is the time to prove to your wife once again that your relationship is built on a stronger foundation than appearance. Phrases like “Well, we’ve been together for so many years, haven’t you realized yet that I love you? I’m not a boy to prove it!” – not enough. Of course, we can’t do without them either, but it’s important to remember that what we need now is evidence, or rather, gifts, compliments, surprises, and pleasant words.

Also, a man should spend more time with his wife, talk with her, and arrange joint trips.

Children should remember their parents more often, spend time with them, for example, go to the countryside / picnics / out of town. It is worth allowing him to communicate with his grandchildren. Active involvement in family life will not allow a woman to feel loneliness.

3. “Nobody needs me!”

“What upset me most of all,” admits Tamara, “was that no one needed me. The children spent time with their families and came to us only on holidays. My husband was already retired and, despite this, he paid attention only to his hobby - history, students constantly visited him, and I just wandered around the apartment like a shadow. It seemed to me that if I disappeared, no one would notice my absence.”

What's happening?

Losing her former physical attractiveness, a woman feels her vitality leaving her. The regularity of life reduces the amount of emotions received, and because of this, a woman feels mental emptiness. Keeping loved ones busy with their own affairs makes a woman’s care and attention unnecessary, and this generally destroys her psyche.

During menopause, a woman loses attentiveness, concentration, and gets tired faster. All this intuitively tells her that she will no longer be able to be as useful and needed by everyone around her as before. Therefore, even a slight decrease in attention from close people towards her is perceived as a tragedy. And the lack of necessary attention for a long time is already a solid basis for depression.

What should loved ones do?

In order to prevent a woman from completely losing faith in herself, her loved ones need to consult with her, tell her about her life, share something, thank her for her care and attention, and ask for something. All this can help the female psyche recover.

In addition, now it is important for a woman to understand that she is loved and appreciated not for what she did or said, but simply because she is who she is. This is very difficult, and yet, awareness of this will help a woman get off her horse, stop fighting for attention and love, calm down and enjoy her life.

Psychologist's comment

Our expert Elena Shubina believes that “increased excitability and hysteria are always an indicator that the person can't cope. This means that if we all help him get out of the situation, the lion’s share of hysteria will go away. In addition, if a woman lives in harmony with the world and with herself, then menopause is not very scary for her. It is much worse for women who believe that they did not succeed in something, did not succeed in something, look bad, and have accumulated a lot of grievances within themselves.”

How to help a woman at this time? We all need attention and love! “The only thing I wouldn’t recommend doing,” says Elena, “is organizing such a “theater of universal love,” which is sometimes organized by relatives and friends when something happens to a person. The phrase “I still have you!”, said in front of a young beauty passing by, can hurt much more than just silence. And in general, in relationships between close people, an iron rule should work: what can be said without words through actions is better said without words!”

The psychologist advises husbands to do for their wives what they did when they were caring for them. Invite them to dances, to the movies, give flowers, buy jewelry and beautiful lingerie. But don't overdo it! Because the line between real and funny, diligent and fake is very thin.

Elena suggests that children understand that if a mother has reached menopause, then some things become a little more difficult for her to do: it is already difficult to wake up very early and go to bed late, loud noises and voices can irritate them, and they get headaches more often. Just take this into account, do not “hang” small children and large house cleanings on her at this time. Be more attentive to her.

1. Monitor your mental state and set yourself a positive attitude

This may sound funny, but psychologists unanimously say: attitude is the most important thing that determines the result of any action we undertake. Therefore, even before menopause, you should accurately determine and tell yourself why you are happy, thank life for a wonderful husband/children/work/hobbies.

This way you will enter menopause as a happy person and on especially gray or dark days you can always remind yourself that you are actually happy! And the condition that you are experiencing now is temporary and simply caused by the natural restructuring of the body.

2. Don't forget about your life!

Having devoted your whole life to work, your husband and caring for children, you risk falling into depression during menopause, from which only a qualified psychotherapist can help you get out.

Of course, it is necessary to take care of the household and this is probably the most correct purpose of a woman. But the children leave the family, the relationship with the husband becomes smooth and calm, and the soul still asks for emotions. Therefore, you need to develop yourself, attend cultural events, communicate with friends, and find hobbies. Dedicating time to yourself cultivates feminine psychic energy, and this, in turn, helps the whole family.

Often women during menopause become indifferent to their appearance: “If it’s not like before, then it doesn’t matter what I look like!” Accepting your nature is the best way to regain self-love. After all after 30 you didn't become depressed because of the same changes and learned to be a gorgeous woman no matter what! What is stopping you now?

3. Follow a daily routine and eat right

Some doctors say that the correct daily routine and proper nutrition- This is generally a cure for all diseases.

During menopause, in order to even out the mental state, a woman needs to go to bed at the same time, do a moderate amount of physical activity, eat right and on time, do herbal baths, massage, rubbing and walking a lot in the fresh air.

4. Make yourself happy

Research suggests that during menopause, women often develop a deficiency of serotonin and norepinephrine, which are responsible for joy in life and a sense of happiness. Therefore, women need to eat sweet foods, be in the sun more often and be in a bright space.

Also, the level of these hormones is increased by physical activity - gym, fitness, dancing. Don’t forget about sex: intimate relationships with your beloved man can easily erase all the negative consequences of menopause.

5. Monitor your emotions

Monitoring your emotions does not mean “driving” negative experiences deep inside, but means analyzing them. Knowing the real reason, it will not be a problem to get rid of them through peaceful means.

Awareness in behavior is a sign of an adult. Menopause is a process that occurs in the body and is beyond your control. But you can always control your behavior.

Don’t let everything take its course; listen carefully to your needs and feelings. If you want to cry just like that, cry. If sad thoughts come to your mind, ask your husband, girlfriends, children for help, and do not demand attention and help in aggressive ways, allow yourself to please yourself. If you experience states of uncontrollable hysteria, then develop your own system to control your condition - count to 10, use breathing practices etc.

If you cannot look at yourself in the mirror, then look back at your life, see what is in it now, find what you are proud of and what you can be happy about - and rejoice. After all, at any age, beauty depends only on your inner attitude. A happy person cannot be ugly.

If you are alone

The period of menopause is most difficult for women who do not have a man next to them. The reassessment of values ​​that often occurs at this time forces you to take a fresh look at the years spent on your career. It makes you sad that your boss can’t support you during a difficult period, your job can’t give you a strong and warm hug, and your salary doesn’t buy sincere feelings.

“According to statistics, it is when the age of menopause approaches that such women suddenly begin to remember that there are men in the world, and try to “jump on the last car” and still build a family,” says Elena Shubina. – It seems like a normal desire, but... if you haven’t skated for many years, say, on skates, it will be difficult for you to get on them and immediately do a “swallow” on the ice, right? Same here!

If a woman has ignored the male world for a long time, she will have to relearn how to interact with him. And this is not easy. The times of knights without fear and reproach are over. It’s basically difficult with men now. Therefore, if you have failed, even several failures, don’t give up on yourself, keep looking!”

Even if you are far from menopause, and you read this article simply out of curiosity, we advise you not to put off working on yourself and your life. Then you will be able to come to the period we talked about without the baggage of mental problems and difficulties.

If menopause is the most pressing topic for you now, then it’s time to remember the catchphrase that for sure “...after 40 life just begins!” At an elegant age, it finally becomes clear what real beauty is and where it comes from. And menopause is another reason to remember this!

And we are confident that you are able to confirm this with your example.

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

Structure of the human psyche

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mental properties include temperament, character, and personality abilities.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rice. 1. Structure of the human psyche

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consciousness

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

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

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

Psychological characteristics of consciousness include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• meaning;
• meaning.

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

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

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

Rice. 2. Structure of consciousness

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mental and spiritual in the human psyche

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sometimes it seems that a loved one has gone crazy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Signs of a mental disorder

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

Obsessive states

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

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

Mood changes

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

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

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

Hypochondria

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

Illusions

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

Examples of illusions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rave

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

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

Hoarding or excessive generosity

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

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

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

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

What to do?

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

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

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

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

“Every joke has some humor in it” ©