Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

Posted on March 18, 2020

Obsessive-compulsive disorders are chronic and extremely severe mental disorders, characterized by obsessive ideas, a state of obsession. The most common signs of obsessive-compulsive disorders are oppressive obsessive thoughts, constant fears and anxiety, an irresistible desire to regularly perform any specific actions, for example, wash hands, open and close cabinets.

Timely diagnosis, an understanding of the severity of the disorder and the need for specialized treatment are fundamental factors for a favorable outcome.

Obsessive-compulsive disorders can affect any gender. However, in the case of women, these mental disorders appear at an older age, and in men a little earlier. In addition, the relatives of a person suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders, the risk of similar pathologies increases.

Clinical signs of the disorder are exacerbated in women during gestation and in the postpartum period. Anxiety and fears intensify, a woman cannot find a place for herself, cannot be distracted from obsessions.

Most common obsessions:

– Uncontrolled fear of infections and dirt;

– alarms about whether the gas is off or the lights are off;

– painful accuracy when it becomes unbearably even thinking that the thing is not in place;

– fears due to fears of harming others or oneself;

– unreasonable anger or cruelty;

– doubts arising without reason in their own morality, honesty, etc .;

– the requirement for others to confirm their significance every minute;

– Too much concentration on sounds, words, numbers or symbols.

In this case, the response of the body to such obsessions can be:

– constant washing of hands;

– constant return home to check that everything is off;

– strict observance of all hygiene rules, compliance with an impeccable order, laying out things in a specific order;

– constant attempts to attract the attention of others;

– pathological collection of waste rubbish;

– repeated reproduction of phrases or words in the mind;

– the regular implementation of specific identical actions, for example, touching the door handle in a strictly defined place.

Reliably the causes of these mental disorders are still unknown. However, on the basis of work on this topic, it can be assumed that obsessive-compulsive disorders result from a combination of several factors, including:

– genetic heredity. Genes that “travel” from one generation to another affect the mental state of a person, if among his relatives there were cases of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Heredity is all the stronger the earlier it began to appear among relatives. If one of the twins suffers from these violations, then the second they most likely will also appear.

– disturbing and restless violations. People who are constantly experiencing anxiety, excitement and fear are much more susceptible to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Such people may suffer from depression, digestive disorders, drug or alcohol addiction, attention disorder. In addition, the development of obsessive-compulsive disorders can be affected by streptococcal infections.

– reduced concentration of serotonin, responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses between nerve cells. This violation can destroy the normal course of biological processes, including mood, sleep, appetite, and emotional control. And also anger, anger and pain.

Fighting Autumn Depression

Posted on March 14, 2020

With the change of season, when the sunny and merry summer is replaced by a sad slushy autumn, many begin to feel some heaviness, emptiness. Getting out of bed is becoming more difficult, I don’t want to smile, irritability increases. Autumn depression – the phenomenon in modern life is almost normal, few people are not affected by it. But living in this state is not worth it. Psychologists are strongly advised to combat lethargy and stress due to the fact that it tends to develop into a deeper, pathological state. The fight against autumn depression is needed first of all to the person himself. If you live in a state of chronic fatigue for a long time, this cannot but affect the physical and spiritual condition. Today, there is a triad of deadly diseases that residents of large cities are familiar with firsthand – cancer, cardiovascular and psychological diseases.

The fight against autumn depression is all the more difficult because the forces are already undermined, you don’t want to resist, but you need to do something, force yourself. A depressive state can develop in several ways: gradually, a person himself may not notice that his psychological state begins to roll dangerously, and at the same time, when a person just suddenly drops his hands. In order to notice changes in time, you need to know the signs of burnout. Firstly, it is a sleep disorder, as a result of which fatigue, headaches, and physical weakness appear. Secondly, appetite disorders, which can be expressed either in a loss of interest in food or in an increased need for food. Thirdly, with depression, the person seems to go out externally, he begins to have problems with the skin, it acquires an unusual shade, the hair grow dull, it begins to fall out, and the nails peel.

The fight against autumn depression will be more effective if you know what caused it. In the middle lane, emotional fatigue syndrome can be caused by an infectious disease. Especially if it is chronic. In autumn, the disease is activated again, and will undermine psychological stability from the inside. The second reason can be a long stay in a state of emotional stress – constant hard work, problems in the family, a frantic rhythm of life. All this affects the psyche, and at one terrible moment it may not stand. A third reason for the development of chronic fatigue syndrome and autumn depression can be a sedentary lifestyle. The fact is that a lack of physical activity negatively affects not only the physical condition of the body, but also the brain.

If you know what caused the development of emotional breakdown, then the fight against autumn depression will be twice as easy. In this case, as they say, a wedge is beaten out by a wedge. If the reason lies in the presence of an infectious disease, then you need to undergo a medical examination. Successful detection and treatment of the disease normalizes not only the physical condition, but also helps to get out of depression. If the problem lies in the too fast pace of life, when there is no time to just sit and quietly, without rushing anywhere, to drink tea, then you just need to take a little time off, leave, and have an emotional rest. You can change the situation by going to visit someone or on an excursion to another city, or you can stay at home, slowly come to your senses, wander around the shops, go for a relaxation massage. A good rest in body and soul will help yoga exercises based on breathing practices.

Similar advice can be given to those who are depressed due to lack of physical activity. You need to get out of the house, attend either the gym, or other types of physical exercises. If you are not actively pursuing activities, it is best to start walking for a long time, choosing unfamiliar routes. Horseback riding helps a lot. As a rule, for most people this type of recreation is new, because horse riding will help to get distracted. Horses, as well as dolphins, are animal therapists, communication with them allows you to relax. In addition, the fight against autumn depression involves the optimization of nutrition, water balance and sleep and wakefulness. It is a full and healthy sleep that can become the main means of combating poor health.

Psyche of woman

Posted on March 10, 2020

The psyche of a woman, as a rule, is less stable than the mental health of the stronger sex. This is not surprising, since women are much more emotional than men, all problems are experienced by them more acutely and painfully. Although, exceptions, of course, exist. The psyche of a woman, among other things, is subject to periodic changes in female life – pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, menopause. That is, all that is unknown to the man. That is why the mental health of women often suffers much stronger than men.

Of course, the psyche of a woman can suffer at any period of her life, but powerful provocative factors arise precisely at certain stages of life. During these periods, the doctors who observe the woman, as well as her relatives, should carefully monitor her behavior, notice all the features and collect, so to speak, anamnestic data.

Even in childhood, a woman’s psyche can suffer from disorders such as a variety of phobias, fears, obsessions and anxiety syndromes, hyperactivity due to attention deficit disorder and learning disorders. In adolescence, the risk of such mental disorders of a woman as eating disorders, in particular anorexia and bulimia, is sharply increased. During the period of the first menstrual bleeding, dysphoria of premenstrual origin develops. After the transition period, the psyche of a woman often suffers from depression.

The psyche of a woman is subjected to truly unbelievable stress during the bearing of a child and after the baby is born. Women with mental disorders often consciously refuse to take medication during pregnancy, which increases the likelihood of a relapse. After the birth of a child, women often experience changes in mood. Many have a period of postpartum depression that does not need treatment. Others suffer from more serious mental illnesses that upset a woman’s ability to work. A small number of women after childbirth suffer from psychotic disorders. Bringing a woman to her normal psyche during pregnancy and lactation is complicated by the inability to take certain drugs at these stages.

The average age of a woman is related to the development of diseases and disorders such as anxiety disorders and mood swings. The risk of developing schizophrenia is increased. At this age, women can experience sexual dysfunction. When a woman uses antidepressant drugs, conditions arise for the development of side effects in the form of anxiety syndromes, depression and sexual dysfunction.

There is still no conclusive evidence that menopause is associated with the development of depression, however, a huge part of women during this period undergo severe changes in life, in particular in the family structure. Many women experience a change in importance in the social hierarchy – from active mothers of their grown children, they turn into nannies for older parents. The care and custody of elderly parents almost always falls on the shoulders of women, which jeopardizes the psyche of a woman.

In the process of natural aging of the body, representatives of the weaker sex increase the likelihood of developing senile dementia and psychiatric consequences, for example, stroke. Due to the fact that women, as a rule, live longer than the stronger sex, and the risk of dementia increases significantly with age, the psyche of a woman in old age is often susceptible to this disease. Women also have a high risk of developing psychotic disorder after sixty years. Among other things, due to emotionality, it can be more difficult for women to survive the loss of loved ones, which also has a negative effect on the psyche of a woman.

Amphetamine addiction

Posted on March 6, 2020

Amphetamines is a class of drugs that stimulate the central nervous system of a person and affect the ability to stay awake and increase the attention of the person who used this drug. Amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887. The chemical structure of this class of drugs resembles adrenaline and norepinephrine, which are produced in the human body. Amphetamine has become a popular and fairly common drug, due to its euphoric effects that discourage a person from sleeping, improves his health, reduces fatigue, increases stamina and others.

What does amphetamine look like and how is it used?

Amphetamine mimicking the effects of adrenaline can be sold in the form of tablets, white powder, or crystals. Drug addicts use many methods of its entry into the body: orally, intravenously, in the form of smoking or inhalation.

Amphetamine exposure

When using an amphetamine drug, it affects a person both mentally and physically. First of all, it causes a surge of energy and vitality in humans. The addict has a feeling of self-confidence, well-being, which can last up to twelve hours, after which a new desire arises to use the drug, which most often happens: people simply do not allow themselves to get out of the state of drug intoxication. 

Addiction and amphetamine addiction

Addicted to amphetamine, the addict quickly gets used to it. In order to recreate the sensations that he experienced while taking the drug, the addict has to increase the dose. In a short time, a psychological amphetamine addiction appears, the person himself no longer understands how the drug began to control all his thoughts, aimed only at where to get the money to get the next dose.

Along with psychological dependence, there is also a physical dependence on amphetamine, since its use allows you to feel a surge of strength, fatigue and weakness – the most basic consequences of taking the drug. Also, a drug addict can overcome sleep for a very long period of time. It becomes irritable, appetite increases significantly.

A very common occurrence among amphetamine lovers is depression. Some drug addicts may even be visited by the idea of ​​suicide, which disappears after taking the drug.

The amphetamine addiction cycle can stop only rehabilitation treatment.

Consequences of amphetamine use

As already mentioned, long-term administration of amphetamine preparations leads to a gradual increase in its doses in order to achieve the desired effect. Each time amphetamine increases the load on the heart, increases blood pressure. Therefore, the risk of strokes, heart attacks and the development of cardiovascular disease in drug addicts is significantly increased. Other effects of amphetamines include vision problems, dizziness, headaches, lack of appetite, irritability, and rapid breathing.  

The severe consequence of prolonged drug addiction is amphetamine psychosis, very similar to paranoid schizophrenia. This condition can develop even with short-term use of amphetamine in large doses, for example, from several days or more.

Scientists have confirmed the tendency of left-handed people to schizophrenia

Posted on March 2, 2020

Researchers from the Medical Center at the University of Utrecht concluded that left-handed people are more likely to develop various mental illnesses. They often manifest in the form of psychoses, and first of all, they are schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders, and not mood disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder, which confirms the previously discovered genetic relationship between schizophrenia and left-handedness.

Dutch scientists decided to calculate how many of the victims of various mental disorders are right-handed and left-handed. It turned out that lefties make up 11% among patients who suffer from mood disorders, and as much as 40% among patients with schizophrenia. Comparing the general ratio of right-handed and left-handed people all over the world, the conclusion suggests itself that the latter more often suffer from major psychoses.

According to statistics, the number of left-handed people on the planet is 11%. Thus, their percentage among victims of mood disorders will not raise questions for anyone, which cannot be said about the incidence of more serious mental illnesses. Researchers studied patients from state psychiatric clinics that are not located in the most prestigious and wealthy areas. It turned out that left-handedness to a greater extent increases the risk of severe mental disorders, in contrast to skin color, level of material wealth and other factors. True, the reason for this tendency of left-handed people to diseases of the psyche could not be established.

By the way, earlier, scientists from the Netherlands also found that left-handed women were more likely than right-handed women to have breast cancer before menopause. But there is at least a version that explains this imbalance. According to scientists, the left-handedness itself is laid in the mother’s womb due to exposure to the fetus too high levels of sex hormones. Which subsequently can lead to changes in the soft tissues of the breast.

The secret of family happiness lies in the ability to forgive

Posted on February 27, 2020

American scientists were able to find out that the ability to forgive and understand is of great value, especially in the case of adultery. These human qualities allow you to save the family.

Adultery is a circumstance that often leads to family divorces and depression. It is the betrayal that is most difficult for both wives and husbands to endure, but if a person can find the strength to forgive his spouse, then later a stronger emotional bond is developed between them that strengthens the marriage.

This conclusion was made by scientists from the University of Missouri. They found out that the couple managed to maintain their relationship after the betrayal, when the husband or wife found the strength to forgive another. Not to pretend that there was no betrayal, not to harbor resentment or anger in the heart, namely to forgive. Forgiveness contributed to the emergence of a psychological phenomenon known as post-traumatic growth, through which the relationship between husband and wife was strengthened.

Researchers define post-traumatic growth as “the result of an intrapersonal struggle in search of meaning and purpose in life after traumatic experiences”. Scientists observed 587 volunteers, among whom 86% were women who were in a stable relationship (93.5% were married). However, they all faced the fact of adultery 6 months before the start of the study.

With the help of various questions, experts found out the details of the adultery, the level of remorse of the traitors and the degree of psychological experience of the faithful spouses. It turns out that people who were able to completely forgive their bad partners, after a higher response to family life and felt greater happiness. Those who could not find the strength for forgiveness in themselves experienced torment for many months after the betrayal and all the time thought about the need for revenge or divorce. 

Diet drinks can lead to depression

Posted on February 23, 2020

According to a new study by scientists from the American Academy of Neurology, regular consumption of sweetened drinks, especially diet drinks with sugar substitutes, is associated with a high risk of depression among adults.

As part of a study lasting one year, scientists studied the use of different foods among people aged 50 – 71 years.

After 10 years, scientists analyzed the participants’ mental health status. Overall, 4% of subjects had developed depression. According to one of the authors of the study, Dr. Hongley Chen, the frequent intake of sweetened foods was associated with a moderately high risk of depression, with participants in the highest risk group who consumed diet soda.

At the moment, scientists can not explain the relationship, but the results of the study demonstrate that drinks containing artificial sugar substitutes can have a negative effect on human health. Such artificial sweeteners include saccharin, splenda, aspartame.

It was also found that people who consume four cups of coffee a day are 10% less likely to develop a depressed state compared to those who do not drink coffee at all.

Depression May Cause Infectious Disease

Posted on February 19, 2020

Professor Turhan Canli of Stony Brook University has put forward a theory about the causes of depression. The professor published his arguments on this subject in the journal Biology of Mood and Anxiety Disorders.

According to the scientist, often depression is not the result of an emotional disorder, but is provoked by peculiar microorganisms (bacteria and viruses), so it can be considered an infectious disease.

Dr. Kunli believes that specialists who are trying to find the causes of depression in human genes are moving in the wrong direction. He also encourages specialists from all over the world to begin research on his theory.

One cannot but agree that the professor’s arguments have logic – after all, as was correctly noted in patients suffering from depression, doctors often observed symptoms similar to signs of infectious diseases – such as a breakdown.

In addition, when conducting studies in people with depression, inflammatory processes in the brain were repeatedly noted, which indicates the activation of the immune system, which often happens during the body’s struggle with bacteria, viruses and parasites.

There are also pathogens like Toxomaplasma gondii, their habitat is the digestive system of cats, however, when rodents enter the body, Toxomaplasma gondii causes various changes in behavior.

Internet Addiction: Does It Exist?

Posted on February 15, 2020

Since we live in a world of modern technology, computers and vital space have long been an integral part of our lives. Some people are known to be too attached to the internet. Nevertheless, at the moment it is quite difficult to accurately and accurately select a definition for the disorder caused by an addiction to the Internet.

Most of the original research was based on the weakest research methodology, known as preliminary studies that do not contain a clearly defined hypothesis or rational reasons for their implementation. This non-theoretical approach, however, has certain advantages, however, quite often it is not recognized as an acceptable approach for studying a new disorder. A recently completed study covered a large area of ​​original case-control surveys and research reports.

An original study on Internet addiction began with preliminary surveys that could not establish a causal relationship between specific types of behavior and their causes. Despite the fact that such surveys can help establish a description of how people feel about themselves and their behavior, they still cannot lead to certain conclusions as to whether such a specific technology as the Internet serves as the real reason for the observed behavior. The findings are not objective, made by researchers who can ignore the common cause.

Do some people have real problems because they spend too much time on the Internet? Sure, yes. some people experience the same problems because they spend too much time reading, watching TV programs, and working, which leads to ignoring family members, friends, and social activity. However, is it worth proposing teledependence, book dependence, and work dependence as legitimate mental disorders that belong to the same category as schizophrenia and depression? Unlikely. Nevertheless, unfortunately, there is a tendency among professional health workers and researchers to brand anything that could be potentially dangerous to health with a new diagnostic category. And this may turn out to be more harmful than the investigated disorder itself.

What can people who consider themselves addicted to the Internet suffer more from? As it turned out, this reluctance to meet with real problems in their lives. Such problems may include mental disorders (depression, anxiety), serious health problems or even disability, as well as difficulties in family or romantic relationships with a partner. Long communication on the Internet is no different from going for a walk with friends or watching a TV program instead of spending time with your family. such behavior differs only in modality.

Some people hanging in the virtual space but not having any serious real problems may suffer from compulsive overuse of the Internet. In this case, it is not technology or addiction that is important, the behavior itself is important, which is easy to correct using traditional cognitive-behavioral techniques currently used in modern psychotherapy.

Case studies are generally considered an alternative to preliminary surveys; they are used to test conclusions about the excessive use of virtual space. However, they also have their difficulties and negative aspects. First of all, it is the inability to draw any conclusions regarding the millions of people who like to stay online, relying on data only from studies of one or two specific users. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that many media resources use such research to illustrate the problem. However, this does not contribute to a further understanding of the real problem and its possible explanations.

Siberian scientists have created a drug for depression

Posted on February 11, 2020

Scientists from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS and the Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry named after N.N. Vorozhtsova SB RAS created a drug that can cure depression. The new drug TC-2153 has a beneficial effect on the serotonin system. According to one of the most common theories about the origin of depression, a person’s level of serotonin in the brain decreases.

At the moment, the TC-2153 preparation is undergoing a preclinical test phase. During experiments with mice, experts were convinced that this drug has good antidepressant properties. Scientists believe that their development can help in the treatment of serious psychopathology.

Depression is the most common brain disease. It is believed that in industrial countries, about 20% of the population suffers from its clinical form. According to experts, by 2030, depression among the causes of disability in developed countries will take second place. In Russia, treatment for depression usually begins after the patient tries to commit suicide, since it is widely believed in society that mental suffering is not a reason to seek help from a specialist.