Schizotypal disorder with senesto-hypochondriacal syndrome (the place of sulpiride in therapy)

Each person, to the best of his ability (and, let's be honest, desire) takes care of his health: a balanced diet, giving up bad habits, playing sports, walking in the fresh air, and getting proper rest. Many people visit a doctor at least once a year, even without any complaints or deterioration in health - this is a routine check-up, clinical tests, completely safe studies (ultrasound, fluorography, ECG, etc.). But sometimes concern about the state of one’s health takes on a clearly exaggerated, pathological character. A person constantly looks for (and finds!) symptoms of various diseases (as a rule, we are talking about severe, incurable pathologies), and turns to doctors in search of confirmation of a self-made diagnosis. Gradually, this anxiety takes on an obsessive nature - hypochondriacal depression , which requires, first of all, the help of a psychotherapist. This disorder is quite common, but only a few decide to turn to a specialist; most patients try to cope with this problem on their own. Doctors at the Leto mental health center will help overcome constant fear and anxiety and return the patient to a full life, full of pleasant events.

Etiology

To date, a hereditary predisposition to the development of depressive disorders . It is assumed that genetically determined disorders in the production of neurotransmitters, a decrease in the sensitivity of cells to their influence, lead to characteristic symptoms. Similar changes can occur as a result of organic brain damage as a result of:

• stroke;
• intoxication;
• chronic hypoxia due to alcohol and drug use;
• cerebrovascular pathologies.

However, the “impetus” for the progression of manifestations of hypochondriacal depression is usually external circumstances:

• past illness;
• diagnosed severe pathology in a relative or close friend;
• news in the media (for example, articles describing a serious disease, reports about the spread of viral and bacterial infections, etc.).

people who are self-centered and are more susceptible to depression of a hypochondriacal nature . In addition, such a disease also occurs in cases where a person cannot accept himself and his body, suffers from low self-esteem, a feeling of his own low value and worthlessness, feels guilty about something and wants to subconsciously suffer a well-deserved (as he believes) punishment . An indifferent attitude on the part of relatives plays an important role, and constant complaints about health are nothing more than an attempt to attract attention to oneself.

Classification of hypochondriacal neurosis

Hypochondriacal neurosis is divided into 5 types depending on the symptoms:

1. Obsessive neurosis

Patients suffering from this type of disease realize that their fears for their health are excessively exaggerated, but they cannot get rid of them. This condition can be caused by watching a film with a plot about some disease, or a careless phrase from a doctor or friend. Such neurosis is mainly characteristic of psychasthenics.

2. Astheno-hypochondriacal syndrome

People with this disorder are convinced that they are extremely and terminally ill. They complain of weakness, headache and other similar symptoms. As a rule, such patients are extremely unsure of themselves, impressionable and withdrawn, and their circle of interests is very narrow.

3. Depressive-hypochondriacal syndrome

Patients with this type of neurosis have a personality disorder that combines anxiety about health with overvalued hypochondriacal ideas that are difficult to correct. Their symptoms are fictitious, they themselves are uncommunicative and constantly depressed. This nature sometimes becomes the cause of suicidal behavior based on ideas about an incurable disease.

4. Senesto-hypochondriacal syndrome

Among the symptoms of this disease, the manifestation of senestopathic disorders prevails over other signs. Such patients fear for their lives due to imaginary damage to vital organs. When no medical diagnostic method confirms their beliefs, they change doctors and ask him for a new examination.

5. Anxiety-hypochondriacal syndrome

This pathological condition can be provoked by severe stress and the resulting nervous system disorder. Patients with such neurosis are afraid of contracting a serious illness, are in a state of permanent nervous tension and direct all their thoughts to detecting symptoms of AIDS, cancer and other diseases.

Clinical picture

The main symptom of hypochondriacal depression is worries about one’s own health. The patient constantly listens to internal sensations; the slightest discomfort, and even more so, pain, causes a deterioration in mood, even leading to a panic attack. A person temporarily completely loses interest in work/study/everyday activities and “switches” to searching for information about what this or that symptom means.

In this case, minor diseases are immediately “swept aside”. The patient does not think that, for example, discomfort in the abdomen can only be a consequence of overeating, poor diet, or digestive disorders. Immediately thoughts come to mind about oncology, perforated ulcers , and other similar serious diseases. Complaints of pain in the heart area are also typical.

A person consults a doctor if there is any slight deterioration in health. A monotonous, emotionally unexpressed presentation of complaints is typical, but the patient only expects confirmation from the doctor of the alleged diagnosis. If this does not happen, he easily becomes emotional, tries to prove that he is right, and demands various, often technically complex, expensive and unnecessary, from the point of view of a specialist, examinations.

But even negative results of a comprehensive comprehensive diagnosis either do not bring relief or provide only a short-term effect. After a certain time everything starts again.

In addition to complaints about well-being, hypochondriacal depression is characterized by:

• apathy;
• sad, depressed state;
• monosyllabic quiet speech;
• disinterest in the results of their work;
• neglect of household duties;
• indifference to appearance, sloppiness;
• decrease in social activity, desire for solitude, and attempts to “stir up” a person, “pull” him out for a walk, etc. can cause an outburst of anger and irritation.

With hypochondriacal depression, attempts at self-medication are extremely dangerous. For example, fearing a heart attack, a patient may start taking antithrombotic, antiarrhythmic or antihypertensive drugs, fearing a bacterial infection - antibiotics. Uncontrolled use of any drugs, and especially potent drugs, is fraught with severe complications and side effects.

In addition, we should not forget about developing concomitant diseases. Due to growing tension and anxiety, sleep deteriorates, and a constant feeling of weakness and weakness appears. Against the background of permanent stress, various cardiovascular disorders develop and periodic headaches occur. Doctors often encounter hyperthermia of a neurological nature. If you do not consult a specialist in a timely manner, exaggerated somatic symptoms can develop into real diseases.

Causes of hypochondria

Hypochondriacal disorder can be an independent disease, but it is often included in a complex of other mental disorders. Hypochondria can be a component of a depressive disorder, and, in this case, a negative psycho-emotional background, experiences and disorders actually lead to deterioration of health.

Currently, the following predisposing factors are identified:

• a certain personality structure (first of all) – a tendency to pay increased attention to one’s body and its functions: such people are accustomed to “listening” to what is happening to them, how they feel;
• heredity - if a child has at least one parent who is hypochondriacal, then there is a high probability that he will develop the same disorder in the future;
• incorrect perception of the stimuli of the internal organs, which are perceived as symptoms of a “terrible” disease, for example, “rumbling” in the stomach begins, which is caused by the normal movement of gases through the intestines, and the patient sees this as signs of intestinal obstruction;
• imitation of others - we are talking about a child who sees a sick person next to him and notices increased attention to him: he invents a disease for himself in order to also be in the center of attention.

Particular attention should be paid to actual somatic diseases - if they occur in a severe form, then a person may develop fear, which is a provoking factor for the development of hypochondria in the future. Most often, hypochondriacal disorder is associated with difficult life situations and conflicts, but the patient himself denies such a relationship.

Diagnostic methods

Unfortunately, people usually come to our clinic in the later stages of the disease after endless and fruitless consultations with highly specialized specialists. For diagnosis, special questionnaires and questionnaires are used. The psychotherapist’s task is to exclude other forms of depressive disorders, psychoses, and age-related neuropsychiatric disorders.

Immediately after confirmation of the diagnosis, we recommend starting a course of psychotherapy. However, if the patient's symptoms persist after 2–3 weeks, it is better to undergo a repeat diagnostic examination to rule out concomitant diseases.

Manic depressive syndrome

MDS (manic depressive syndrome) has a complex structure of mental disorder, which is characterized by sharp changes in the emotional background from a deep depressive state to excessive excitement and euphoria. Remissions may occur when a person feels normal and no side symptoms of the disease appear.

Most often, the development of MDS is observed in middle-aged people over 30 years of age. As a rule, their psyche has increased mobility and is easily influenced by external factors. The risk group includes people of the schizoid or melancholic type who exhibit anxious and suspicious instability. In females, the risk of developing MDS occurs during menstruation or menopause.

It is important to note that experts have not yet determined the exact causes of the development of the syndrome. An equally important role in its formation is played by hereditary predisposition, as well as the individual characteristics of the patient himself.

Among the diagnostic measures it is customary to highlight:

1. Collection of a qualitative medical history, which is based on the collection of information from the patient’s words
2. Conducting psychotherapeutic tests
3. Therapeutic conversations with the patient.

Treatment is comprehensive, using medications, as well as the supervision of a psychotherapist.

Cost of services

This list does not contain all prices for services provided by our clinic. The full price list can be found on the “Prices” , or by calling: 8(969)060-93-93. Initial consultation is FREE!

Anxiety-depressive syndrome

It is generally accepted that anxiety-depressive syndrome is one of the main diseases of our time due to an active lifestyle. Often a person begins to sacrifice rest time in order to solve as many everyday problems as possible, which often leads to nervous exhaustion.

Among the most common phenomena are: melancholicity, apathy, tearfulness, emotional depression. Anxious feelings are often accompanied by a constant feeling of fear. According to statistics, most people suffering from anxiety constantly experience various experiences, which leads to nervous breakdowns.

There are several reasons why anxiety-depressive syndrome may develop:

1. Stable course of the disease
2. Hereditary factor
3. Constant work of the body “for wear and tear”, which leads to severe fatigue
4. Decreased serotonin production
5. Use of a number of medications.

The main sign of the development of the syndrome is constant anxiety without good reason. Aggression, irritability and tearfulness are often observed as side symptoms. The person is unable to carry out daily activities at a normal pace. It is important to note that any thought about the future is accompanied by negativism. The patient is sure that it will only get worse and there is no improvement in his condition.

It is important to prevent the development of a chronic form, since this often leads to problems in all areas of human activity.

Treatment

Psychotherapy sessions are conducted both individually and in groups. Therapeutic effects are aimed at:

• reduction of anxiety;
• behavior correction;
• increased self-control;
• training in relaxation techniques;
• improvement of psychological well-being;
• increasing self-esteem.

Rational psychotherapy,
, has a good effect . The doctor tells the patient in detail what hypochondriacal depression is and explains the need for treatment.

But in severe cases of the disease, psychotherapy alone is not enough. Doctors at our clinic prescribe (necessarily with individual dose selection):

• antidepressants;
• benzodiazepine tranquilizers;
• mood stabilizers and anxiolytics;
• neuroprotectors, etc.

You can get more detailed information about the treatment of hypochondriacal depression at the Leto clinic from our operators by calling 24 hours a day 8(969)060-93-93.

Forecast and prevention of hypochondriacal neurosis

There are no preventive measures in modern medicine that could reliably prevent hypochondriacal neurosis. Since, as described above, this neurosis develops mostly in lonely people who do not have permanent employment and goals in life, we can assume that the prevention of this disorder consists of an adequate work and rest schedule, the presence of hobbies, social circles and life aspirations. Keeping a diary has a good effect as a means of relieving mental stress.

The prognosis of hypochondriacal neurosis is relatively favorable, but this does not mean that this pathology does not require any treatment. If the disease is ignored, it develops into much more serious mental problems. Such patients, as a rule, do not see any future for themselves, suffer from severe depression and often think about death, and painful symptoms turn into an integral part of their personality.

How to deal with neuroses?

First of all, you must understand that treating this syndrome with sedatives is useless, especially in severe stages. If the disease appears, it will not disappear on its own; we recommend that you seek help from a qualified neurologist.

A good specialist will be able to identify the symptoms of neurosis and make an accurate diagnosis. If you have complaints, you need to call the phone number and make an appointment for a consultation to undergo an examination.

Such individuals often lie about their illnesses, so even the doctor may not believe them again. This is a pitfall in treatment. Many do not go to the hospital, they are afraid of publicity, and as a result various health problems arise. We offer help anonymously. Don’t delay, hypochondria is a disease that you can get rid of forever. Contact your doctor right now, start your life from scratch.

We have experience in the treatment of neurological disorders, including hypochondriacal syndrome. The doctor’s individual approach and comprehensive examination will help you gain confidence in the future.

How is the disease treated?

Treatment of the disease hypochondriacal neurosis is to help a person return to normal life, even if the causative syndrome is not completely cured. Hypochondria is a disease that is difficult to treat. The problem with the question is that the patient simply does not believe that he does not have physical abnormalities, and this is just an effect of his psyche. It is very difficult to treat the disease at the initial stage; the patient does not believe the diagnosis and goes for help from other specialists. The support of loved ones is important.

Techniques

Doctors usually choose a comprehensive method for treating neuroses.

Supportive care

This means communicating with a doctor whom the patient trusts. The specialist should be aware of any symptoms that begin to appear in the patient. It consists of support, instilling faith in a person, reassurance and control of the patient’s condition. Effective painkillers may be prescribed to relieve pain.

Medications

Antidepressants are prescribed to reduce the client's anxiety levels. Tranquilizers are used extremely rarely by doctors.