Hysterical neurosis in children symptoms. How is hysterical neurosis manifested and treated in children?

A mental illness provoked by a psychological trauma is called. Hysteria or hysterical neurosis always manifested by mental, neurological or somatic disorders that have a powerful negative effect on the nervous system of the human body, especially small child, which ultimately leads to complete asocialization of the patient.

The patient's behavior changes dramatically, becoming quite demonstrative - the patient begins to manipulate others trying to draw as much attention as possible to his own person. In addition, all patients with hysterical neurosis suffer from excessive suggestibility.

The external manifestations of the disease are quite pronounced and familiar to many parents: the baby becomes overly capricious, constantly throws tantrums with a fall on the floor. It is necessary to distinguish neurosis from the character traits and pedagogical neglect of the child. Quite often, the reasons for such behavior in a baby are sharp restrictions on his actions on the part of his parents - up to a certain point, the child could "everything" and suddenly - restrictions, and inconsistent ones. Of course, the kid is not able to understand the logic of adults and his tantrums mean a protest against prohibitions.

Attention! The main difference between hysterical neurosis, as a disease, is that the baby does not want to be like that, his tantrums occur involuntarily, he himself suffers from them, but cannot do anything.

If the baby suffers from hysterical neurosis, then parents quite often notice signs such as:

• sleep disturbances (insomnia);
• frequent headaches and even heart palpitations;
• the baby often complains of nausea, abdominal pain;
• he often has no appetite.

In addition, a psychotherapist is engaged in the professional treatment of hysterical neurosis in children, who, depending on the degree of development of the pathological process, uses the following methods:

• special methods of psychotherapy;
• drug exposure to drugs;
• homeopathy.

Attention! Play therapy is becoming a very effective and successful treatment for neurosis.

More often than not, help is indispensable.

The main task of the doctor in the treatment of neuroses is to determine the causal relationship between the appearance of the disorder and its elimination, which becomes the main method of therapy. pledge complete and successful recovery of the child becomes a change in his lifestyle and a large number of positive changes and emotions.

If the baby has the first signs of hysteria and neurosis appear, then treatment should in no case be ignored or postpone - the development of pathology leads to quite serious consequences, up to complete change personality. Usually, along with the methods of treatment used, doctors advise buying a simple aquarium with fish for a child, because watching them significantly calms the baby's nervous system. In addition, parents are required to properly organize the daily routine, including active walks on fresh air, outdoor games and visits to various events that have a beneficial effect on the development of the child.

First, remember, neurosis is reversible disorder of the mental state of a person, without distorting the picture of the world. What does it mean? The fact that if a neurosis has appeared, you need to get rid of it and save your child. It is not necessary to live with him and suffer! The danger of this disease lies not in its severity, but in relation to it. Most parents simply do not pay attention to the first signs of neuroses or nervous disorders in their children, the second part, if they pay attention, is rather superficial (it will pass by itself), and only a small part takes real actions to correct the situation.

What are neuroses?

1. Neurosis of fear.
Paroxysmal occurrence of fears is characteristic, especially when falling asleep. Attacks of fear last 10-30 minutes, accompanied by severe anxiety, often affective hallucinations and illusions, vasovegetative disorders. The content of fears depends on age. In children of preschool and preschool age, fears of darkness, loneliness, animals that frightened the child, characters from fairy tales, movies or invented by parents with an “educational” purpose (“black uncle”, etc.)
Children of primary school age, especially first-graders, sometimes have a variant of fear neurosis called "school neurosis", there is an overvalued fear of the school with its unusual discipline, regime, strict teachers, etc.; accompanied by refusal to attend, leaving school and from home, violations of tidiness skills (daily enuresis and encopresis), reduced mood background. Children who were brought up at home before school are prone to the emergence of "school neurosis".

2. Neurosis obsessive states.
Differs in the predominance of wound-like obsessive phenomena, i.e. movements, actions, fears, fears, ideas and thoughts that arise relentlessly against desire. The main types of obsessions in children are obsessive movements and actions (obsessions) and obsessive fears (phobias). Depending on the predominance of one or the other, neurosis is conventionally distinguished obsessions(obsessive neurosis) and neurosis of obsessive fears (phobic neurosis). Often there are mixed obsessions.
Obsessive preschool and primary school age is expressed mainly by obsessive movements - obsessive tics, as well as relatively simple obsessive actions. Obsessive tics are a variety of involuntary movements - blinking, wrinkling the skin of the forehead, shifting, turning the head, twitching the shoulders, "sniffing" the nose, "hunting", coughing (respiratory tics), clapping the hands, stamping the feet. Tic obsessive movements are associated with emotional stress, which is removed by a motor discharge and intensifies when the obsessive movement is delayed.
With phobic neurosis in children, more younger age obsessive fears of pollution, sharp objects (needles), enclosed spaces predominate. Older children and adolescents are more likely to have obsessive fears of illness (cardiophobia, carcinophobia, etc.) and death, fear of choking on food, fear of blushing in the presence of strangers, fear of a verbal answer at school. Occasionally, adolescents have contrasting obsessive experiences. These include blasphemous and blasphemous thoughts, i.e. ideas and thoughts that contradict the desires and moral attitudes of a teenager. An even rarer form of contrasting obsessions are obsessive drives. All these experiences are not realized and are accompanied by anxiety and fear.

3. Depressive neurosis.
Typical manifestations of depressive neurosis are observed in adolescence and preadolescence. A depressed mood comes to the fore, accompanied by a sad expression, poor facial expressions, quiet speech, slow movements, tearfulness, a general decrease in activity, and a desire for loneliness. The statements are dominated by psychotraumatic experiences, as well as thoughts about their own low value, low level of abilities. Decreased appetite, weight loss, constipation, insomnia are characteristic.

4. Hysterical neurosis.
In younger children, rudimentary motor seizures are common: falls with screaming, crying, throwing limbs, hitting the floor, and affect-respiratory attacks that arise in connection with resentment, discontent when refusing to fulfill the child’s demand, punishment, etc. The most rare in children and adolescents are hysterical sensory disorders: hyper- and hypoesthesia of the skin and mucous membranes, hysterical blindness (amaurosis).

5. Neurasthenia (asthenic neurosis).
The emergence of neurasthenia in children and adolescents is facilitated by somatic weakness and overload with various extra classes. The neurasthenia in the expressed form meets only at children of school age and teenagers. The main manifestations of neurosis - increased irritability, incontinence, anger and at the same time - exhaustion of affect, easy transition to crying, fatigue, poor tolerance of any mental stress. There is vegetovascular dystonia, decreased appetite, sleep disorders. In younger children, motor disinhibition, restlessness, and a tendency to unnecessary movements are noted.

6. Hypochondriacal neurosis. Neurotic disorders, the structure of which is dominated by excessive concern about one's health and a tendency to unreasonable fears about the possibility of a particular disease. It occurs mainly in adolescents.

Systemic neurotic manifestations.

7. Neurotic stuttering.
Boys stutter more often than girls. The disorder mainly develops during the formation of speech (2-3 years) or at the age of 4-5 years, when there is a significant complication of phrasal speech and the formation of inner speech. The causes of neurotic stuttering can be acute, subacute and chronic mental trauma. In young children, along with fear common cause neurotic stuttering is a sudden separation from parents. At the same time, a number of conditions contribute to the emergence of neurotic stuttering: information overload, attempts by parents to force speech and intellectual development child, etc.

8. Neurotic tics.
They combine a variety of automated habitual movements (blinking, wrinkling the skin of the forehead, wings of the nose, licking the lips, twitching the head, shoulders, various movements of the limbs, torso), as well as "coughing", "hunting", "grunting" sounds (respiratory tics), which arise as a result of the fixation of one or another defensive movement, it is initially expedient. In some cases, tics are referred to as manifestations of obsessive neurosis. At the same time, often, especially in children of preschool primary school age, neurotic tics are not accompanied by a feeling of inner lack of freedom, tension, a desire for an obsessive repetition of movement, i.e. are not intrusive. Neurotic tics (including obsessive tics) are a common disorder in childhood, they are found in boys in 4.5% and in girls in 2.6% of cases. The most frequent neurotic tics are between the ages of 5 and 12 years. Along with acute and chronic mental trauma, local irritation plays a role in the origin of neurotic tics (conjunctivitis, foreign body of the eye, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract etc.). Manifestations of neurotic tics are quite similar: tic movements in the muscles of the face, neck, shoulder girdle, respiratory tics predominate. Frequent combinations with neurotic stuttering and enuresis.

9. Neurotic sleep disorders.
In children and adolescents, they are very common, but not well understood. They are expressed by disturbances in falling asleep, restless sleep with frequent movements, a disorder in the depth of sleep with nocturnal awakenings, night terrors, vivid frightening dreams, as well as sleepwalking and sleep-talking. Night terrors, found mainly in children of preschool primary school age. Neurotic sleepwalking and sleep-talking are closely related to the content of dreams.

10. Neurotic disorders of appetite (anorexia).
They are characterized by various eating disorders due to the primary decrease in appetite. Most often observed in early and preschool age. The immediate cause of anorexia nervosa is often an attempt by the mother to force-feed the child when he refuses to eat, overfeeding, an accidental coincidence of feeding with some unpleasant impression (fear associated with the fact that the child accidentally choked, a sharp cry, a quarrel between adults, etc.). P.). Manifestations include the child's lack of desire to eat any food or severe food selectivity with refusal of many common foods, a very slow process of eating with long chewing food, frequent regurgitation and vomiting during meals. Along with this, there is a low mood, capriciousness, tearfulness during meals.

11. Neurotic enuresis.
Unconscious urination, especially during nocturnal sleep. In the etiology of enuresis, in addition to psychotraumatic factors, neuropathic conditions, features of inhibition and anxiety in character, as well as heredity play a role. Bedwetting becomes more frequent with exacerbation of a traumatic situation, after physical punishment, etc. Already at the end of preschool and the beginning of school age, there is an experience of lack, low self-esteem, anxious expectation of a new urination. This often leads to sleep disturbances. As a rule, other neurotic disorders are observed: mood instability, irritability, capriciousness, fears, tearfulness, tics.

12. Neurotic encopresis.
Manifested in the involuntary release of a small amount of bowel movements in the absence of lesions spinal cord, as well as anomalies and other diseases of the lower intestine or anal sphincter. It occurs about 10 times less often than enuresis, mainly in boys aged 7 to 9 years. Causes in internal in long-term emotional deprivation, excessively strict requirements for the child, intra-family conflict. The pathogenesis of encopresis has not been studied. The clinic is characterized by a violation of the skill of neatness in the form of the appearance of a small amount of bowel movements in the absence of the urge to defecate. Often he is accompanied by low mood, irritability, tearfulness, neurotic enuresis.

13. Pathological habitual actions.
The most common are finger sucking, nail biting (onychophagia), genital manipulation (irritation of the genital organs. Less common are painful urge to pull or pluck hair on the scalp and eyebrows (trichotillomania) and rhythmic rocking of the head and trunk (yactation) before falling asleep in children of the first 2 years of life.

Causes of neurosis:

The main cause of neurosis is mental trauma, but such a direct relationship is relatively rare. The emergence of a neurosis is often due not to a direct and immediate reaction of the individual to an unfavorable situation, but to a more or less prolonged processing of the current situation by the individual and the inability to adapt to new conditions. The greater the personal predisposition, the less mental trauma is sufficient for the development of neurosis.
So, for the emergence of neurosis matter:

1. factors of a biological nature: heredity and constitution, previous diseases, pregnancy and childbirth, gender and age, body type, etc.

2. factors psychological nature Keywords: premorbid personality traits, childhood mental trauma, iatrogenic, psychotraumatic situations.

3. factors of a social nature: parental family, sexual education, education, profession and labor activity.
Important factors in the formation of neurosis are debilitating hazards:

• Prolonged sleep deprivation
• Physical and mental overload

Hysterical neurosis is a typical disorder for people certain type personality. Such persons are distinguished by the immaturity of the psyche.

Them character traits- increased suggestibility, impressionability, suspiciousness. Women and men of the hysterical type are unable and unwilling to consider a different point of view, different from their own opinion.

Tantrums believe that the opinions of other people do not deserve attention at all. They perceive their views as the only existing position in life.

The factors that provoke the emergence of neuroses in small representatives of humanity are varied. These include hereditary causes or socio-psychological factors. In addition, it is also possible to single out a certain category of children who are most at risk of acquiring neuroses.

Features of neurosis in children are due to the development of an emerging personality. A child's personality is largely determined by the type of upbringing in the family. Various types improper upbringing (rejection, overprotection, condoning overprotection, rigid, authoritarian upbringing, hypersocializing contrasting upbringing) often distort the biological characteristics of the child's personality and its temperament.

First of all, psychologists recommend that parents pay attention to the existence of certain age stages in children, at which they are most susceptible to the environment and negativity in it, as a result of which they are more mentally vulnerable.

Neurosis in children, mainly, begins to develop in the age period between two and three years and between five and seven years.

These periods are characterized by specific features. The first period is characterized by a stable psychological confrontation between babies and their parents. At this stage, the guys first try to realize, and then defend their own place in the world.

Neurosis in a child of 3 years is considered a rather serious condition, since at this stage the baby is most vulnerable.

Neurosis in a 7-year-old child is manifested in the acuteness of the child's response to various traumatic circumstances and the inability to properly control their own reactions to such circumstances and their condition.

Prevention of neurosis in children in crisis periods of development is to protect them from provoking and traumatic factors, providing them with a comfortable life.

1. main reason it is worth highlighting the fatal load on the nervous system - the strongest stress that led to malfunctions and various deviations in work nervous system. The ground for stress can be both internal disagreements and external causes. Sometimes even a petty quarrel is enough for the development of hysterical neurosis. Interior conflict - entry personality contrary to their own foundations, views, desires and really possible actions.
2. This pathology can be a complication after severe psychotrauma.
3. A long stay of a person in an environment where the psychological mood is extremely tense can also serve as a reason for the birth of a neurosis.
4. The death or news of a serious illness of loved ones.
5. Environment and bad habits - many factors of polluted environment can negatively affect the psyche, as well as bad habits. Addiction to alcoholic products, for example.

Among women

Separate types of childhood neuroses

In psychological practice, there are different types of neuroses.

There are also such signs characterizing childhood neurosis as stuttering and enuresis.

Stuttering

Fear in a child can be a manifestation of neurosis.

Causes of neurosis in children

Stuttering

The most successful treatment is when the cause of the neurosis is eliminated. Psychotherapists, namely, they are engaged in the treatment of neurosis, own many methods of treatment: hypnosis, homeopathic remedies, treatment with fairy tales, game therapy. In some cases it is necessary to apply medications. For each individual child, an individual approach to treatment is selected.

But the main remedy is a favorable climate in the family without quarrels and conflicts. Laughter, joy, a feeling of happiness will erase the existing stereotypes. Parents should not let the process take its course: maybe it will pass by itself. Neurosis must be treated with love and laughter. The more often the child laughs, the more successful and faster the treatment will be.

The cause of neurosis is in the family. In matters of raising a child, adult family members should come to a reasonable common opinion.

This does not mean that you should indulge all the whims of the child or give him excessive freedom of action. But unlimited dictate and deprivation of all independence, overprotection and pressure by parental authority, control over every step of the child will also be wrong.

Such upbringing gives rise to isolation and absolute lack of will - and this is also a manifestation of neurosis. You have to find the golden mean.

Children's neuroses. Psychologist's consultation

Specific symptoms of neurotic disorders are found in pronounced attacks of various fears, which often begin in the evening before going to bed. They can last up to 30 minutes. Less often, in severe cases, such attacks are accompanied by hallucinations.

A disorder that is common in children and manifests itself as a series of compulsive movements, nervous tic and a symptom of a general developmental disorder called obsessive-compulsive neurosis. With this disorder, movements can be varied.

Most common in babies the following manifestations neurosis: finger sucking, head shaking or tilting to one side, hair twisting, teeth grinding, small hand movements, skin tingling, etc.

The development of neuroses in children often occurs as a result of a strong shock or mental trauma. If a child has some of the listed symptoms, then this is not a reason to talk about the diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Often these symptoms are just a sign of the growing up process, and after a certain amount of time they pass. In cases where tics and movements of an obsessive nature are pronounced, prevent the baby from functioning normally, and appear for quite a long time, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Obsessive states in children cannot be diagnosed using tests or other methods. They may be part of other, more serious diseases.

Often, obsessive movements are confused with tics, but if you know the nature of such phenomena, then it is not difficult to distinguish them. A tic is a twitching, an involuntary contraction of muscles that cannot be controlled.

Tics are not always determined by psychological reasons.

Obsessive movements can be restrained with the help of willpower. They will always be the result of psychological discomfort experienced by the child.

So, the following symptoms testify to the neurotic states of obsessive movements: the baby bites his nails, sharply rotates his head, snaps his fingers, pulls his lip, bypasses objects either only to the right or to the left, smacks his lips, bites his lips, twists buttons, blows on his palms.

It is impossible to list all movements of a compulsive nature, since they are individual manifestations. The main symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder is the annoying repetition of the same movements.

Moreover, such repetitions can often be accompanied by hysterical outbursts, insomnia, impaired appetite, decreased performance and excessive tearfulness.

Thus, obsessive neuroses in children of preschool age, they are distinguished by the prevalence of various phenomena of an obsessive nature, that is, actions, fears, ideas that necessarily appear contrary to desire.

As a pathogenetic therapy for childhood neuroses, psychotherapy is used, which, first of all, is aimed at normalizing the situation in the family, improving the system of relationships in marriage and correcting education. To provide the necessary psychosomatic background in order to increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy, drug treatment, physiotherapy and reflexotherapy are used.

Psychotherapy of neuroses in children is conditionally divided into three groups of methods: individual, family and group therapy.

It is necessary to deal with the considered pathologies with the help of qualified doctors. The main method of treatment is psychotherapy for neuroses.

It is carried out individually, in the family circle and in groups with other patients. The doctor selects the methods of exposure individually for each child.

Drugs for neuroses in children are of secondary importance. Herbal remedies are commonly used vitamin complexes, medicines to improve blood circulation in the brain.

Only a doctor is engaged in the selection of medicines, it is impossible to give the baby medicines on his own.

Clinical signs

O neurotic state obsessive movements indicate:

• the need to rotate any object in the hands (pen, button)
• tapping fingers on the surface;
• lip twitching;
• snapping fingers;
• nail biting habit.

So, crumbs at 2 or 3 years old will most likely suck their fingers, grind their teeth, twist their hair, etc.

Fear neurosis in children (anxiety neurosis) in most cases is manifested by attacks of fear (severe anxiety, panic, internal tension).

The main symptoms may be:

• rapid pulse;
• sweating;
• labored breathing;
• dizziness;
• insomnia;
• chills.

Parents who are in good contact with their child will be able to replace violations in the behavior of the baby. The first symptoms of neurosis in children are a serious reason to seek help from a qualified specialist.

hysterical state

It develops in children who are the only ones in the family or in those who are the eldest. The reason for this is the wrong attitude of the parents. The child is used to the fact that adults fulfill any of his requirements, as the one and only. And when the situation changes, he begins to act up, because not everything happens as he used to.

Symptoms of the disease

Hysterical neurosis is rightly called the "great malingerer", since conversion disorder can manifest itself in various somatic and neurological symptoms to which patients attribute particular severity.

In this case, the presence of anatomical defects, serious failures or pathological processes in the body is not confirmed by repeated large-scale laboratory and imaging studies.

• movement (motor) disorders;
• sensory disturbances(changes in sensory perception);
• autonomic dysfunction(imitation of diseases of visceral organs or neurological pathologies).

Consider the symptoms of each group in more detail.

Movement disorders

Hysterical neurosis can make itself felt in the form of symptoms of functional paralysis - the complete or partial absence of voluntary movements in the patient. When examining a patient, paresis can be determined - a decrease in the strength of skeletal muscles.

At the same time, in conversion disorders, no relationship is found between the site of the lesion and the localization of the pathological focus in the motor pathway of the nervous system.

Studies in the field of psychology claim that in dysfunctional families (in which there are scandals, physical violence, the wrong model of education), hostility, anger, and distrust of people are formed in children.

Symptoms of neurosis in children are:

• new character traits;
• excitability;
• excessive tearfulness;
• anxiety;
• isolation;
• change in facial expressions;
• lethargy;
• depressive states;
• violent reaction to minor external stimuli;
• stupor;
• aggression, etc.

Changes occurring at the level of somatic health include: memory loss, poor response to sounds, light, sleep rhythm failure, tachycardia, sweating, distracted attention, etc.

If we classify the symptoms according to age criteria, we will have the following picture:

• In the first year of life and up to three years, failures of somatic and vegetative functions are observed.
• At four to ten years, there are failures of psychomotor functions.
• Children from seven to twelve years old have disruptions in affective functions.
• Failures of emotional functions occur in adolescents of twelve to sixteen years.

To begin with, it is worth mentioning one subtlety: the described disease is a disorder affecting different systems of the human body, including various sensory, vegetative and somatic. The nervous system, no doubt, suffers no less than others.

1. First of all, one cannot but pay attention to traditional means manifestations of hysteria:

• - redundant expression emotional experiences;
• - susceptibility to easy suggestion;
• - excessive dramatization, often addressed to oneself;
• - constant increased arousal;
• - an abnormal degree of concern about one's own attractiveness in terms of physiological parameters;
• - instability emotional background;
• - easy susceptibility to the influence of external circumstances and surrounding people.

2. Sometimes they also distinguish:

• - manipulative orientation of behavior for the immediate satisfaction of one's own needs
• - desire to be recognized and noticed;
• - out of bounds level self-centeredness;
• - self-indulgence;
• - abnormal reaction to the actions of strangers, excessive touchiness.

Diagnosis of the disease

To establish correct diagnosis you should seek the advice of a specialist (psychotherapist or psychologist).

There are frequent cases when a consultation is required not only with a neurologist and a psychologist, but also with the services of an epileptologist, a neurosurgeon. The most important task is to identify the causes that could become fundamental for the development of the disease.

List of studies that will have to be done (not all are mandatory, depending on the symptoms):

• - MRI of the spinal cord;
• - CT musculoskeletal systems;
• - UZDG of cervical and head vessels;
• - Rheoencephalography;
• - Angiography of the head vessels;
• - Electromyography;
• - Electroencephalography;

Treatment of the disorder

Medical treatment for such disorders is rarely used. Hysterical neurosis in children is treated with art therapy. You can draw, play and model something with your parents. Such methods give vent to the child's excess emotions. Body-focused therapy can be used to relieve muscle tightness.

Drug treatment of conversion disorders is selected on an individual basis, depending on the characteristics of the patient's personality porter and his age. Patients over 18 years of age are most often prescribed a course of treatment with benzodiazepine tranquilizers.

Benzodiazepines are limited to a two-week period. In most cases, children and adolescents are advised to take herbal sedatives.

In severe and persistent course of hysterical neurosis, antipsychotics are added to the drug treatment regimen, acting on the correction of human behavior.

The fundamental principle of the treatment of hysterical neurosis is the use of modern methods of psychotherapy. Psychotherapeutic influence is necessary, first of all, to establish destructive links in a person’s thinking and to detect personal factors contributing to the development of neurotic reactions.

Psychotherapeutic treatment also involves familiarizing the patient with the features of his disease. In psychotherapy sessions, the client masters the skills of controlling his thinking and emotional state.

Psychotherapy performs educational functions: the doctor explains to the patient about the inappropriateness of using demonstrative behavior. The psychotherapist directs a person to eliminate existing complexes and motivates them to acquire positive character traits.

At psychotherapeutic sessions, the client reveals the features of his personality and acquires individuality. He learns ways to live harmoniously with himself and learns how to achieve mutual understanding in society.

Psychotherapeutic treatment gives a person a tool for adequate problem solving and overcoming conflict situations.

Main question, worrying parents, how to treat neurosis in a child?

It is the psychotherapist who deals with the elimination true reason development of disorders. He will tell you how children are treated for neuroses. For this, various methods are used, including homeopathic medicines, hypnotic influence, fairy or game therapy. Sometimes intervention is needed medical preparations, each patient is an individual approach.

The main treatment for childhood neurosis is family well-being, the absence of quarrels and conflicts. It is necessary that a cheerful and joyful atmosphere reigned at home. You can not leave to chance any violations related to the behavior of the child. It will not go away on its own, it is necessary to treat the child using laughter and joy. The more the baby smiles, the faster he will recover.

Parents should choose reasonable measures of upbringing, you should not fulfill all the whims of the baby or strictly limit him in everything. Such actions will lead to the development of isolation and lack of will, which will be the beginning of the development of neuroses. It is important to find a middle ground.

This is a rather complicated process that requires the use of combined approaches aimed at eliminating development factors, creating favorable conditions, psycho and restorative therapy. It is necessary to rid the patient of phobias, certain obsessive states and restore the emotional and mental background.

This method of getting rid of the disease is worth considering in more detail. You should not experiment on yourself, engage in self-medication, choosing a medicine at random - such a policy can lead you off the bright path to no one knows where. The doctor himself will select the necessary medicines, because it is in his competence, which are the most effective for each patient alone.

Medical therapy

Therapy with drugs is of secondary importance in the treatment process. As a rule, it is carried out before psychotherapy. Appointed:

• restorative, tonic preparations (vitamins of group B, C, calcium preparations);
• nootropics (piracetam);
• drugs to reduce the amount of fluid in the body or individual organs (diuretics);
• herbal tinctures (herbs that have a calming effect);
• tranquilizers - used only in case of excessive activity, disinhibition (chlordiazepoxide);
• physiotherapy (electrophoresis, electrosleep);
• it is possible to use small doses of antidepressants (imirapine).

It should be remembered that only a doctor can prescribe the drugs necessary to treat the disease.

The mental health of a child is just as important as the physical. Without adequate treatment, any disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system in babies progress. As a result, psychogenic problems do not disappear anywhere, remaining both in adolescence and in adulthood.

Neurosis - what is it?

The main reason for neglecting this group of diseases is a misunderstanding of their essence and severity. It is important for parents to scrupulously study neurosis - what it is in medicine, for what reasons it occurs and how to deal with it. Experts define this pathology as a disorder caused by a person's reaction to sudden, acute or prolonged psychological trauma. The disease cannot occur before the age of 3 years, it is diagnosed mainly in preschoolers and adolescents. The level of mental development of babies is too primitive for personal reactions.

Neurosis - types and causes

This group of pathologies is provoked by various factors, depending on the form of mental disorders. Types of neuroses in children:

• obsessive states;
• hysteria;
• depressive episodes;
• neurasthenia;
• hypochondria;
• logoneurosis;
• somnambulism;
• anorexia.

Another name for this type of disorder is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It includes the neurosis of obsessive movements in children, disturbing ideas and thoughts. The presented disease is considered multifactorial. OCD can be caused by a number of things:

• genetic predisposition;
• infections (measles, mononucleosis, hepatitis);
• acute psychological trauma;
• unfounded fears.

The impetus for the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder is often phobias. At first, the baby cannot get rid of frightening thoughts or fantasies (obsessions) for a long time. Gradually, his brain adapts to them, developing a strange protective mechanism - obsessive actions (compulsions). The child has to perform some obligatory rituals so that his fears do not materialize, for example, jump 5 times before entering the elevator or a dark room, wash his hands three times after talking with a stranger, and others.

In most cases it is difficult to early stages suspect this neurosis in children - the symptoms can remain hidden for a long time, especially if there are only obsessive thoughts that the child keeps in himself. Likely signs:

• unreasonable fears and fears;
• phobias;
• categorical refusal to visit certain places, events, perform simple actions;
• repetitive movements (blinking, scratching, licking lips);
• obsessive drives (reading, counting, sorting food by color);
• biting nails;
• pulling, chewing hair;
• scratching, skin damage;
• tick and others.

Hysterical neurosis in children

The main cause of the considered form of the disease is considered errors in education. Hysterical neuroses are more often diagnosed in preschool children, sometimes they are observed in adolescents. A mental disorder begins against the background of an internal conflict, when the level of expectations or demands of others is higher than the child's real capabilities. Especially susceptible to pathology are babies who are idealized in the family (egocentric upbringing), spoiled.

AT early age hysteria looks like a respiratory neurosis in children - affective-respiratory seizures. They develop simultaneously with crying caused by anger, discontent of the baby due to dissatisfaction with his desires, direct refusals. In parallel with an attack of breath holding, the child deliberately enhances the effect of hysteria - falls to the floor, defiantly writhes, rolls his eyes. Such actions are characterized by pretense and theatricality. Attacks can last up to several hours if there are "spectators". Adolescents imitate epileptic seizures and suffocation.

The described form of the disease is the most difficult in terms of diagnosis. Such neurosis in children is difficult to recognize because of the variety of symptoms that rarely correspond to the typical picture of "adult" depression. The causes of pathology are any psychological trauma:

• separation from loved ones;
• the death of a family member;
• divorce of parents;
• scandals between relatives;
• obvious lag in development from peers;
• appearance defects;
• disability;
• orphanhood;
• excessive demands of parents;
• unrequited feelings;
• problems with gender identity;
• sexual orientation and similar.

Depressive neuroses in children and adolescents do not have specific symptoms. Clinical picture depends on the age of the child, his character, environment, family relationships and other individual features. Possible symptoms:

• lethargy;
• apathy;
• mood swings;
• desire for solitude;
• irritability;
• drowsiness;
• quiet speech;
• meager facial expressions;
• anger;
• coarseness;
• capriciousness;
• thoughtfulness;
• motor restlessness and similar behavioral changes.

Neurasthenia in children

Unlike the previous types of the disease, this form can occur in a small child, 1-2 years old. There are many factors that provoke this neurosis - the reasons:

• heredity;
• emotional instability of the mother during pregnancy;
• fears;
• cruel punishments;
• divorce;
• moving;
• starting kindergarten or school;
• death in the family;
• biased attitude of teachers and parents;
• tense home environment and other psycho-emotional traumas.

Neurasthenia is characterized by a specific clinical picture:

• sleep disorders;
• irritability;
• frequent mood swings;
• tearfulness;
• violent outbursts of anger, turning into remorse;
• inattention;
• headache;
• severe fatigue;
• deterioration in performance;
• disorders of intellectual activity.

Hypochondria in children

The presented type of disease is more susceptible to babies who are overprotected, taken to the doctor with minor problems. There are other causes of neurosis in children with signs of hypochondria:

• psychological trauma;
• severe illness in one of the family members;
• the death of a relative from some pathology;
• phobias;
• serious illnesses suffered by the child earlier;
• a ban on the manifestation of weakness ("Men do not cry");
• intimidation education.

Such neuroses in children have atypical symptoms, reminiscent of other mental disorders:

• constant excitement;
• dizziness and nausea;
• unreasonable fears;
• pre-fainting states;
• severe sweating;
• sometimes - hand tremor;
• disgust;
• rejection of kisses, hugs, handshakes and touches;
• self-isolation in society;
• isolation;
• obsessive actions related to hygiene (washing hands, using a handkerchief) and others.

Logoneurosis in children

The pathology under consideration is also known as stuttering, it has only 2 main causes. Logoneurosis is the result of a hereditary predisposition to speech disorders or a consequence of a strong fright. Stuttering is an acute disturbance of the fluency and rhythm of conversation due to spasms of the speech muscles. Sometimes it is accompanied accompanying symptoms- facial ticking, stamping, snapping fingers and similar actions.

Many babies suffer, often provoked by genetic factors. Somnambulistic neurosis in children can also occur for other reasons:

psychological trauma;

craniocerebral damage;

anomalies in the development of the brain;

encephalopathy;

conflicts in the family;

neuroinfections;

intoxication and the like.

It is easy to diagnose sleepwalking by its typical signs - walking, talking, action in a dream. The development of neuroses in children is dangerous, somnambulism often leads to injury, sometimes with fatal(falling out of the window, blow with the temple). With a progressive disease, the child can behave aggressively during a seizure, harming people around him.

Anorexia nervosa in children

The main reason for the complete refusal of food is the desire to lose weight, therefore, adolescent girls are more susceptible to the described disease. In other cases, anorexia accompanies other psycho-emotional disorders - depression, hypochondria, hysteria. Signs of neurosis in children include physiological and behavioral disorders:

• dry skin;
• pronounced weight loss;
• fear of obesity
• a distorted idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mass of your body;
• feeling of inferiority;
• hair loss;
• constipation;
• dehydration;
• fatigue;
• jaundice;
• stomach ache;
• denial of hunger;
• amenorrhea in girls;
• poor cold tolerance;
• apathy;
• fragility of nails and others.

Treatment of neuroses in children

It is necessary to deal with the considered pathologies with the help of qualified doctors. The main method of treatment is psychotherapy for neuroses. It is carried out individually, in the family circle and in groups with other patients. The doctor selects the methods of exposure individually for each child. Drugs for neuroses in children are of secondary importance. Herbal remedies, vitamin complexes, medicines are used as standard to improve blood circulation in the brain. Only a doctor is engaged in the selection of medicines, it is impossible to give the baby medicines on his own.

Prevention of neuroses in children

Preventive measures do not require any medication. To prevent neurosis in young children and stop their further progression, the normalization of the daily routine, the creation of a comfortable emotional climate in the family, proper upbringing and genuine love of parents help. If a child is prone to mental disorders, it is necessary to find him a good psychologist and exciting hobbies. The game room will also be effective for neurosis, visiting special children's groups, sessions with animals.

The topic of childhood neurosis is very common at the present time and is actively discussed by teachers, psychologists and doctors. Every year the number of children registered with a neurologist is steadily growing. Increasingly, parents whose children suffer from stuttering, tics, enuresis and other neurotic disorders are turning to our center. In this article we will talk about what neurosis is, what forms of neurosis are found, where its roots lie, and how it is possible to prevent the development of neurosis in a child.

neurosis in children - this is a violation of health that makes it difficult for the body to adapt to the conditions of the living environment, distorts the perception of events by a person and leads to the development of diseases of the nervous system.

Three forms of neurosis are generally recognized: neurasthenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and

hysterical neurosis, eurasthenia

Children with the ugly duckling complex most often come to neurasthenia. When moving towards neurasthenia, on the one hand, the child suffers painfully from self-doubt, but on the other hand, he tries to fight and maintain self-esteem. When he manages to conquer uncertainty and fear, he acts decisively and boldly. When the feeling of self-doubt wins, he refuses the onslaught and action. This struggle of different states is called "internal conflict". A child who has an internal conflict is contrasted - both bold and timid.

And if suddenly this child is faced with a crushing failure or severe humiliation, which will reveal his failure, then there will be an acute mental traumatization. It often happens that a child tries his best, but the results of his work are assessed as bad, or they laughed at him, humiliated, beaten, and he showed weakness and failed to adequately answer. In this case, he finally and irrevocably lost faith in himself. His inner conflict disappeared and he chose to give up his sense of dignity.

To come to terms with one's worthlessness is difficult even for an adult, and for a child this seems to be an impossible task at all, since this can seriously distort his fate. Therefore, to preserve the child's psyche, psychological protection comes into play. Its essence lies in a kind of unconscious self-deception: the child is sincerely convinced that he is good always and in everything, and the fault lies with those around him; that he is not weak, but life is unfair to him. As a result, a sense of dignity, and a sense of inadequacy disappears. With neurasthenia, the child unconsciously presents his parents with "neurotic asthenia", which manifests itself in the form of fatigue and weakness. With all his appearance, he, as it were, declares to his parents: “You see that I am barely alive, what do you require of me, leave me alone.” And they leave him alone: ​​they begin to yield to him in everything, to pity him, to fence him off from responsibility. As a result, the child gets what he unconsciously desired: he capitulated and retained a sense of dignity at the same time, because he is sure: “If I were healthy, I would be Superman!

obsessive-compulsive disorder

Children are prone to obsessive-compulsive disorder if, during their upbringing or in connection with the unfavorable circumstances of their lives, the desire for security and anxiety is extremely increased. Such children are characterized by fixation only on themselves, on their safety, on their well-being, on their problems, ignoring the interests and problems of all other people; extreme anxiety and suspiciousness about oneself and one's health, well-being.

The presence of various phobias can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder- Fear of something or someone. For example, a child is terribly afraid of being infected with "germs", washes his hands for hours. Another is afraid of traffic and never crosses the road on his own. The third is terrified of bridges, the fourth is afraid of sharp objects, turns away the edges of knives and forks. These can be phobias of dark porches, elevators, automatically closing doors, crowds, deserted and other places from which it is difficult to exit. In these phobias, there is a conscious persistent fear of death or an accident.

The safety and well-being for such a child is closely related to the well-being of the parents. Illness or any other threat to oneself or parents, everything that threatens well-being - acute mental trauma for such a child. The whole life of such a child is aimed at creating and maintaining security. In this case, psychological protection comes to the aid of the child, which manifests itself in the form of symbolic rituals. And this is a true obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Such rituals are ubiquitous, and many superstitious people often use them in special situations (knocking wood three times or spitting three times over the left shoulder). However, children suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, in order to protect themselves from anxiety and fear, tend to constantly reproduce ritual actions in order to achieve "ultrasecurity". They wave their arms in a special way, stomp when walking, after walking a few steps, make a full turn, as if executing the “circle” command, and only after that they go further. They constantly squat, or bypass dark spots on the road, or climb the stairs, stepping over, for example, only two steps. Sometimes such children walk ritually only in zigzags. They do not get into transport with an unacceptable number; touch in order to protect themselves to all or some specific objects. Children with obsessive-compulsive disorder sit and stand in a certain way, undress and dress, fold clothes so that the trousers are always on top or bottom. Rituals, obsessive actions soothe them. So they protect themselves from fears, which are based on the fear of death, trouble, trouble.

In this form of neurosis, instead of a courageous struggle with difficulties, instead of a natural interest in everything in this beautiful world, instead of a happy, carefree childhood, the child focuses only on his narrowly selfish problems, on the state of his health and, most importantly, replaces real life with an illusory world of symbolism.

Trichotillomania- obsessive pulling of hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, a very common form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The child does this automatically, without being aware of why. He not only does not experience pain, but, on the contrary, experiences some deep satisfaction. Sometimes he himself is perplexed, looking in the mirror at the result of his actions. He promises not to do it again, holds on for a while. But here he is distracted, reading or watching a television program, and his fingers are automatically already in his hair ...

It is known that since ancient times a person has a special relationship with the hair on the head, eyebrows, eyelashes, as well as with a beard. To cut a person's hair, to trim his beard was often considered an insult, dishonor, loss of dignity. So the child unconsciously deprives himself of hair, eyebrows and eyelashes out of guilt or because of unbearable annoyance at himself, at his mistakes, failures, defeats. As a rule, in the family of children with trichotillomania, the issue of acceptance is acute. Perhaps the parents are too rude to the child, severely criticize his actions or reject him appearance. Children perceive such rejection as their own guilt, worthlessness. They do not look for the guilty on the side, they believe that if they are not loved, then they are bad.

Thus, in trichotillomania, there is a symbolic ritual of obsessive actions. Having disfigured himself, the child feels unconscious satisfaction, thus protecting his sense of dignity: “I am bad, I am guilty of something, but I punish myself!”

Hysterical neurosis

Hysterical neurosis occurs, as a rule, in children who are distinguished by extreme egocentricity, exactingness, a tendency to always and in all cases, no matter what happens, to blame others. The child may angrily blame the grandmother for hitting her and hurting her arm. Such children are distinguished by "social infantilism": they seem to be delayed in development at the stage of early childhood, when "everything is possible", and in this case nothing is required of the child. Ignoring the concepts of “should” and “should not”, “shameful” is characteristic. Rules "I want!" and "I don't want to!".

However, these children also have a sense of inadequacy, since their self-esteem is low due to their feeling of their helplessness in real life. Therefore, it is easy for such a child to break into a neurosis, any failure or contempt of others undermines their conceit. And it will be hysterical neurosis.

As long as such a child "everything is in order", while his parents "serve" him, covering him from the demands of real life, eliminating all difficulties and threats, he still somehow takes into account the interests of others and understands that there are certain limits of permissibility and decency. The internal conflict in such children unfolds between “I don’t want”, “but I have to”, between “I want”, “but I can’t”, “I’m ashamed”.

Acute mental trauma for such a child is everything which conflicts with “I want” or “I don’t want”. These are sharply increased demands on him, when his “I want” or “I don’t want” is no longer considered and instead they begin to demand something from him (this often happens in a nursery or kindergarten, school, when meeting with peers). The child perceives such conditions as shocking, worsening the conditions of his life. Then the internal conflict is resolved in favor of egocentricity, "should", "should not" and "shame" are discarded. However, this must be explained to yourself and others. And there is a psychological defense in the form of "escape to the disease", "invalid reaction". After all, sick people have their own privileges, the right to benefits, indulgences, protection from the difficulties and complexities of life.

And he defends himself by behavior that is customary to characterize as a form of adaptation of the weak coming from antiquity. It is known that animals that are unable to defend themselves often demonstrate imaginary death when in danger, and the predator does not see them, because they are motionless, or refuses the "dead". Likewise, a child stressful situation has a tendency to freeze. Hysterical neurosis is an adaptation of the weak, so it occurs even in the smallest.

In hysterical neurosis, the child adapts through an amazing ability to unconsciously recreate the model of any disease. For example, he may stop attending kindergarten, school, ill with the flu. Unconsciously follows the "order" to the center of thermoregulation - and the body temperature is increased. “It is necessary” - and the hand hangs paralytically, the eyelids fall, the coughing, vomiting, etc.

Unlike neurasthenia, when they unconsciously want to be “left alone,” hysterical neurosis is the solution of their egoistic problems by the hands of others. A hysterical symptom always has an addressee. Almost always it is addressed to parents. The mother worries about the illness of the child - and he gets sick. She is nervous if the child has a poor appetite - and he does not eat. If events are not reversed, it will always be so, even when he becomes an adult, only the addressee will change: it can be a husband, colleagues, etc. A child suffering from hysterical neurosis, as with neurasthenia or obsessive-compulsive disorder, may have tics. But if in the first case the child seeks to hide them, then in hysteria it is precisely in the doctor's office that they are most frequent and demonstrative.

A child with hysterical neurosis is sure that he is seriously and chronically ill. And this is how it is everywhere - at home and outside it. If he does not want to go to kindergarten and let go of his mother servant, on his doorstep he turns pale, he faints, vomits, heat. As a result, he will not attend kindergarten. But do not forget that each new benefit or indulgence consolidates and strengthens his hysterical neurosis.

Common forms of hysterical neurosis:

1. Encoprese- fecal incontinence. There are also backlash when children, on the contrary, delay defecation for five to seven days, plunging parents into a panic. Encopresis often affects boys aged 4-5 to 8, rarely up to 14-15 years. As a hysterical symptom, it occurs in boys whose mothers are especially anxious to monitor the regularity of the child's physiological functions. With encopresis, the child constantly misses feces, soiling panties, while, as it were, not feeling it. Sometimes children smear their mother's bed, blanket, bed wall with feces. Thus, they symbolically, as it were, secure a certain territory and the mother herself. Encopresis as a hysterical syndrome often occurs when a stepfather or a younger child appears in the family (as in cases with hysterical urinary incontinence), as well as when the parents are threatened with a divorce. Encoprese diverts the attention of the mother from the younger; the father, who was about to leave the family, remains in it, because "the child is seriously ill"; the stepfather, shocked by the strange illness of the child and the heavy smell in the apartment, as a rule, quickly disappears, and the mother again belongs undividedly to the child.
2. selective mutism. More common in girls. As a rule, at home, with relatives, such a girl is talkative, but in kindergarten she is silent, and the teachers cannot get a word from her. This allows her to be in a special position. She is led only by the hand. All the staff know her. She is literally guarded, her mother rushes headlong after her after work. If such a patient is not cured in time, then at school she will also remain silent for one or two years, and then overcoming the disease will turn out to be very difficult, because the number of benefits increases. In the end, she is able to ensure that she stops attending school altogether, and the school in the person of the teacher herself will come to her house.

Acute neuroses.

This is a special type of neurosis that can occur without the child having certain psychological characteristics. The reason for its occurrence is a very sharp and severe mental trauma. It shakes the child to the very depths and instantly changes his attitude towards himself, towards others and towards life. The nature of psychic traumatization determines the form of neurosis in such cases. If she unbearably humiliated, then there is neurasthenia; she was very frightened, experienced horror, a threat to life or well-being - obsessive-compulsive disorder; it threatens the personal interests of the child - and then there is a hysterical neurosis.

Neurosis, as the result of a single, momentary blow, is directed against the repetition of such an experience. A classic example of the emergence of an "instant" neurosis is the case of a child who climbed into the refrigerator and the door slammed shut. He beat his body against the door, but it did not open. Cold, darkness, lack of air made the child believe in approaching death. And the child froze, gave up, having psychologically survived death. He was found, saved, consoled, but the situation was unconsciously fixed in the psyche, and the mindset arose: "I will always be careful." Symbolic rituals arose, based on the struggle with the fear of death, accident, that is, obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Speaking of mental trauma, it should be noted that it is not always obvious, especially in children. What an adult seems to be nonsense, a child can cause psychological shock. On the contrary, the child is not always able to understand that what has played out before his eyes is a tragedy. Children have their own values, their own concepts of the terrible, of life and death.

So, for the development of neurosis of any type is characteristic:

1. The presence of a certain psychological type in a child, which develops under certain conditions of education (preneurosis);
2. The presence of an internal conflict in which the child is located;
3. Psychic traumatization leading to the resolution of the internal conflict;
4. Activation of the protective psychological function (in the role of which the neurosis itself acts).

How to prevent and cure neurosis?

Obviously, neurosis is not just a habit, but a very serious illness. Therefore, it is easier to prevent than to cure. However, it is also quite possible to cure a neurosis, but it requires much more effort and joint work of parents and a psychotherapist.

To begin with, we note that a child suffering from a neurosis is never told: "Pull yourself together." This is exactly what he cannot do without overcoming the neurosis itself, and such a demand only strengthens his sense of failure.

If a child is teased for his appearance, telling him that he is "fat" or "weak", do not console him or tell him not to pay attention to this. The child is faced with a reality that, alas, is cruel. And instead of comforting him, reinforcing his sense of failure, he should be prepared for life in this world and equal communication with peers. If the child has excess weight, he needs to prescribe a certain regimen, diet and physical exercise. In order to bring a trickle of self-pride into the mind of a child, he is taught to swim and ride a bicycle, to control his body well, to play ball and hockey, to be able not only to do what others can, but additionally and something else. Of course, this requires more time and attention, which parents often lack.

Gradually, the baby will be convinced that he is really strong and no worse than others, or even better. In this way, the feeling of inadequacy is weakened and, in the end, outlived. Only success overcomes timidity. Only overcoming failures and difficulties eliminate the fear of failure, the fear of difficulties and give rise to courage and optimism.

Neurosis, both in a boy and a girl, is evidence of a lack of masculinity as a spiritual category. Masculinity and optimism, brought up in a child by the example of the life of parents, their actions - the best prevention neurosis for son and daughter. Neurosis as a disease of upbringing is cured most of all by upbringing, or rather, by re-education. And there is only one way to eliminate neurosis: to eliminate the feeling of inadequacy by equipping the child with knowledge, skills, habits, health, strength, dexterity, the ability to adequately defend his dignity. It is possible to raise a child as such, but only if the parents themselves are initially such or strive to become such.

Summing up all the above, we note again: neurosis does not happen to self-confident, prepared for real life,those who are able to adapt normally and with dignity in life, and most importantly, people who are devoid of self-centeredness!

Anyone who is interested in everything around him, who is inquisitive, who feels someone else's pain, who sincerely sympathizes with someone else's pain, who loves and protects nature, who is optimistic, able to love others as well as himself, does not have neurosis.

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