Depressive neurosis - symptoms and treatment

Main factors of occurrence

The etiology of depressive neurosis is always psychogenic (stress due to external or internal factors), and contains the causes of neurosis and depression, as well as part of their symptoms, which often complicates diagnosis in the early stages of development. In addition, the clinical picture of the disorder is complemented by somato-vegetative symptoms, which further complicates diagnosis and differentiation with other pathologies.

Neurotic depression can occur in groups of people with directly opposite psychotypes. The first of them is people who are confident in their beliefs, distinguished by categorical statements, setting new goals and achieving them. At the same time, they hide their inner world from others. A large place in it is given to concerns and worries about personal leadership and the assessment of their actions by those around them.

The second group of people susceptible to neurotic depression includes individuals who poorly adapt to various life complications and even natural changes. They are characterized by low self-esteem, inability to make decisions, daydreaming in the absence of action.

Factors that can cause neurotic disorders such as depression in both groups can be long-term psychotraumatic circumstances: personal failures in professional activities, failures in personal life, social relationships. Among these factors, the most influential are:

constant suppression of real feelings and emotions, hiding true feelings from others;
inability to distance yourself from a situation, not to get involved, not to take it to heart;
an overly heightened sense of responsibility and desire to be the best;
conflict between the goal and the means to achieve it;
emotional hunger - the absence of like-minded people, loved ones, friends, relatives, the inability to do what you love, to communicate with the people you want.

The accumulation of these unfavorable factors gives a person the impression that it is impossible to correct the situation; he does not even try to look for ways to solve problems, directing all efforts to hiding the internal conflict. As a result, the nervous system cannot withstand such stress, and the first visible sign of depressive neurosis appears - autonomic-somatic disorders.

Treatment

In some people, as well as in children and adolescents, the disease most often occurs in a latent form. In this case, it is difficult to recognize neurotic depression; treatment should be prescribed only after a preliminary full examination and consultation with a psychiatrist. It is important to be able to distinguish the disease from other disorders with similar manifestations.

Therapy includes:

Psychotherapeutic techniques

A conversation with a psychotherapist helps to identify the cause of the disease. A person learns to notice positive events and moments in life. Sessions provide an opportunity to express deep-seated experiences and hidden emotions, and teach how to mobilize internal resources to solve problems.

Clinical picture, symptoms

Depressive neurosis in the manifestations of vegetative-somatic disorders practically repeats the symptoms of neurosis and depression in the initial stages of development. Against the background of a low mood, but while maintaining the usual ability to work for the sick person, at the initial stage of neurotic depression the following may be observed:

decreased vital activity, apathy towards all areas of social relations;
general lethargy, decreased speech, facial expression, motor, and mental activity;
sleep disorders - long periods of falling asleep, frequent awakenings with anxious feelings, insomnia;
weakness and weakness in the morning, general fatigue during the day;
imbalance of the autonomic nervous system, expressed in cardiovascular manifestations - tachycardia, palpitations, fluctuations in blood pressure with the development of persistent hypotension, etc.;
decreased appetite;
dyspeptic disorders;
disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, spastic colitis;
periodic dizziness;
turning to work from family and interpersonal troubles.

Causes of neurotic depression

The development of a depressive state is due to the depletion of psychological defense mechanisms that are triggered by the nervous system in stressful situations. Psychotraumatic factors and constitutional characteristics of the individual can contribute to the formation of the disease from an early age.

The basis on which depressive neurotic disorders subsequently develop may be a lack of interaction with parents, suppression of the individual by peers or loved ones. Psychiatrists have noted cases where the development of a mental disorder occurs against the background of decreased motor activity and the absence of positive emotions and experiences.

Difference between depressive neurosis and other neurotic disorders

First, let's find out what the differences between depression and neurosis are. Neurosis is a general concept for a whole group of psychogenic disorders, the appearance of which is caused by regular exposure to external stress factors. In the early stages of the disease, it is enough to eliminate these factors or change your attitude towards them for recovery to occur.

Depression is an affective disorder, that is, a mood disorder, which is characterized by a lack of ability to enjoy the positive phenomena of life, an unreasonable depressed state for a long time, a significant loss of strength and extreme fatigue. With depression, external factors are basically just a catalyst that triggers a serious illness formed by endogenous causes, including hereditary ones. The combination of a depressive and neurotic clinical picture is characteristic of depressive neurosis, but in a significantly softened version.

Despite apathy and a decrease in mental activity, the patient remains able to work, and in some circumstances is even absorbed in work; general lethargy has virtually no effect on the results of work. Apathy extends more to relationships in society - there is no desire to communicate or attend crowded meetings. The skills of habitual socialization themselves do not disappear, interest in them simply dries up.

There is no total depression; patients diagnosed with depressive neurosis do not lose self-control and are capable of adequate communication and assessment of what is happening. They do not have the painful feeling of a lack of feelings and a complete disappearance of emotions and interest in life. The sleep disturbances characteristic of ordinary depression in the form of early awakenings with the inability to resume sleep again are absent or only rarely appear. During the day, the condition may worsen slightly in the evening, while with a purely affective depressive disorder, on the contrary, it becomes a little easier in the evening. The presence of somato-vegetative disorders in this disease forces one to turn to general practitioners (most often therapists, neurologists) who treat common diseases, who can prescribe symptomatic treatment that does not correct the situation and prolongs the course of the disease.

As a differentiation from similar disorders, morning fatigue, characteristic of asthenic neurosis, is not accompanied by feelings of melancholy, restlessness and anxiety, as with depression, just as there is no extreme fixation on symptoms and the search for imaginary diseases, as is the case with hypochondria.

In general, the symptoms are much milder than the clinical picture of classical depression, in which the future is hopeless. Neurotic depression allows you to plan, see prospects and strive to achieve them, while bracketing the negativity of the existing unfavorable state of affairs. All these features and subtle differences can only be noticed by an experienced psychotherapist in order to differentiate depressive neurosis from other types of neurotic and affective disorders.

Neurotic depression: ICD-10

The International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, contains section F34: persistent mood disorders, which are characterized by moderate severity and the development of the disorder over several years; as the disease progresses, the patient may become unable to work.

Neurotic depression is included in this section as part of subsection F34.1 Dysthymia. This mental disorder is described by experts as a chronic depressive mood, individual episodes of which differ in their short duration.

Depression of a neurotic nature has several varieties: mono- and bipolar, situational, endogenous and reactive. A person suffering from these mental disorders needs complex treatment, including psychotherapy, physiotherapy, massages and physical exercises. Psychiatrists, together with other specialists at the Yusupov Hospital, have developed effective treatment programs for various types of depressive disorders.

Diagnosis and treatment of depressive neurosis in

The Neopsi Mental Health Center employs qualified doctors with extensive practical and scientific experience in the study and treatment of mental disorders. An accurately established diagnosis allows you to develop an individual treatment plan, taking into account all the features of the patient’s development of depressive neurosis and the presence of other diseases.

Treatment is carried out comprehensively, using modern methods of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and physiotherapy, since the most advanced methods of psychopharmacotherapy without psychotherapeutic influence do not provide a sustainable effect. The main task of the psychotherapist is to identify during the conversation, and then change the patient’s attitude towards the traumatic situation that became the catalyst for the disease, to form a new view of it. Whenever possible, the Center’s doctors strive to limit the prescription of medications, using the latest and traditional methods of psychotherapeutic influence, which may include individual existential and analytical therapy, hypnosis, auto-training, cognitive-behavioral training, etc.

Various approaches are used depending on the individual characteristics of the patient:

suggestive using suggestion (including Ericksonian and traditional hypnotherapy);
psychodynamic (classical psychoanalysis based on the theory of the unconscious);
rational (explanation and logical persuasion);
existential (understanding your life through an internal search - knowledge of your individuality, true needs and meaning to liberation from the problem), etc.

Comprehensive and professional treatment of depressive neuroses in our Center guarantees a quick and complete recovery of patients. Relieve the burden of unresolved problems and regain a happy life with the help of the Neopsy Mental Health Center. Make an appointment by calling the specified phone number, or through the website services.

Depression of neurotic origin: diagnosis

Diagnosis of neurotic depression is carried out by psychiatrists based on test results and other diagnostic measures. At the Yusupov Hospital, psychiatrists who have candidate and doctoral degrees in medical sciences use standardized methods.

Neurotic depression, the diagnostic test of which is only one of the tools, can be combined with somatic disorders. In this case, neurologists, cardiologists and endocrinologists working at the Yusupov Hospital are involved in treating patients.

Causes and symptoms of occurrence

Neurotic coma rarely develops for one reason. In this case, the entire reason for its appearance is the influence of several factors, both mental and physical, but the negative effects on a healthy psyche usually predominate. Constant stress, conflict situations and other circumstances have a lot of changes on the human psyche, causing melancholy and hysterics of varying degrees of severity.

Acute dependence on alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are also considered triggers for depressive conditions and psychoneuroses. They quickly affect both the psyche and the physical environment, which provokes the opposite severe stress for the body. In addition, regular abuse of alcohol and drugs leads to intoxication of the body, which negatively affects the central nervous system and depletes the body's defense mechanisms.

The addict is provoked by decline, a constant feeling of lack of freedom that haunts the person. The craving for a cigarette, alcohol or drug, the mood and well-being from the presence of a certain substance in the blood, limit consciousness. At the same time, a constant feeling of guilt provokes the development of psychasthenia. When combined, these triggers can lead to serious mental health problems.

Among other reasons that cause hysterics and depression in a person, it is possible to note:

Constant mental or emotional stress to which a person is exposed for a long time. Serious experiences - layoffs, loss of a loved one, breakup of relationships, especially marriage.
Serious, insoluble difficulties in life. This may be when there is no way to repay a loan or mortgage, other financial difficulties, or a serious illness requiring expensive treatment.
Small but accumulated problems and coincidences. Problems at work, at home, in your personal life, constant anxiety and unsettlement.
Asthenia is a congenital or acquired disease of the central nervous system, which often leads to the development of depression and psychasthenia.
Congenital predisposition, impressionability, vulnerability and other character traits that make a person susceptible to negative experiences.

Symptoms of neuroses

In general, a conflict is like a nuclear explosion in a confined space. The person is outside and does not see the explosion itself. He only feels resonance. The echoes of the explosion are symptoms of neurosis. In other words, a person sees only the clinical signs of the disease, but does not understand the cause.

How can neuroses manifest themselves physically?

Cardiopalmus.
Feeling of a lump in the throat.
Labored breathing.
Headaches and heart pains that appear without physiological reasons.
Low performance, high fatigue, frequent feeling of tiredness.
Loss of appetite.
Insomnia, lack of feeling of rest after waking up.

How can neuroses manifest themselves emotionally?

Mood swings.
Touchiness, vulnerability, it is very easy to bring a person to tears.
Indecision, uncertainty, inadequate self-esteem - from self-flagellation to excessive confidence in one’s own rightness.
Increased irritability and emotionality, a person may “explode” or fall into despair over a seemingly insignificant reason.
Terrible weakness, especially towards the end of the day.
Experiencing fear and anxiety.
When trying to work quickly, a person gets tired - attention is scattered, memory and thinking abilities deteriorate.
Intolerance to loud sounds and bright lights
Inconsistency/uncertainty of the value system.

The worst thing is that violations are rarely taken seriously by people. Increased fatigue, bad mood, irritability, fatigue are becoming commonplace today. A person begins to pay attention to this only when the condition becomes critical - problems arise in communication, anxiety, and unreasonable fear appear.

Neuroses are the scourge of the 21st century. Today, working 24 hours a day, sleeping 4 hours, living at a frantic pace is considered the norm.

Neurotic depression: treatment at the Yusupov Hospital

The Yusupov Multidisciplinary Hospital specializes in the treatment of mental disorders, in particular neurological depression. An important condition for a patient’s stay in the Yusupov Hospital is confidentiality, so data about patients is not transmitted to workplaces and dispensaries.

Treatment of neurotic depression at the Yusupov Hospital is possible both in an inpatient and outpatient setting. The modern approach to the treatment of mental disorders involves the use of psychotherapy, medication, art therapy and other techniques. Acute manifestations of depression are eliminated with the use of tranquilizers and antidepressants; psychotherapy sessions can eliminate residual symptoms.

Psychiatrists at the Yusupov Hospital, together with patients, are searching for the problem that provoked the development of pathology. Each patient is considered by specialists as a unique individual, part of society and family. The advantage of treating depressive conditions at the Yusupov Hospital is the use of medications that have the least burden on the body.

The approach used by psychiatrists in helping patients suffering from depression can improve their quality of life. Neurotic depression, the prognosis and treatment of which are interconnected, requires timely treatment. To make an appointment with a psychiatrist and obtain background information, you should contact the staff of the Yusupov Hospital by phone.

Techniques

There are many techniques that help get rid of degradation. How to highlight the most effective:

Cognitive behavioral therapy. Today it is considered one of the most promising areas. Includes lectures and trainings. Keeping a personal diary, analyzing your behavior. It is aimed at making the patient aware of his own behavior, taking control over it and measuring it.
Art therapy. Relaxing art activities allow you to release emotions and express your feelings in a safe way. Includes modeling, drawing, fairytale therapy, in the form of creative activities that allow you to repress your experiences.
Body-oriented diagnostics. Through body language, work is carried out under the patient’s suppressed experiences.
Breathing exercises, meditation.
Psychoanalysis – helps to identify the cause, associated psychological problem.
Existential-humanistic therapy helps to understand your life style and build correct behavior.
Gestalt therapy allows you to get rid of the means of experiencing and the burden of the past.
Neurolinguistic programming – promotes normal communication.
Hypnotherapy is an effective way to combat the result of fear and obsessive states.

The attending physician selects the methods. Psychotherapeutic, where there is an individual program and a reasonable price for each patient, you just need to call the site and read the reviews. Sometimes it is not possible to find them right away, but consistent work with a psychotherapist is sure to give results in the end.

Features of male and female symptoms

The difficulty of making a diagnosis for neurotic and depressive disorders lies in the fact that other neurotic and mental disorders have many symptoms. In total, there are two groups of symptoms: mental and somatic. Psychiatric include:

Increased fatigue, causing decreased performance.
Sleep disorders – insomnia or constant drowsiness.
Chronic or regular feeling of anxiety.
Lack of confidence in yourself, your actions and decisions.
Decreased self-esteem, inferiority complex, social contacts and their decline, dissatisfaction with oneself and one’s external appearance.
Inadequate self-perception, dysmorphophobia.
Somatic signs are usually more obvious and unambiguous.

Among them are:

Lungs or more pronounced tremor of the limbs, especially the hands.
Increased sweat production.
Reduced blood pressure.
Fainting, loss of consciousness.
Heartache.
Phantom pain of various types.

As for the specific signs characteristic of neurotic well-being, depressive neurosis in men and women, there are not as many of them as it seems. Most of these symptoms are dictated by differences in the gender socialization of men and women, and only a few by differences in physiology.

In men with depression, there is a marked decrease in potency and libido. Psychologically, men most often withdraw into themselves. If the cause of development is not alcohol or other addiction, the risk of turning to alcohol or drugs when depressed will be higher than in women.

Women are more susceptible to neurotic disorders, since unstable hormonal levels cause increased emotionality and vulnerability. This makes women more susceptible to stress. As in both men and women, libido decreases when despondent. In addition, in response, they note increased emotionality and susceptibility to the influence of the menstrual cycle. A pronounced change in behavior with the so-called premenstrual syndrome is considered one of the main symptoms of nervousness or blues.