Condition of affect - Causes, symptoms and treatment. MF.

The state of affect is a violation of conscious control over actions, as a result of which uncontrolled actions can be committed. States arise out of the will, conscious control over their actions is not possible.

The concept, basically, is found in judicial practice. The actions of such a person can carry social danger and have an antisocial character. Medicine treats affect as loss of control over emotions during psychoemotional arousal.

An uncontrolled attack of anger, a burst of tears or reddening of the face - each of us experienced such a situation in the company of other people, then I would like to return to the past and change my behavior. It happens, do not be ashamed of it. Some emotions are reflected on the physical level. A normal reaction to what is happening involves a conceptual connection between affect and control over actions.

Symptoms of the affect state of

There are several types of psychological affect states:

The classic physiological affect of

is a sharp emotional reaction accompanied by impairments of mental activity, but not associated with any mental illness.
Pathological affect - the cause of the occurrence is a violation of the nervous system, brain structures, the presence of mental illness.
Cumulative affect( anomalous affect) - affective reaction does not occur immediately, according to the principle of the "last drop" accumulates for some time.
Affect under the influence of surfactants( psychoactive substances) - impairment of mental activity under the influence of alcohol, drugs, etc.

Manifestation of affect happens:

- Physical - bodily disorder.
- Mental - disorders of mental, intellectual activity. Memory outage for current events.
- Emotional - an inadequate emotional reaction.
- Behavioral - an uncontrolled situation( a fight, or other unlawful acts).

Symptoms of the

affect state There are certain predecessor signals."The enemy must be known in person", in order to prevent the state of affect in time, you do not need to ignore warning signs.

The time intervals of the affect are a quick start and a short duration.

Physical signals:
Dizziness.
Common pain.
Stress of muscles.
Ringing in the ears.
Sweaty palms.
Fatigue, fatigue.
Tremors in the body.
Stomach upset.
Diarrhea or constipation.
Nausea, dizziness.
Chest pain, palpitations.
Increased frequency of urination.
Increased acidity of gastric juice.

Mental and emotional signals:
Impaired perception and thinking.
A propensity for a certain activity.
Difficulty in making decisions.
Bad memory for current events.
Inability to concentrate.
Irritability or frequent falling into a rage.
Uncontrolled fear, anxiety.
Panic attacks and sudden mood swings.
Irritability, anger.
Inability to relax
Feeling overwhelmed, lonely, isolated, helpless and helpless.
General dissatisfaction with everything.

Behavioral signals:
To induce or perform any action during an emotional reaction.
Critical, zealous attitude towards others.
Explosive reactions to what is happening.
The tendency to act impulsively( not controlled).
Increased consumption of alcohol or drugs.
Sleep disorders.
Nervous behavior( gnaw nails, tics, twitching, blinking of the eyes).

Completion of affect is usually characterized by fatigue, sleep, amnesia.

Causes of affective state

Diseases that can affect the development of the affect state

1. Emotional lability( disturbance of emotional balance).
An emotionally unbalanced person can not feel the moods of other people, and, above all, understand their emotions, thereby provoking unnecessary conflicts.
The basis of emotional self-control is self-confidence. A self-confident person consciously experiences his emotions.

2. Pathology of the amygdala. This structure is located in the brain and processes impulses that relate to emotions. In other words, it is a primitive emotional brain responsible for a quick decision in the event of an emergency.

3. Hypocampal pathology - underdevelopment or damage to the structure of the brain, which is responsible for emotions and long-term memory. In order to quickly get the desired action, the brain needs a kind of archive, accumulated during the life, which is controlled by the hypocampus.

4. Mental retardation( mild, moderate and severe). The affective reaction is not always conscious, reflexive.

5. Chronic mental illness, such as schizophrenia.

6. Temporary opacities of consciousness when taking psychoactive substances( alcohol, drugs). Violate the ability to properly interpret a threat.

7. Lesions of the nervous system( meningitis, influenza). Signals can not be fully processed due to damage to the nervous system and the brain by these diseases. Actions are, to a large extent, automatic.

8. Mental influence( hypnosis, application of practices of neurolinguistic programming). When the psyche is affected by something from outside. Uncontrolled action is induced by hypnosis or other methods.

How to prevent the development of a state of affect

1. try to relax;
2. Feel all the emotions that you experience, and also assess the willingness to act in response to these emotions;
3. Try to concentrate, see and hear what's going on;
4. ignore unpleasant memories;
5. do not connect what is happening at the moment to the negative experience of your life;
6. Imagine that everything that is happening now is a film, in a "bad" situation, feel like an observer, not a participant;
7. remember something very positive from your life;
8. Do not blame yourself for what happened, the affective reaction is encoded in the brain and occurs in fractions of a second;
9. ignore stressful situations;
10. reconcile with a chronic irritant, if it can not be eliminated;
11. More often reflect on your face pleasant emotions, for example, smile;
12. Become more active;
13. in unpleasant conflict situations, adhere to the opinion of a person who is respected or close to you;
14. If you are a believer, then pray, it works like meditation.

Diagnosis of the state of affect

To prove the existence of such a phenomenon as a state of affect, it is necessary to identify several symptoms, conduct laboratory tests, and consult with different specialists.

Here are a few characteristic features:

1. Short-term and rapidity of affective reactions.
2. Suddenness and unexpectedness of action in a certain situation.
3. Perception of what is happening in parts( fragments) with predominance of whiter than important experiences.
4. Loss of self-control over actions( aimlessly repeated movements, action directly).
5. The affect itself is a strong emotional discharge, which can be accompanied by uncontrolled actions.
6. The state of apathy, physical weakness after the completion of affect.

Survey data.

General analysis of urine, blood, biochemical blood test, determination of blood sugar, hemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hormone analysis - will characterize the general condition of the body, help to identify hidden diseases.

A magnetically resonant or computerized tomograph will determine whether there are abnormalities in the brain structures.

Consultation with a psychiatrist is conducted to collect data on the presence of other mental illnesses.

Consultation of a neurologist is needed to identify pathology from the nervous system.

Treatment of affect states

Folk methods are extremely effective and, above all, it is a natural weapon in the fight against affect. Recommended herbs : lemon balm, ginseng, mint, a relaxing mixture of plant extracts( ashwagandha, brahmi, gotu-kola).Aromatherapy: you must add a few drops of essential oil in a hot bath. Sedative oils: valerian, lemon balm, lavender, orange, patchouli, roses, bergamot, grapefruit, geranium, sandalwood, sage, cloves, thyme, basil, cumin, chamomile. They block out uncontrolled behavior and improve emotional well-being. It is very useful to consume colostrum - the first milk of the mother after the birth of a mammal. It contains substances that can suppress strong stress.

Regular physical exercise will increase the body's resistance and prepare it for unexpected situations that can cause affect. Everyday tips for increasing physical activity:
- Walking to the store instead of driving.
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Move during the break at work.
- Get off the bus one stop earlier.

Yoga is a special form of exercise for the body and mind, which is especially often recommended for the treatment of pathological affective reactions. Tai Chi - an exercise associated with the implementation of smooth movements that relax the body and mind, improve blood circulation and breathing.

Extension for all those who have an affective reaction with a strong muscle tone.

Exercise for the lower jaw - moving it from side to side, relaxes muscles involved in chewing movements, which can reduce mental stress.

Exercises for the chest - increased tension of all the muscles at the moment of the affect condition makes breathing difficult. To improve the ventilation of the lungs, exercise to perform deep breaths. Deep breathing( diaphragmatic breathing) will help to keep calm.

Relaxation of will help to reduce the feeling of mental stress. Begin to relax the body from the head, and then slowly move to the shoulders and neck, chest, hips, legs. Relaxation in a day-to-day bustle creates a sense of control over the situation and reduces the risk of developing a state of affect.

Massage helps in relaxation of the body, gives a feeling of emotional stability and deep relaxation, reduces stress, anxiety and headaches, relieves tension around the neck, back and shoulders. Massage can be performed by a specialist or your partner. It is necessary to study the technique of massage and, if necessary, to massage each other.

To perform self-massage, you must lie down or sit down, close your eyes and gently massage your face, head, neck and shoulders for about 15 minutes. Massage also eliminates the headache and you will feel better after a busy day.

Very effective in cases of warning of affective states reflexotherapy .It includes: point or combined with aromatherapy and hydrotherapy massage. Even a simple pressure on the points at the temples will lead to relaxation of the neck muscles.

Hydrotherapy in a hot bath .Heat relaxes tight muscles and restores proper blood circulation. Before the bathroom, it is better to use a relaxing salt - scrub, Dead Sea mud wrap.

Meditation - distracting, reduces fear and other affective reactions. In the methods of relaxation included various forms of meditation, which allow you to step back for a while from the surrounding reality and provocateurs of stress.

Sit in a comfortable pose, close your eyes. For example, to relax, better look at the flame of a candle, imagine a quiet place. The goal is to achieve a state of absolute calm and the absence of any emotions.

Suggested exercises:
- Choose a word or phrase, for example, calm.
- Sit still, close your eyes and relax.
- Repeat the selected word / phrase according to the rhythm of breathing, with each exhalation, from 10 to 20 minutes.
This exercise should be performed at least once a day in complete peace and concentration.

Autogenous training exercises with the psyche using autosuggestion. The methodology involves the repetition of proposals. For example:
- There are no problems.
- It was not important to immediately react.
- It is very important for me to relax.

Relaxation programs are an excellent way to treat a condition of affect. They are available in audio form( relaxation music), video( relaxation films), or in the form of text, which is the least effective of the listed. Music and films are mostly based on natural sounds of nature( splashes of waves, wind, heartbeats).Movies can be found on YouTube - enter "in the search bar" for relaxation.

Color Therapy improves mood and soothes. For example, try a green color in the interior, predominance in the wardrobe and so on.

Homeopathy is selected individually. It can effectively alleviate emotional problems and affective responses. Such treatment causes a lot of controversy among specialists, but to make sure of the effectiveness, in some cases, you can try.

Psychotherapy. Talk about your problems and feelings with friends and family. If you want to better understand your difficult life situation and the causes of recurring conditions of affect, it is better to use the services of a psychiatrist or psychologist.

In the therapy of the affet state, one must make a choice in favor of behavioral psychotherapy with a self-monitoring technique.

The first stage of is the detection of a long-acting stimulus. Problem solving. Definition and elimination of erroneous behavior, self-analysis.
The second stage of - situations are analyzed that induce and stimulate to commit inadequate action.
The third stage of is working with a psychotherapist to create a plan or contract for self-monitoring. The deviation from this plan is punished with "fines", which are prescribed by the therapist.
The fourth stage of - the goal to be achieved is established.

Drug Therapy is prescribed only by a doctor - treatment with benzodiazepine group drugs( Gidazepam, Diazepam, Clobazam, Clonazepam, Chlorazepate, Diazepam, Lorazepam, Medazepam, Nordazepam, Oksazepam, Prazepam, Lorazepam, Midazolam, Chlorazapat, Fenazepam, Alprazolam, Bromazepam, Gidazepam, Chlordiazepoxide, Clonazepam).The use of medications can help you survive the period of the state of affect, smooth out its symptoms, but not eliminate the causes that caused it. These preparations are strictly prescription and cause addiction.

Doctor psychiatrist Kondratenko NA