Reactive depression, or reactive psychosis

Reactive depression, or reactive psychosis, is a psychiatric disorder that occurs under the influence of super-violent shocks and mental trauma, emotionally significantfor man.

Reactive depression, also called psychogenic, in contrast to endogenous depression that does not depend on external influences, occurs immediately after a mentally traumatic event and has a clear, temporary relationship with them.

Moreover, patients are pathologically "centered" on traumatic stresses and remain dependent on them throughout the period of the disease.

Reactive depression: symptoms and causes ^

Traumatic events most often become death of a loved one( especially sudden), news of an incurable disease, family conflicts( treason, divorce), severe life failures, threat to well-being or official position( "fear of exposure,a blow to prestige, arrest, investigation, waiting for a verdict).

The main symptoms of reactive depression:

• lachrymation,
• depression,
• melancholy,
• feeling of hopelessness and total hopelessness,
• outbreaks of despair,
• intensification of painful memories with random associations,
• lack of mobility,
• various vegetative disorders( weakness, lethargy, excessive sweating,lack of appetite, insomnia, heart palpitations, weight loss, constipation).

Unlike the natural reaction of grief and anguish characteristic of any person with a strong emotional shock, reactive depression is characterized by extreme strength and duration. The characteristic posture of a depressed patient is the hunched shoulders, the head lowered on the chest, the inhibition and slowness of the movements.

All his thoughts revolve around the tragedy, with feelings of guilt, remorse and self-flagellation prevailing, reaching in some cases a degree of delirium. If there is a loss of a loved one, the patients blame themselves for not being able to prevent death or alleviate their suffering, if a difficult life situation arose, blame themselves for the mistakes made, led to a sad outcome, etc.

The topic of the disaster and relatedcircumstances in his eyes acquires overvalued and excessive importance, so they are ready to analyze and discuss with those around them endlessly. Moreover, thoughts about what happened were directed not to the past, but to the present and the future, and obsessive gloomy reflections about future solitude, suffering or material misfortune join them.

In especially severe cases, the motor inhibition of the patient can reach such an extent that he falls into a stupor - he sits or lies motionless for hours, does not respond to the questions addressed to him, refuses food, can not do anything and serve himself, deep grief on his faceand hopeless despair.

In individuals with a hysterical attitude, especially with a thirst for recognition and a tendency to show off behavior, reactive depression can be exacerbated by hysterical symptoms - the patient breaks hands, often behaves childishly, sobs loudly, faints and can make demonstrative suicide attempts.

Despite the fact that others often regard hysterical behavior as usual blackmail and the desire to manipulate loved ones, attempts to ignore the demonstrative suicide can not be ignored in any case, as desperate attacks from misunderstanding and lack of attention typical of reactive( situational) depression can provoke a patienta real desire to settle accounts with life. If the symptoms of depression are accompanied by suicidal intentions, an urgent hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital is always necessary.

Diagnosis and treatment of reactive depression ^

Contrary to the established stereotype that only emotionally unstable and "vulnerable" persons can become sick with reactive depression, doctors say that any person can get depressive disorder and this depends, to a greater extent, not on the features of his character, but on the nature and relevance of a trauma.

Clinical studies indicate that psychic reactions to the same situation can be different not only in different people, but the same person can react differently to the same situation at different time periods.

An unfavorable background, weakening resistance to psychotraumatic moments, can be:

• craniocerebral trauma,
• overstrain,
• alcoholism,
• emotional overstrain,
• pregnancy,
• age crises,
• severe injuries,
• various somatic diseases.

Very often, reactive psychosis passes by itself - either after resolving a psychotraumatic situation, or after an incident of a certain time interval from a trauma. However, in many cases, especially if it is impossible to isolate the patient from the traumatic effects of his psyche, medical treatment is required.

The most frequently reactive psychoses requiring immediate treatment are developing in a court situation( arrest, waiting for a sentence, investigation, imprisonment).Forensic doctors described numerous cases of reactive depression diagnosis with symptoms of hysterical twilight confusion of consciousness, hysterical stupor, delusional fantasies, psychogenic delusional psychoses and other pathological conditions.

The prognosis of timely treatment of reactive depression is very favorable. For relief of an acute condition, usually prescribed:

• neuroleptics, quickly blocking anxiety, fear and psychomotor agitation,
• tranquilizers,
• timoleptics.
• In addition, such patients are shown prolonged treatment with antidepressants, which are canceled only after the symptoms of emotional depression completely disappear, and by hypnotics that stop sleep disturbances.

The choice of treatment regimen should only be performed by a psychiatrist, depending on the depth and structure of the depressive disorder. An important additional element in the treatment of psychogenic depression is psychotherapy, which helps to structure emotions, "work out" traumatic memories and reduce affective tension.

Experienced psychotherapist, thanks to the use of modern methods of relaxation and hypnotherapy, will not only provide the patient with the support and sympathy needed, but also help find alternative ways to solve a particular traumatic problem.
We also recommend you to watch a video of the famous psychotherapist Elman Osmanov about symptoms and modern methods of depression treatment: