In the modern world, the expression “ delusions of grandeur ” is used quite often, which implies an unkind attitude towards inflated self-esteem and narcissism.
There have been times when mania refers to delusional thoughts or ideas, but the basic definition refers to an inflated self-esteem of oneself. From a medical point of view, such a phenomenon must be suppressed and neutralized at the stage of its early manifestation, otherwise it is already a psychological disorder.
Definition
In psychiatry, mania (manic state) is a mental disorder that is manifested by three signs: elevated mood, accelerated thinking and increased activity.
The people widely understand the word mania as “being overwhelmed by something,” which does not reflect the scientific definition of this term.
Mania is the complete opposite of depression, which is characterized by low mood, slower thinking, and decreased activity.
Mania (or manic state) is a painful condition that requires evaluation by a psychiatrist and treatment. An untreated manic state can reach the level of psychosis and even confusion, which is life-threatening.
Is there a clear line between normal mood, hypomania, and mania?
No, there is no such clear boundary. To distinguish hypomania from a normal good mood or irritability, the most important signs are the absence of a reason (nothing particularly good or bad happened), and the fact that such a mood or behavior is usually not characteristic of this person. Mania is distinguished from hypomania by the presence of serious consequences, which is also a relative criterion. For example, large spending, absenteeism or a fleeting sexual adventure can be a trifle for one person, but have serious consequences for another.
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Causes
Mania is caused by the predominance of overexcitation processes in the brain, which triggers a cascade of complex physiological and chemical reactions in the nervous system, and, as a result, throughout the body.
Doctors identify several groups of causes for the development of mania:
- Internal causes (endogenous). These include disorders of protein metabolism in the nervous system, immune disorders in brain tissue, genetic predisposition, hormonal disorders (during the postpartum period, menopause, adolescence).
- Consequences of organic damage to the central nervous system due to injuries, poisoning, atrophic processes, neoplasms, impaired blood supply to the brain, etc.
- Infections and poisoning.
Manic psychosis in men
If in women the pathology is most often diagnosed in the stage of protracted and deep depression, in men a manic manifestation becomes a bright start in most situations. Men are characterized by a transition to an aggressive state, which develops against the background of an increased level of excitability. Patients are capable of causing injury to themselves and those around them. The most active pathology in the manic stage manifests itself against the background of drug or alcohol intoxication. In this condition, patients also move from one stage to another in a short time, plunging into a deep and often prolonged depression.
Symptoms
Mania is characterized by an elevated mood, with a feeling of euphoria, lightness, “special clarity in the head,” a feeling that “everything is working out easily,” and optimism. Such people speak quickly and a lot, are “easy-going”, and look younger than their age. They easily form ideas of their own greatness, superiority and even power. Often because of this, they give up their usual activities (study, work, projects), leave their families, change their religion and even their appearance (dye their hair, have plastic surgery). Mania is always accompanied by hyperactivity: patients are restless, active, constantly busy with something, and do not feel tired. Sleep is disturbed: it shortens or stops altogether.
During a manic state, patients take out loans, commit irrational actions, make expensive purchases, and enter into marriages that quickly break up.
Where to go for advice and help?
There are different options for receiving psychiatric and psychotherapeutic help.
State psychiatric hospitals and psychoneurological dispensaries at the place of residence.
Crisis helpline - you can call if you are having suicidal thoughts. Phone: 8 (800) 100-49-94.
Private clinics licensed to provide medical care. The authenticity of a license can and should always be checked on the website of the licensing authority. Do not forget to check the authenticity of the education of the specialists you contact.
No one option can guarantee the best mental health care one hundred percent. If you have doubts or discomfort, you can always change your doctor, listen to several opinions and try different treatment options. A good specialist will always be able to talk about the diagnosis and course of treatment, and will back up his words with data from modern research. The choice is yours.
Conditions similar to mania
Persecution mania is a type of delusion when false conclusions arise that cannot be dissuaded, the content of which is that there is targeted surveillance and pressure.
Megalomania is also a type of delusion (characteristic of mania), which consists in the fact that the sick person considers himself a great specialist, a “perfect person” with outstanding qualities.
Manic-depressive psychosis is a separate disease, which is characterized by alternating periods of depression with stages of elation (manic period).
Flow classification
The course of the disease is an individual characteristic. With a unipolar (monopolar) course, a classic picture of alternating mania and depression with intermissions is observed.
There is also a flow with a predominance of one of the phases. In bipolar inconsistent course (or irregularly intermittent type), after the manic phase and intermission, the manic phase begins again, that is, the phases do not alternate sequentially. A circular variant of the course of the disease - manic and depressive phases alternate with each other without intermissions (“light intervals”).
Statistically, the correct classic version of the course is more common - a manic phase, then an intermission, then a depressive one, and so on in a circle.
What to do if mania develops
The first step is to organize an examination of the patient by a psychiatrist. This is often difficult, since in a state of mania, patients feel great and, as a rule, refuse to be examined by a doctor. If you are faced with the fact that your loved one has the symptoms of mania described above, you should contact a psychiatrist yourself, tell him about the patient’s condition and get advice on how to proceed further. Often, in order to provide assistance to such patients, it is necessary to resort to involuntary hospitalization.
Treatment of manic personality disorder at the Leto clinic
The diagnosis is made based on the clinical picture and the exclusion of other pathologies that occur with similar symptoms (schizophrenia, drug addiction, functional lesions of the central nervous system, etc.). The severity of the patient's condition, his motivation for therapy and the likelihood of relapse are assessed based on the results of psychological tests.
In the absence of psychopathic signs, treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis with the prescription of antidepressants, sedatives, lithium drugs, and tranquilizers. In cases of severe delirium and hallucinosis, hospitalization and the use of antipsychotics are indicated.
Psychotherapy is aimed at making the patient aware of his own illness, focusing his attention on deviations in the way of thinking and pattern of behavior. At the next stage, the doctor’s task is to formulate a clear sequence of judgments and actions in the patient, teach him to concentrate on the actions being performed, and socialize him.
For more information about the symptoms and treatment of manic personality disorder, please contact our 24-hour consultants. 8(969)060-93-93.
Manic depressive psychosis in men
In the manic stage, in the first stages it is often perceived positively by the patient himself and his environment. Business activity and self-confidence increase, and ideas on the verge of genius arise. This behavior, in the minds of the masses, is typical of business and successful people and is perceived not as a disease, but as success. As the diagnosis progresses, activity turns into increased irritability, aggression occurs, and the man may attack others.
A severe course is also distinguished by a depressive state in men. They often begin to try to rethink their actions throughout life, to negatively perceive what only a few hours ago seemed to be an outstanding success. Apparently, in approximately the same state, Gogol decided to burn the second volume of Dead Souls.
As the depressive state progresses, the desire to completely isolate oneself from the world develops, the patient tries to move minimally, refuses food, sexual desire disappears, and family ties disappear. Many patients talk about ending their lives or attempt suicide.
Manic psychosis in a person has every right to be called a silent killer. Diagnosis of pathology is complicated by frequent refusals by patients of any gender to seek help from a psychiatrist, citing a changeable character or slight natural hysteria. For this reason, pathology is often detected already at the stage of a serious attack, which requires immediate hospitalization.
Types of mania: hypochondria
People suffering from hypochondria, without reason, suspect that they have one or more serious diseases. Any bodily sensations - chills, goosebumps on the skin, sleep disturbance, abdominal pain, etc. – are perceived by them as symptoms and cause severe anxiety.
Even if, after undergoing an examination, their suspicions are not confirmed, they continue to turn to different specialists and self-medicate, blaming
Read this article on how to learn to live stress-free.
doctors are incompetent or unwilling to tell them about the real state of affairs. Concern for their own health deprives hypochondriacs of the opportunity to enjoy life, since the main place in their thoughts is occupied by worries about a non-existent illness.
Symptoms:
- a person is interested in medical literature and does not miss a single program about health; based on the information received, he makes diagnoses for himself;
- conversations with a hypochondriac revolve only around the topic of health, and less attention is paid to real diseases than to fictional ones;
- patients are confused in their complaints, leading doctors to make the necessary diagnosis, listing symptoms gleaned from medical literature;
- a person actively turns to doctors, often gets tested and unnecessarily undergoes the most unpleasant instrumental examinations, practices traditional methods, constantly asks friends if he looks sick;
- Suspecting that he has a specific disease, the hypochondriac begins to avoid actions that could aggravate his condition.
Causes of mania - hypochondria
About 15% of all patients visiting doctors are hypochondriacs.
Among them are mainly men over 25 years of age and women over 40. Most often, painful preoccupation with one’s health is the result of depression, mental disorder, usually neurosis or schizophrenia, or a phobia of contracting a fatal disease (cancer, AIDS, etc.).
Treatment
Milder forms of hypochondria are treated by psychologists and psychotherapists, while severe forms are treated by psychiatrists. If the fear of getting sick is associated with a depressed state, as a rule, when the emotional state improves, it disappears. Until this happens, a person is recommended to protect himself from information that gives rise to new experiences (stop watching medical programs and even advertising of medications), listen to or repeat affirmations before going to bed - verbal formulas of health (“I am healthy, and all my organs are working OK").
We looked at the most common types of mania. But this is enough to pay attention to your close relatives and friends in order to identify the disease in time and make a decision.
