Development of hyposthenic neurasthenia due to fear of losing a job and other reasons

Modern society should consist of mentally healthy, adequate people who are able to lead active life activities without experiencing personal discomfort. However, not everyone is able to cope with the accelerated pace of its development. The gradual depletion of the nervous system leads to the appearance of unpleasant symptoms, ranging from sleep disturbances to more complex mental pathologies, including hyposthenic neurasthenia. It is important to understand that such conditions in humans most often do not go away on their own.

Causes of the disease and risk group

Not every person becomes neurasthenic, even under enormous loads and stress. Most often, asthenic neurosis affects people with the following characteristics of character and lifestyle:

• having an asthenic type of character, the main features of which are vulnerable pride, an exaggerated sense of one’s own inferiority, isolation, shyness, irritability, dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, suspiciousness, anxiety, increased exhaustion;
• those who deliberately neglect proper rest are workaholics;
• those who do not know how to properly organize the work process;
• those who strive to bring work to perfection, even to the point of missing deadlines, are perfectionists;
• overly responsible, striving to complete work on time and in full at any cost;
• those who have taken on an overwhelming amount of worries - those working in several places, students with part-time jobs, housewives with children and sick elderly relatives, etc.

The character traits described may be the result of personality traits, or too strict upbringing with exorbitant demands, or heredity to asthenia. People with neurotic character traits are a risk group for the appearance and development of asthenic neurosis, but character traits are not enough; a psychotropic factor is also needed, which gives impetus to the onset of the disease.

In addition to the personality psychotype, the main causes of asthenic neurosis lie in the negative impact of an endogenous or exogenous nature on the human psyche:

• excessive physical or intellectual stress leading to exhaustion of the nervous system;
• excessive demands made by management, colleagues, relatives, excessive criticism on their part, contributing to the development of an inferiority complex;
• an unhealthy environment (prejudice, bullying) in the workplace, at an educational institution or in the family, in which a person is constantly in anticipation of a scandal, insult, or physical violence;
• work or study in a highly competitive environment that does not provide the opportunity to fully rest and relax;
• incorrect choice of type of activity, education, including at the insistence of parents or other relatives, the need to engage in unloved work;
• chronic diseases that weaken health and complicate the performance of professional duties;
• endocrine diseases that disrupt the balance of the autonomic nervous system;
• stimulating the nervous system with alcohol and drugs;
• unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, obesity, leading to metabolic and hormonal imbalances;
• long-term financial problems causing feelings of inadequacy.

What is asthenia or asthenic syndrome?

The word “asthenia” is translated from Greek as “lack of strength” or “weakness.” Hence the leading symptoms of asthenia: high fatigue and impotence.

Asthenic syndrome is the most nonspecific syndrome. It manifests itself in both somatic diseases and mental disorders. A lowering of the threshold of response to external and internal stimuli and rapid depletion of these reactions is the main clinical symptom of asthenia. It is called "irritable weakness."

Today, our lives proceed with mega loads, which are accompanied by severe fatigue. And if we don’t stop in time and don’t give ourselves relaxation and little pleasures, then this is fraught with consequences.

It is important to learn to distinguish between ordinary fatigue, which occurs after excessive intense physical or mental stress, movement between different climatic zones and time zones, irregular work and rest, from asthenia, which needs to be treated, and which will not go away on its own, even if you try to this effort? Asthenia develops over time.

The difference between the development of asthenic syndrome and ordinary fatigue of a physiological nature lies in the gradual increase in the process. Manifestations consistently become more intense and persist for a long time (from several months to several years). As a rule, with asthenia, proper rest does not give the desired result. The fatigue doesn't go away. Then there is a need for medical intervention.

Often the primary symptoms are excessive fatigue and irritability. As a rule, they go in combination with incontinence and a continuous desire for activity. Which is paradoxical, even in an environment conducive to relaxation and rest. This is referred to as “weariness that does not seek rest.”

First of all, the appearance of asthenia is due to a lack of functional capabilities (exhaustion) of the nervous system to cope with its overstrain.

The consequences of intoxication (auto- or exogenous origin), disruption of the blood supply to the brain, as well as metabolic processes in its tissue can also cause asthenic syndrome.

Because of this, asthenia can be characterized as an adaptive reaction of the body. In this case, the purpose of such a reaction is to reduce the activity of all its systems in order to conserve energy and subsequently restore them to pre-painful functioning.

Asthenic syndrome is characterized by a feeling of general weakness, which is permanent, increased fatigue regardless of the presence of loads, and decreased ability to work.

Also with asthenia, other characteristic symptoms occur:

• pain (muscle pain, headache, pain in the chest and abdomen, etc.);
• dizziness;
• feeling of tension;
• sleep problems;
• disruption of the gastrointestinal tract (decreased appetite, spastic constipation, pain along the intestines);
• potency disorders in men;
• difficulty relaxing;
• increased irritability.

Frequent accompaniments of asthenia are also problems with cognitive processes:

• attention (absent-mindedness, difficulty concentrating);
• memory (perception of new information, impairment of short-term memory, inability to remember recent moments).

Therefore, asthenia is always accompanied by a drop in labor productivity, especially intellectual productivity. Patients complain of frequent forgetting, absent-mindedness, poor intelligence, and instability of attention.

It can be extremely difficult to concentrate on something. You have to make an effort to think about a certain subject or matter, but over time, patients with asthenia begin to understand that the thoughts that appear in their head are not at all related to the desired subject or matter, i.e. completely irrelevant to the situation in which the patient is or what he is doing.

The number and clarity of ideas is also lost in asthenic syndrome. It can be extremely difficult for a person with asthenia to express what he wants. The words are either confused or very difficult to find. As a result, the thought that is formulated seems extremely vague, inaccurate and incomprehensible to the interlocutor, since it poorly reflects the necessary meaning. Patients are very upset because they feel incompetent.

It is important to note that with asthenic syndrome, even rest does not help improve well-being. Patients make a lot of effort to cope with the difficulties that arise. Can divide questions into parts to solve them. But, as a rule, comes even greater fatigue or dissipation in activities.

As a result, any activity seems very difficult, irresistible and requires extreme effort. This increases tension, anxiety and irritation with your weakness. Such patients are convinced of their intellectual failure.

At the same time, the emotional state is characterized by a lack of mental balance. Signs of this: short temper, irritation, loss of self-control, pickiness, grumpiness and dissatisfaction.

A sharp change in mood is also one of the manifestations of asthenia. The reason that can lead to anxiety or immersion in pessimistic thoughts can be very small and insignificant. But, at the same time, optimism may appear, the reason for which is difficult to find.

There is also a certain hyperesthesia (heightened sensitivity of the analyzers), mainly to saturated bright light and too loud sounds. Sentimentality and tearfulness arise, tears often occur as a reaction to certain events (both negative and positive).

With asthenia, one can constantly observe, in various variations, the ratio of symptoms such as irritability, fatigue and mental imbalance.

Asthenic syndrome is accompanied by various vegetative disorders:

• in the cardiovascular system (high or low blood pressure, increased heart rate, chest pain);
• feeling of heat without increasing body temperature, redness or paleness of the skin;
• intense sweating, local (armpits, feet, palms) or general.

People with asthenia have sleep problems, which manifest themselves in difficulty falling asleep, a predominance of shallow sleep with a significant number of disturbing dreams, frequent awakenings and difficulty in subsequent falling asleep. Sleep does not bring restoration of strength and energy, patients do not feel rested.

When asthenia worsens against the background of psychophysical stress, daytime drowsiness is observed. At the same time, night sleep remains unsatisfactory.

The daily dynamics of the syndrome can be traced in a sufficiently resourceful state in the morning and an increase in symptoms in the evening.

The manifestations and severity of asthenia are aggravated in the evening, i.e. after noon. In the morning, asthenic symptoms may not even be observed in some cases.

Symptoms and signs of asthenic neurosis

Experienced specialists are able to identify asthenic neurosis at an early stage of its appearance. The symptoms of the disease depend on its clinical form. General signs of the presence and development of neurasthenia are the following symptoms, characteristic of all phases:

• rapid physical and mental fatigue, decreased performance due to difficulties concentrating;
• increased anxiety and irritability, sudden mood swings;
• headache of a diffuse nature that occurs in the evening, which is characterized by a feeling of squeezing;
• dizziness that occurs during physical and nervous overstrain with a feeling of rotation in the head, rather than objects in the visual zone;
• cardiovascular disorders - stabbing or pressing pain in the heart area, arterial hypertension, palpitations, tachycardia, pallor or redness of the skin even with slight excitement;
• dyspeptic disorders - heaviness in the stomach, heartburn, belching, flatulence, as well as constipation and diarrhea without changing the menu and diet;
• deterioration or exacerbation of appetite;
• increased urge to urinate in a tense situation;
• decreased libido in men and women, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation in men;
• sleep disorders.

If treatment is not started on time, the disease develops with intensification of symptoms and transition to another, more severe form.

Main causes of asthenia

In medicine, asthenic syndrome is one of the most common. It is observed in a variety of therapeutic, neurological, infectious diseases, some mental disorders, in the post-traumatic, postoperative and postpartum periods. Therefore, doctors of various specializations deal with asthenia. Asthenia can be the first symptom of the onset of the disease, accompany it during the period of activity and occur during recovery.

In addition, important factors leading or potentiating its development are:

• unbalanced or insufficient nutrition and nutritional deficiencies;
• metabolic disease;
• intoxication;
• high stress (both physical and mental);
• chronic stress condition;
• mental disorders;
• acute diseases and exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Therefore, it is very important to be attentive to the needs of your body, take care of your condition, provide yourself with the necessary help in time to improve your health, and restore strength when needed!

Hypersthenic form

The first phase of asthenic neurosis is characterized by the dominance of excitability, irritability, and emotional instability. A neurasthenic person is not restrained in emotions, raises his voice in normal conversation, shouts during an argument or quarrel, and allows insults. The absent-minded attention of the sick person leads to a decrease in the productivity of any type of activity, since he is constantly distracted by irritants and has difficulty returning to the work process. The patient is haunted by dreams related to daytime events and problems. Having difficulty falling asleep, he often wakes up, and in the morning he feels exhausted and unrested.

Irritable weakness

This is the next phase of the disease if adequate treatment was not carried out in the first. From the name it is clear that the stage is characterized by increased irritability against the background of increasing mental exhaustion. Easily excited for any reason, the patient, after a short-term, bright burst of temper, feels powerless. The state of excitement is easily replaced by a feeling of resentment and crying. Concentration and concentration are difficult, causing fatigue, headaches and other painful sensations of various localizations. Repeated distractions from the work process with the desire to take a break do not relieve fatigue, and returning to work does not bring the expected results, which leads the neurasthenic to severe mental exhaustion.

Hyposthenic form

It can develop as the next phase of asthenic neurosis or occur immediately in people with an asthenic psychotype. At this stage, a patient with neurasthenia suffers from mental and physical weakness, lethargy, low mood, lack of interest in any activity, and passivity. Feelings of sadness and anxiety haunt him constantly, causing emotional instability. A neurasthenic person is prone to tearfulness, touchiness, and complaints about his health. Being focused on his sensations, he cannot concentrate to perform intellectual tasks or physical work. Asthenic neurosis can be either an independent disease or a harbinger or manifestation of more serious, difficult to treat mental disorders - schizophrenia, atypical depression. Neurasthenia can also be a symptom of somatic diseases - HIV, tuberculosis, oncology, etc. Therefore, it is so important to consult a specialist in time when the first signs of the disease appear. An experienced psychiatrist or psychotherapist at the Neopsy Mental Health Center is able to differentiate this disorder from other diseases and prescribe effective treatment with a lasting positive therapeutic result.

Forms of neurasthenia

There are three phases of the disease:

• hypersthenic neurasthenia;
• irritable weakness;
• neurasthenia of hyposthenic type.

Neurasthenia of hypersthenic type

This is the initial stage of the disorder. In practice, this form of pathology occurs most often. Its main symptoms are excessive nervousness, irritability and short temper. A person quickly loses control over his emotions and creates conflict situations. At the same time, he loses the ability to concentrate and is easily distracted.

The patient often “loses his temper”, shows impatience, and does not restrain himself when speaking to loved ones and colleagues. Extraneous irritants in the form of noise, conversation, loud sounds, bright lights, fast movement irritate such people. At the same time, they lose their previous performance not because of fatigue, but due to lack of composure, absent-mindedness, and inability to concentrate on their main process.

During work, a person loses the ability to withstand the level of mental stress that is necessary to perform it. He begins to get distracted: he often leaves his workplace, is distracted by extraneous noises, sound factors, the actions of colleagues, commenting out loud on what is happening.

After a neurasthenic person has “thrown out” his opinion about the circumstances that are disturbing him, in the future it is difficult for him to concentrate and continue working. His work productivity is deteriorating.

The phase of hypersthenic neurasthenia is complemented by a problem with sleep. The person falls asleep poorly, sleeps anxiously and lightly. At the same time, his dreams are of an alarming nature and, as a rule, associated with daytime experiences. This makes waking up in the morning difficult and debilitating.

After rest, a person feels emptiness, heaviness, weakness and a characteristic headache. The situation is aggravated by a bad mood, which improves in neurasthenics by the end of the day. In this case, there is an overwhelming feeling of discomfort in different areas of the body.

Being in this state, the patient can offend the people around him. Not understanding the nature of his aggression, he reacts inadequately to everything that happens around him. At the same time, the patient is fussy, impatient, impetuous and uncontrollable in his actions.

Irritable weakness

If there is no improvement in the condition at the first stage, and the influence of the irritating factor continues, the person enters a transitional phase of the disorder - irritable weakness. It is typical both for people with choleric temperament and for individuals with a stable and balanced type of nervous system.

During this period, severe irritability is observed, which quickly disappears, after which mental exhaustion sets in. Patients are easily excited, shout at others, after which they feel powerless, offended, and often cry. These mental reactions arise for any reason.

A person, being in the second phase of the development of neurasthenia, has difficulty starting to complete the tasks assigned to him and cannot concentrate. In this case, rapid fatigue sets in, an increasing headache, and nervous weakness, which inhibit the clarity of thinking. Such a person often gives up the job he started with a feeling of complete powerlessness. After a break, he tries the process, but cannot due to nervous exhaustion.

The break between these attempts does not improve the overall situation, which ultimately leads the neurasthenic to a state of complete mental and physical exhaustion.

Hyposthenic form

This is the final and most dangerous stage of neurasthenia. Most often it affects anxious and suspicious people who have a weak nervous system.

At this stage, the patient feels constant lethargy, apathy, lack of any social interests, and depressed mood. He is anxious, sad, and frightened by uncertainty. There is increased tearfulness and emotional instability.

People at the stage of hyposthenic neurasthenia are unable to gather themselves due to a feeling of constant fatigue and general physical weakness. They focus on internal feelings and thoughts about their failure as a member of society. At this stage, patients complain of unpleasant physical sensations (pain in the stomach, heart, back, etc.).

Treatment of asthenic neurosis at Neopsy

Methods for diagnosing asthenic neurosis at the Center include the clinical-psychopathological method - a conversation with the patient (with his consent - with relatives), studying the medical history at the first consultation during the collection of anamnesis. Usually this is enough for our experienced specialists to identify neurasthenia. But to make a more accurate diagnosis, in the presence or suspicion of the possibility of somatic diseases, additional laboratory and hardware examinations and consultations with related specialists are prescribed. After confirmation of the diagnosis, an individual treatment plan is developed, which includes psychotherapeutic methods of influence, physical and dietary therapy, and drug treatment.

The Center’s specialists are fluent in all modern methods of psychotherapeutic assistance for asthenic neurosis, including hypnotherapy, relaxation, resource trance, autogenic training, etc. Together with the patient, a psychiatrist or psychotherapist develops a way to reduce physical and intellectual stress (up to changing jobs, giving up part-time work). etc.), rest, sleep and nutrition regime. The high professionalism of the specialists at the Neopsi Center for Mental Health allows us to treat asthenic neurosis with high efficiency. Contact us for help through the website services or call the specified phone number.

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