On special delusional psychoses of late age (paranoid housing)

Paranoid psychosis is distinguished by clearly formed, systematized delusions, which are accompanied by completely logical (for the patient’s consciousness) actions. At the same time, only minor personal changes are noted. As a rule, the pathology manifests itself at a relatively early age, with a peak exacerbation occurring at 30–40 years of age. Paranoid psychosis is extremely difficult to diagnose; a mild form of schizophrenia is often diagnosed and appropriate treatment is prescribed, which, of course, does not help. The specialists at the Leto Mental Health Center have sufficient experience to recognize the symptoms of the disease and differentiate it from other mental illnesses. A correct diagnosis determines the tactics of treatment, and in most cases we are able to achieve a positive result and stable remission.

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Etiological factors

The reasons for the development of the disease are not precisely known. Paranoid psychosis cannot be considered an early stage of schizophrenia, since there is no tendency to progress and worsen the person’s condition. Accordingly, there is no connection with any genetic mutations or hereditary predisposition.

According to one theory, the etiology may be associated with organic damage in certain areas of the brain. This assumption is confirmed by the similar symptoms of tumors and injuries of the limbic system and subcortical nuclei. A connection with external social factors is also possible: paranoid psychosis is often diagnosed in people who have experienced imprisonment, persecution by law enforcement agencies, migration, and severe psychological trauma. It is believed that in such situations a person can withdraw into himself, trying to find a way out of the problem, trying to explain to himself why everything turned out this way. The result of such an internal conflict is paranoid psychosis.

The following may also play a role in the development of the disease:

• difficulties in establishing trusting relationships, first, at an early age, with parents, and later with a spouse (by the way, most patients are divorced);
• lack of self-confidence and, as a result, the need to depend on others;
• fear of being rejected after trying a failed relationship, etc.

Some authors identify paranoid psychosis with an established cause as a separate group of mental disorders. In most cases, this is the use of psychoactive substances, congenital or acquired neurological disorders.

How to cure alcohol psychosis

Treatment of alcoholic psychosis is a long process using complex techniques and subsequent rehabilitation. Patients are dangerous to themselves and others, so therapy is carried out exclusively in inpatient settings. If a person is unconscious, emergency hospitalization is carried out to provide emergency care.

The main reason for the formation of psychosis is an excess of alcohol poisons in the body, therefore the first stage of treatment of any type of disorder is complete detoxification from ethanol breakdown products. The procedure can be performed at home in order to stabilize the condition and obtain consent for further hospitalization. After detoxification, drug therapy is used using the following groups of drugs:

• antipsychotics to neutralize the affective state;
• antidepressants to overcome anxiety syndrome;
• sedatives and hypnotics;
• B vitamins to improve brain activity.

A person suffering from psychosis must permanently stop drinking alcohol, which can trigger a relapse. To do this, after relieving symptoms and stabilizing the condition, it is recommended to conduct psychotherapeutic sessions followed by rehabilitation. During treatment, the doctor will help identify the causes of the disorder and eliminate them on a subconscious level.

Alcoholic psychosis is a consequence of severe dependence on alcohol. A sick person is dangerous to himself and others, so at the slightest sign of disorder it is better to consult a doctor. Timely help from a specialist will help get rid of the disease and minimize negative health consequences.

Typical clinical picture of paranoid psychosis

Usually the patient carefully monitors his own appearance, is neat, there are no memory impairments, or orientation in time and space. The disease does not manifest itself “out of the blue”; exacerbation is provoked by a certain situation. After this, the violations progress quite quickly, and the detail and systematization of delusional ideas increases.

Without proper treatment, symptoms persist until the end of life in 60–70% of patients; cases of self-resolution are much less common. Favorable factors include favorable social status, female gender, and the first episode of exacerbation at an early age.

Paranoid psychosis is characterized by the following symptoms:

• hostility combined with criticism and frequent accusations towards others;
• low self-esteem, constant complaints, but at the same time the patient is usually confident in his own rightness, secretive;
• alertness;
• stubbornness;
• lack of sense of humor;
• pathological attention to minor details and trifles;
• severe irritability, rapid development of discontent, which ends in an outburst of anger and hostility towards others;
• gloominess and suspicion.

Main types of mental disorder

1. Delirium of grandeur. A person is sure that he has special talents that others cannot recognize and properly evaluate. These are some kind of superpowers, possession of enormous wealth (money, jewelry, antiques, etc.), secret knowledge, scientific discoveries made, close acquaintances or relationships with celebrities (for example, actors, musical performers). Sometimes they talk about a secret connection with God (such people often become either leaders or participants in semi-legal religious communities).
2. Erotomanic delirium (Clerambault syndrome). The patient imagines that someone is in love with him. Most often we are talking about a person with a higher social status and financial position. This could be a boss, a successful colleague, a celebrity. Often the feeling experienced is not of a sexual connotation, but rather of a romantic, spiritual attachment. More common in women. They usually keep their feelings and emotions secret, but they can also compulsively seek meetings with the “object of passion.”
3. Delusions of jealousy (sometimes called Othello syndrome). A person is sure that his partner is cheating on him, constantly talks about it, tries to catch him in infidelity, torments him with suspicions, surveillance, and persistent attempts to control.
4. Delusion of persecution (persecutory). It manifests itself as a clear belief that people are slandering you behind your back, trying to harm you, or preventing you from achieving any goals or career growth. Sometimes this type of disorder has a kind of “otherworldly” character, in which the patient is sure that all his problems are related to damage, curses, and conspiracies.
5. Somatic (hypochondriacal) delusion. Associated with false beliefs about one’s own injuries and health problems. As a rule, the disease develops in one of the following directions: the patient is sure that insects or parasites have appeared in his body, the conviction that his body, face, and hair have undergone dramatic changes. A disorder associated with a persistent belief in the stench of one's own body is often encountered. At the same time, they turn to a psychiatrist last; as a rule, first of all they consult dermatologists, dentists, plastic surgeons, parasitologists, etc.
6. Mixed (unspecified) form of pathology, in which the clinical picture is atypical. When collecting anamnesis, the presence of symptoms typical of various subtypes of the disease is noted.

Paranoid schizophrenia

Paranoid schizophrenia is characterized by predominantly positive symptoms of schizophrenia, including delusions and hallucinations. These debilitating symptoms blur the line between what is real and what is not, making it difficult for a person to lead a normal life.

Schizophrenia affects approximately 1.1 percent of the population, while paranoid schizophrenia is considered the most common subtype of this chronic disorder. The average age of onset is late adolescence to early adulthood, usually between 18 and 30 years of age. It is extremely unusual for schizophrenia to be diagnosed after age 45 or before age 16. The onset of the disease is usually earlier in men than in women.

Symptoms

Early symptoms of schizophrenia may seem quite common and can be explained by a number of other factors (others psychologize changes in patients). This includes decreased communication with friends, family, trouble sleeping, irritability, or decreased activity.

During the onset of schizophrenia—otherwise known as the prodromal phase—negative symptoms increase. These negative symptoms may include an increasing lack of motivation, decreased ability to pay attention, or social isolation.

Signs of psychosis in paranoid schizophrenia include:

• Auditory, olfactory, visual hallucinations.
• Suspicion and general fear of the intentions of others.
• Persistent, unusual thoughts or beliefs - various types of delusions
• Difficulty thinking clearly.
• Isolation from family or friends.
• Significant reduction in self-care. including hygiene

Having all of these symptoms does not necessarily indicate the presence of schizophrenia, but they are signs that a mental health evaluation by a mental health professional

.

If a person is experiencing the onset of schizophrenia, early intervention is the best chance for a positive outcome.

Positive symptoms of schizophrenia—such as hallucinations and delusions—are less likely to go unnoticed. After the prodromal phase, the patient enters the active phase of schizophrenia. They may experience motor or cognitive impairment, including disorganized speech and disorganized or catatonic behavior.

Paranoia in paranoid schizophrenia stems from delusions—firmly held beliefs that persist despite evidence to the contrary—and hallucinations—seeing or hearing things that others cannot see or hear. The patient may hear a voice or voices in his head that he does not recognize as his own thoughts or inner voice. These voices can be demeaning or hostile, causing the person to do things they would never do.

Strange, atypical behavior results from these illusions and hallucinations. A patient suffering from schizophrenia may be convinced that the government or intelligence agencies are watching him, trying to harm him in some way. This can lead to self-isolation, darkening windows, blocking doors with objects to prevent entry, and otherwise blocking or throwing away objects they believe contain listening devices or cameras. They may stay up late because they are afraid of attack or criminals.

A person with active paranoid schizophrenia may become completely consumed by delusions or hallucinations. Most often, a person seeks primary treatment for schizophrenia during the active phase, when psychosis often makes dramatic changes in his life and the lives of others.

After the active phase, the patient enters the residual phase of schizophrenia. Like the residual subtype, hallucinations and delusions subside (usually with the help of antipsychotic medications and other forms of treatment) and the patient experiences predominantly negative symptoms.

Treatment

When diagnosing schizophrenia, antipsychotic drugs are most often prescribed. They can be prescribed in the form of tablets or injections. There are long-acting injections that are used for patients who do not take their medications regularly (called “non-adherents”). This is a common problem in schizophrenia due to the symptom of anosognosia. Anosognosia is a lack of insight and unawareness of the presence of a disorder. A person with schizophrenia may not realize that their behavior, hallucinations, or delusions are unusual or unreasonable. This may cause the person to stop taking antipsychotic medications, stop participating in therapy, or both, which can lead to relapse.

Although antipsychotic medications are effective in treating the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, they do not eliminate the negative symptoms. In addition, these medications may have unwanted side effects such as weight gain, drowsiness, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, dry mouth, and low white blood cell counts. The drugs can also lead to the development of movement disorders such as tremors and tics, but these are more common with older generation antipsychotics (typical) than with newer generation antipsychotics (atypical).

Psychotherapy also plays an important role in the treatment of schizophrenia. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to help patients develop and maintain social skills, relieve co-occurring symptoms of anxiety and depression, cope with past trauma, improve relationships with family and friends, and support vocational recovery.

Signs that immediate medical attention is needed

If a patient is a danger to himself or others and is unwilling to seek treatment, he may be involuntarily committed to a mental hospital and kept there for an evaluation period, usually lasting three to seven days. A court order is required to extend the duration of the compulsory obligation.

Movies and the media characterize schizophrenia as a violent condition, but most people with schizophrenia are not violent. Most violent crimes are committed by people who do not have this disorder. The risk of violence in schizophrenia decreases dramatically when treated.

Schizophrenia is associated with an increased risk of suicide. If the patient is suicidal, it is necessary to immediately seek help from a psychiatrist.

TAKE CARE OF THE HEALTH OF YOUR LOVED ONES! CONTACT YOUR PSYCHIATRIST IN TIME! BRING THE PATIENT TO A PSYCHIATRIST FOR CONSULTATION IN TIME!

Diagnostic methods

Paranoid psychosis requires careful diagnosis. Psychotherapists at the Leto clinic carry it out in several stages:

1. Recognizing typical paranoid signs. In this case, both objective and subjective symptoms are important. The doctor carefully interviews the patient himself, collects all information related to a possible mental illness from family members, friends and relatives. And only after analyzing all the data, a specialist can decide whether this condition is pathological.
2. Assessment of the course of the disease, accompanying clinical manifestations. At this stage, it is very important for the doctor to identify signs of disturbances in consciousness, perception and other manifestations that may directly or indirectly indicate a possible cause of the disease.
3. Anamnesis collection, special attention is paid to hereditary factors, use of psychoactive substances, and alcohol. We recommend a complete somatic examination, laboratory tests (serology, immunology, endocrinology, etc.), radiography, ultrasonography, tomography (especially relevant if the presence of tumors or the consequences of thrombosis is suspected).

Basic diagnostic criteria

• Delusional disorders with content and behavior atypical for schizophrenia.
• Symptoms persist for 3 months or more.
• Absence of hallucinations (except for visions combined with the content of delusional beliefs).
• No organic brain damage.

Pathology is differentiated from:

• initial manifestations of Alzheimer's disease, in which cognitive impairment is pronounced;
• severe depression;
• manic, obsessive-compulsive, somatophoric disorder;
• schizophrenia;
• dementia;
• drug or drug intoxication.

Treatment of paranoid psychosis at the Leto clinic

Strict indications for hospitalization are suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and socially unacceptable behavior. In other cases, patients generally have a positive attitude towards treatment, agree to take prescribed medications and strictly follow the schedule prescribed by the doctor.

Antipsychotics (neuroleptics) and antidepressants are prescribed as medications. But individual psychotherapy plays a key role. The doctor makes every effort to establish a trusting relationship, in no way criticizing delusional ideas. But at the same time, the doctor does not agree with the patient and does not accept his reasoning. The specialist “works” with anxiety, irritability, and behavior in society.

We are ready to prove in practice that such mental disorder is amenable to medication and psychotherapy. Call us at 8(969)060-93-93 and make an appointment

How does paranoia occur?

The behavior of a paranoid person is completely social; their thinking is not affected. People around them perceive such people normally, so patients often manage to give their delusional systems the appearance of reality. The paranoid's beliefs underlie his delusions, which determine his behavior. The patient may constantly suspect his or her spouse of infidelity, complain to various government agencies, etc.

Treatment for paranoia includes family and individual psychotherapy. Family psychotherapy methods are aimed at improving the patient’s social adaptation and resolving situations that traumatize the patient’s psyche.