The whirlwind of stimuli to which we are constantly exposed produces repetitive, annoying and irrational thoughts. In this sense, there are people who are characterized by having thoughts and fears that produce intense suffering to the detriment of life. Furthermore, these difficulties can lead to serious consequences if they are ignored.
Having concrete and precise data related to this topic can provide alternatives when developing solutions. In this Psychology-Online article, we will provide you with information about the Psychasthenia: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment.
What is psychasthenia
Psychasthenia is a psychological pain which is characterized by the presence of phobias, obsessive thoughts, anxiety and compulsive actions. In other words, psychasthenia implies intense suffering that affects the person due to emotions, thoughts and behaviors that affect the development of their daily life.
Given its particularities, it is possible to classify psychasthenia within the group of , due to the presence of anxiogenic and obsessive character that persists in the clinical picture. There are a series of diagnostic criteria essential to identify this type of ailment:
- Excessive anxiety and worry.
- The duration is six months or more.
- Difficulty controlling situations.
- Deterioration of work, family and social relationships.
- The alteration cannot be explained by the presence of another mental disorder and/or substance intake.
Symptoms of psychasthenia
People with psychasthenia manifest a series of symptoms, both physically and psychologically and emotionally. Next, we will see the most relevant ones:
- Anxiety.
- Phobia of objects and/or situations.
- Repetitive and uncontrollable thoughts.
- Difficulty getting to sleep.
- Constant fatigue.
- .
- Muscle tension.
- Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
- Excessive sweating.
- Distress.
- .
- Repetitive and obsessive actions.
It should be noted that the presence of any of these symptoms does not necessarily imply a condition of psychasthenia. It is essential that the diagnosis is carried out by a mental health professional that evaluates the characteristics of each patient.
Causes of psychasthenia
An important aspect of treating psychasthenia is understanding its origin. In this sense, knowing the factors that influence the development of this clinical condition allows us to develop more effective strategies to address the problem. In this section, we will describe the most common causes of psychasthenia:
Environmental factors
Traumatic experiences influence the emergence of symptoms linked to psychasthenia. Generally, the having experienced unpleasant situations during the course of childhood is an aspect to take into account.
Likewise, imitation plays a key role when it comes to understanding the symptomatology involved, since If a family member suffers from psychastheniait is likely that close individuals have a tendency to manifest behaviors linked to this clinical picture.
Genetic factors
Although it is not fully proven, the Genetic heritage It is related to the development of people’s emotions, thoughts and behaviors. The truth is that there are certain neural connections associated with the processing of information from the environment that can cause psychasthenia.
In this sense, it is worth noting that if a parent has been diagnosed with this anxiety disorder, there is a high probability that they will transmit it to their children.
Treatment of psychasthenia
Currently, there are various approaches to cure psychasthenia and improve the quality of life of affected people. The most effective psychasthenia treatments are:
Psychological therapy
The therapy addresses the problems that cause psychasthenia. On the one hand, short-term therapies emphasize the thoughts, emotions and behaviors that give rise to symptoms. These types of therapies use different strategies to cope with anxiety and/or stress situations in a more pleasant way. Within this group, cognitive behavioral therapy stands out.
On the other hand, long-term therapies serve to find the origin of the symptoms from the memory of past situations. Here we can highlight psychoanalysis as the most effective long-term therapy.
Psychiatric medication
In severe cases, one of the ways to cure psychasthenia is by providing them that act on brain chemistry and modify neuronal connections. In this way, it is possible reduce the intensity of symptomsHowever, the use of psychiatric medications must be carried out under the supervision of a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: Panamericana Medical Publishing.
- Huertas, R. (2014). Obsessions before Freud: history and clinic. Magazine History, Sciences, Health, 21 (4), 1397-1415.