Treatment of psychosis in older people. Senile psychosis: the path from decreased intelligence to delirium and dementia. Symptoms of senile psychoses

Years bring not only wisdom - they also bring with them all kinds of diseases. And very often, old people experience senile psychosis associated with age-related changes occurring in the body.

Senile psychosis is...

Psychosis disrupts the perception of reality. In the case of senile disorder, the pathology is diagnosed in people over 60-65 years of age. It can appear in two forms:

• acute, accompanied by sudden and transient stupefaction;
• chronic, which is characterized by the occurrence of stable depressive, delusional, paranoid and hallucinatory states.

Senile psychosis is not senile dementia. Pathologies to some extent can develop simultaneously, but they do not overlap. In psychosis, intelligence is often preserved, and then dementia is not total.

Why does senile psychosis occur?

Physical and mental decline of the body with age is considered a relative norm: to one degree or another, these processes will affect everyone. But not all people fall into psychosis, even if their character has deteriorated and their understanding of the world has become less complete and accurate. The main causes of senile disorder:

1. Genetic predisposition. If there have been episodes of senile psychosis and other age-related disorders in the family, then the likelihood of encountering pathology increases.
2. Organic disorders in brain function. Age-related death of brain cells and the development of Alzheimer's disease or Pick's disease is a typical factor provoking psychosis in old age.
3. Somatic disorders that were not treated in time. Hypovitaminosis, diseases respiratory organs, pathologies of the genitourinary and cardiovascular systems can cause senile psychosis.
4. Surgery performed under anesthesia. Elderly patients often experience problems brain activity in the postoperative period and may demonstrate symptoms of incipient psychosis.
5. Negative emotions, stress, worries. Excessive worry is dangerous at any age. But after 60 years, they are able to start the process of developing psychosis - in this way the psyche reacts to loads that are too intense for it.
6. Wrong lifestyle. Old people often suffer from low mobility, poor nutrition, unbalanced daily routine. As a result, their body becomes vulnerable to diseases, including senile psychosis.

Relatives are advised to closely monitor the psycho-emotional well-being of older people. Any changes in behavior should be a reason to contact a specialist. Moreover, it is imperative to check the physical condition of the body: often, treatment of blood vessels can delay the onset of psychotic disorders.

How to recognize senile psychosis in the early stages

A number of symptoms indicate that a person is prone to psychosis. The main thing is to notice them in time. The following signs should alert you:

• sudden weakness, dystonia;
• loss of interest in something new;
• lack of motivation to complete any tasks;
• deterioration in self-care ability;
• depression, persistently bad mood;
• increased excitability, aggression, tearfulness, anger, mood swings;
• weakening of mental activity;
• sleep disturbance;
• excessive passion for a certain idea (religion, politics, alternative medicine, magic, ufology);
• reluctance to come into contact with people, unhealthy suspicion.

Approaching psychosis changes character. The patient acquires features that are unusual for him, becoming a completely new personality. At this stage, the patient is usually aware of the changes happening to him and understands that they are associated with pathology. But older people often hesitate to consult a doctor, allowing the disorder to progress.

Key symptoms of acute and chronic senile psychosis

The acute form of psychosis manifests itself clearly and suddenly. The disorder provokes the following symptoms:

1. Fussiness, restlessness, need for constant movement.
2. Confusion of thinking, loss of orientation in space.
3. Delusional ideas and thoughts:
   • about his own greatness (the patient talks about meeting celebrities and politicians, about his imaginary achievements);
   • about world conspiracies (the patient begins to feel that reptilian humanoids are in power, that countries are ruled by Freemasons, etc.);
   • about persecution (old people suspect their neighbors of spraying harmful gas, want to take away the patient’s apartment, etc.).
4. Illusions and hallucinations.
5. Exacerbation of associated somatic pathologies(for example, heart disease).

Attack acute psychosis lasts up to three weeks. During periods of remission, the patient suffers from weakness and apathy. In some cases, the course of the disease is continuous.

The chronic form of senile psychosis is slightly less pronounced, but more extended over time. The disorder may manifest itself through the following signs:

1. Depression. Its severity ranges from slight lethargy to a feeling of absolute meaninglessness of life. Patients suffer from increased anxiety, self-flagellation, depersonalization. Depressive form psychosis is more common in women and lasts up to 17 years. As a rule, deep memory damage does not occur.
2. Paranoia. Chronic delusion implies a stable suspicion of the patient regarding his immediate environment. For example, a patient may complain that relatives do not feed him and humiliate him in every possible way, trying to kill him. The ability to care for oneself is preserved, although socialization understandably suffers. A person can live in deep paranoia for many years.
3. Hallucinosis. During an attack, the patient loses critical thinking, but the rest of the time he adequately assesses the situation and understands the “fakeness” of the experiences. Hallucinations are:
   • tactile (sensation of itching, stinging, burning, presence of foreign objects under the skin);
   • verbal (audible threats, swearing, insults, orders);
   • visual ( visible people, animals, other characters with whom the patient may come into contact).

Conditions are often combined, misleading specialists. For example, with a long-term course of psychosis with signs of paranoia and hallucinations, a person may be diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Senile psychosis: treatment

The most favorable prognosis is in the acute form. This disorder is treated in a hospital, and with the proper quality of therapy, the patient can be returned to relatively normal life. The decision on hospitalization is made by a specialist, taking into account the wishes of the patient’s relatives. In the case of chronic psychosis, only relief of symptoms is possible; it is impossible to completely eliminate the disorder. The support of relatives is important, since the patient is unable to fully control his behavior.

Psychosis is treated with the use of psychotropics (pirazidol, amitriptyline, azaphene). Antipsychotics (haloperidol, Sonapax), antipsychotics (triftazine) are indicated. Anticholinergics (cyclodol) are prescribed. Interaction with pets, art therapy, walks on the fresh air, solving puzzles.

From age-related changes no one is insured. You can only carefully monitor the condition of your loved ones and, at the first signals, show them to specialists. Therapy on early stages always more effective than later ones.

Often mental disorders observed in older people. It's connected with natural process aging, in which the functional state brain.

Along with others mental illness often found in older people presenile And senile psychoses. They are a consequence of the death of brain cells that can occur with age. Unfortunately, senile psychosis cannot be completely cured. But at the same time, it is not recommended to refuse treatment for senile psychosis altogether - it helps to weaken the symptoms of the disease and reduces the risk of patients causing harm to themselves and others. The likelihood of symptoms of psychosis depends on the person's age - as a rule, people aged 60 years and older are at risk.

At the age of 45-65, people mainly develop presenile psychosis, also called involutionary.

Senile psychosis usually occurs after 65 years of age and manifests itself in the forms of depressive and paranoid disorders. Its symptoms depend on the form of manifestation.

The main cause of psychosis in the elderly is brain atrophy, but there are also specific factors that influence the development of the disease.

Causessenile psychosis

• hormonal changes (menopause);
• somatic diseases (acute, chronic diseases respiratory system, heart and blood vessels);
• psychosomatic disorders associated with sleep and eating disorders;
• strong feelings about one’s own aging, often – senile depression.

The manifestation of psychosis in older people may indicate the development of dementia, Pick's disease or Alzheimer's disease.

Symptoms of senile psychosis

• increased anxiety and depression;
• attacks of excessive suspiciousness (hypochondria);
• depressed mood, melancholy;
• appearance various forms delirium, as well as hallucinations;
• lethargy or, conversely, overexcitation (agitated depression);
• attacks of confusion;
• decreased intelligence;
• increased suggestibility, stereotypical thinking.

In this case, psychosis gradually progresses and leads to complete collapse mental functions brain, that is, dementia.

Treatment of senile psychosis

As we said earlier, senile psychosis cannot be completely cured. Treatment of senile psychosis in older people does not have a specific method, but a properly selected complex therapeutic measures and regular care can improve the patient's condition.

The consequences of progressive senile psychosis are that old man He absolutely does not accept changes in his life, so you should not insist on placing such a person in a hospital. In this case, the most correct decision would be to call a psychiatrist to your home, especially if the patient behaves like crazy or suffers from hallucinations or delusions.

What can a psychiatrist called to your home do?

First of all, he can determine a treatment regimen and give relatives necessary recommendations related to the characteristics of care and ensuring the safety of the patient and others. Treatment of psychosis is complex and includes the prescription of medications, as well as

Senile psychosis belongs to a group of diseases that people suffer in old age. Most often, senile or senile psychosis manifests itself in the form of depressive and paranoid states, dementia. In old age, a person’s mental activity becomes weaker, it becomes impoverished and disintegrates. This process is completely normal, it is characteristic of the body during aging, but at the same time, senile dementia is a pathological process.

Numerous studies have shown that senile dementia is more common among women than among men. If among the family members there were people suffering from senile dementia, then in this case there is a risk that the disease may manifest itself in other people who are relatives.

How does senile psychosis manifest?

With this disease, the patient’s individuality, characteristic of his character, disappears. Also, the patient’s level of judgment is reduced, the person is not able to learn anything, he does not acquire new skills, and memory fades. A person begins to forget at first the experience that he acquired recently, and after a while he forgets the experience that he received throughout his life.

The patient remembers something that has never happened to him, and his speech loses its verbosity and becomes scarce. Ultimately, there are only physical needs of an elementary nature. Against the background of dementia, states of a psychotic nature may alternate. These are depressions of an anxious or angry type, the occurrence of a delusional state, a feeling of jealousy, material damage. Such patients suffer from confusion of consciousness, which is combined with somatic diseases.

Patients with senile psychosis often experience depression. They have moderate severity, but last quite a while long time. This condition is characterized by a person’s constant dissatisfaction, he is gloomy and irritated, and suffers from hypochondriacal diseases. In some cases, senile psychosis is significantly aggravated by the presence of somatic diseases in the patient. Typically, patients between the ages of seventy and eighty are susceptible to senile psychosis.

How is senile psychosis treated?

Treatment of senile psychosis is quite difficult, and, as a rule, specialists first of all prescribe symptomatic treatment. The therapeutic regimen is selected individually in each case. Such aspects as the nature of the course of senile psychosis, the presence concomitant diseases, which may be a complicating factor.

But it should be emphasized that in our time there are no methods to get rid of senile dementia. Psychologists are engaged in a serious study of this problem, research is underway. In the treatment of senile psychosis, a significant place is given to symptomatic therapy, on which the main emphasis is placed.

If there is confusion or restless behavior, the doctor will prescribe medications that have a sedative effect. For example, sonapax, tizercin, in small doses. In case of depression, the patient is indicated in small doses, simultaneously with sedatives, This ,

Description:

Unfortunately, a cure for senile dementia has not been found. Psychology, as a science, still studies the senile. When treating senial psychosis, symptomatic therapy is carried out. In a state of confusion with anxiety, antipsychotics with a sedative effect (tisercin, sonapax) are prescribed in small dosages. If the patient has . Then small doses of antidepressants are prescribed along with sedatives (pirazidol, amitriptyline). For anxiety and loss of sleep, tranquilizers and antipsychotics with hypnotic properties (phenazepam, chloroprothixene, radedorm) are prescribed. Patient care is also important.

Symptoms:

The initial symptoms of senile psychosis represent an increasing change in personality. This includes stinginess, egocentrism, and coarsening. The individuality of the patient’s character is lost. At the same time, the patient’s level of judgment decreases, he is not able to acquire new knowledge and skills, memory gradually fades (first recently acquired, and then experience acquired throughout life), false memories arise, and speech becomes laconic. Only basic physical needs remain. Against the background of dementia, psychotic states alternate: anxious or angry depression, material damage, jealousy. Patients' consciousness becomes confused when combined with somatic diseases.
Occurs in patients with depression. They are not severe, but last a long time and are characterized by discontent, gloominess and hypochondriacal diseases.
Somatic diseases aggravate the course of psychosis. Women are most susceptible to this disease; the risk of the disease increases if someone in your family has had or is suffering from this type of disease. Average age The patient's age at the onset of the disease is from seventy to seventy-eight years.

Causes:

The etiology and pathogenesis of senile dementia are unknown. Women get sick more often than men. The risk of the disease in families of patients with senile dementia is higher than among the rest of the population. Concomitant somatic diseases modify and aggravate the picture of psychosis.

Treatment:

For treatment the following is prescribed:

Unfortunately, a cure for senile dementia has not been found. Psychology, as a science, is still studying senial psychosis. When treating senial psychosis, symptomatic therapy is carried out. In a state of confusion with anxiety, antipsychotics with a sedative effect (tisercin, sonapax) are prescribed in small dosages. If the patient is depressed. Then small doses of antidepressants are prescribed along with sedatives (pirazidol, amitriptyline). For anxiety and loss of sleep, tranquilizers and antipsychotics with hypnotic properties (phenazepam, chlorprothixene, radedorm) are prescribed. Patient care is also important.

Senile psychosis is quite common pathological disorder caused by brain atrophy. Usually overtakes a person in old age. Of course, not all older people suffer from senile psychosis, this pathology It doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. The onset of the disease usually occurs at the age of 65-75 years. It is during this period that the first symptoms appear, to which the elderly person’s loved ones should pay attention and show the patient to a doctor.

Although the underlying causes are still not understood, scientists associate this pathology with heredity, as well as other atrophic processes in the brain. Moreover, cases of so-called familial dementia are well known, clearly traced and studied. In addition to the hereditary factor, experts associate the development of senile dementia with various chronic (acute) diseases, long-term sleep disturbances, hearing loss, and vision loss. Physical inactivity, loneliness and lack of adequate nutrition are also cited as reasons. How does senile psychosis develop, what are the symptoms and treatment of this disease? Let's talk about this in more detail:

Symptoms of senile psychosis

Let us immediately note that medicine distinguishes between sharp forms psychosis, manifested by a state of stupefaction, as well as chronic, characterized by hallucinatory, depressive, other characteristic conditions.

All senile psychoses have one common feature- they develop slowly over a long period of time. But, despite their smooth course, they are constantly progressing. The result of this is an irreparable breakdown of the psyche, namely senile dementia.

With the development of pathology, senile psychoses begin to manifest themselves with obvious symptoms that cannot be ignored. The main ones include: pathological stinginess, emotional dullness, as well as excessive fussiness, constant night restlessness. Patients have an inability to remember, weakness in perception, and difficulties in perceiving the world around them. The character of patients gradually deteriorates.

In a chronic course, which occurs very often, periods of remission are replaced by periods of exacerbations. At the beginning of the disease, when it develops slowly and smoothly, the symptoms and signs are not clearly expressed, but they already attract attention. Although sometimes the disease develops rapidly from the very beginning.

Over time, the thinking process is increasingly destroyed, a strong change in personality occurs towards coarsening and simplification. Individual characteristics people become more superficial and schematic.

In some patients this is expressed in complacency and carelessness. Others become suspicious and embittered. Patients lose family ties, old attachments disappear. In some patients, elementary moral principles and attitudes disappear.

Many people consider deterioration of character to be a natural phenomenon of old age. But if your character changes radically, your personal qualities are erased, or a memory disorder appears, you should consult a doctor.

How to remove senile psychosis? Treatment

Since this pathology develops slowly, it is quite difficult to recognize atrophic processes in the brain at the first stage, since the disease can be masked behind symptoms of vascular, tumor and other diseases, which are usually always sufficient in older people.

For accurate diagnosis The patient is prescribed a number of examinations, for example, computed tomography, helping the doctor make an accurate diagnosis. If the symptoms of psychosis are pronounced, then diagnosis is not difficult.

Unfortunately, there is no special treatment for this particular disease. Symptomatic treatment is usually carried out, aimed at stopping the development of the disease and alleviating symptoms. The patient is also given special care.

At the onset of the disease, the patient is treated on an outpatient basis, in a familiar home environment. At the same time, relatives should help the patient, activate him, and diversify his life. It means more movement, less lying on the couch. Do not protect the patient from his usual household chores.

If the disease is pronounced, especially aggression or dementia, the patient is placed in a hospital or a special boarding school.

Drug treatment of senile psychosis

When senile psychosis is diagnosed with symptoms and treatment of which we are discussing today, the patient is prescribed certain medications to improve the condition, reduce the intensity of manifestations.

On early stages the patient receives treatment with metabolic agents that stabilize his condition.

In case of disturbances, severe sleep disorders, hallucinations, delusional states, psychotropic drugs are prescribed. Tranquilizers are used at night. Prescribed drugs that affect cerebral circulation. Usually, drugs are selected that do not cause lethargy, weakness, have a minimum of contraindications and side effects. In addition, all drugs are prescribed in minimal doses to avoid adverse reactions. Social therapy and psychotherapy play an important role.

It should be noted that prevention of senile psychosis is impossible. However timely treatment internal diseases, ensuring a positive psychological attitude, attentive attitude from loved ones, significantly reduces the risk of developing this disease in older people. Be healthy!