In spring and autumn, many people experience a period of exacerbation of chronic diseases - allergies, bronchitis. Mental illness is no exception. During this period, you should be especially attentive to yourself and prevent an aggravation of the condition. This is especially true for patients in psychiatric clinics - schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, neuroses tend to worsen with the change of seasons, and such patients will need qualified medical care.
Every person knows firsthand that in spring and autumn the human body is subjected to various attacks: it becomes more susceptible to infections, changing weather conditions. occurs in almost 40% of the population: not only changes in weather conditions affect, but also additional stressful situations that may be associated with work, study, and vacation. Mental illnesses are also exacerbated most often in spring and autumn, like ordinary allergies. This only applies to people whose peace of mind is disturbed and their psyche is shaken. Seasonal exacerbations of psychiatric diseases are quite common. To begin with, it is worth understanding why diseases of this kind enter the active phase in spring and autumn.
Causes of autumn and spring exacerbations
Disease prevention
What diseases are most often exacerbated in certain seasons of the year? Absolutely any - from a minor nervous breakdown to severe stages of psychosis. The most important thing is that relatives of a sick person know about this problem. People with increased emotionality can cope with their condition on their own, but support during such periods from relatives is indispensable. In mild cases - with a slight change in affect - you can try to correct the situation with the help of sedatives and antidepressants. As for people with more complex diagnoses, the main thing here is to contact a qualified specialist in time. Many are afraid of going to the doctor and try to hide their condition for as long as possible, but this only worsens the condition. Knowing the problem of a person you know or close to you, try to provide him with proper assistance during the period of exacerbation. Spring exacerbation of mental illness in women and men
As a rule, during the off-season, patients with certain mental disorders prefer to go to the clinic for inpatient treatment. Those patients who, being in an inadequate state, ignore medical treatment, are placed in a hospital on a forced basis. But not always patients end up in a hospital - for many mild disorders, such treatment is not required. In particular, with cyclothymia, it is recommended to visit sanatoriums, outpatient supervision of a psychiatrist. In no case is it recommended to self-treat or use drug therapy, the scheme of which the patient found on the Internet or recommended by a non-specialist. Especially those people who are already under the supervision of a psychiatrist. Patients with a certain psychotype (suspicious, anxious, emotionally labile) are recommended mild sedatives that can be purchased at pharmacies without special prescriptions. Such drugs allow you to stabilize the emotional state.
What diseases are exacerbated in the off-season
In psychiatry, there are 2 categories of disorders, which during the period of seasonal exacerbations in patients are recorded especially often.- suffering from chronic somatic diseases;
- taking psychoactive substances - alcohol, drugs;
- under chronic stress;
- weakened physically and mentally.
Spring exacerbations of mental illness in women, men
In the spring and autumn periods, the number of hospitalizations of patients with various endogenous diseases usually increases. So, the state of health worsens in patients with schizophrenia, epilepsy, neuroses, panic attacks, bipolar disorder. According to statistics, the largest number of suicide attempts occurs in spring and autumn. As for patients with psychosis, during this period they can be dangerous both for themselves and for others. If we take women, then they usually do not pose a social danger during exacerbations, unlike men. But there are a number of exceptions. For example, mentally unstable mothers who, during the period of maternity leave, are capable of seriously harming their child and themselves, up to tragedy. As for men, they more often during these periods experience a serious deterioration in well-being with diagnosed schizophrenia. Productive symptoms become much brighter - in particular, hallucinations, delirium. Also, we must not forget that men by nature are more prone to the abuse of alcohol and drugs, as a result of which the disease manifests itself even more strongly. Outbreaks of aggression are often recorded, which entails harming oneself and loved ones, committing illegal actions. Often such patients during the period of exacerbation complain to their specialists that they are haunted by voices, often write delusional statements to law enforcement agencies about UFO attacks, surveillance and other complaints. It is important to note that men with bipolar disorder can, during periods of exacerbation in a manic state, commit rash acts, spend large amounts, not sleep, and express crazy ideas. It is very important to pay special attention to such people with a diagnosed psychiatric illness during these periods and make sure that they visit a psychiatrist in a timely manner and follow all the recommendations of specialists. Table of exacerbations of diseases
In order to better understand when and what diseases can worsen, below is a table with a list of diseases that worsen in spring or autumn. The table shows exacerbated diseases, which are most often found both in young people and in people of middle and old age. This does not mean that other equally well-known diseases cannot worsen in the spring or autumn season. Psychiatric diseases, exacerbated in the autumn or spring season, require the urgent help of a psychiatrist. Some mood disorders, which the patient himself may not consider a serious illness, can develop into depression, anxiety disorder, insomnia, delusional disorder, which requires longer treatment and constant monitoring by a psychiatrist. doctors and psychotherapists are able to cope with the seasonal manifestations of any psychiatric illness and disorder. With the help of modern drugs and effective psychotherapeutic techniques, we can not only stop an acute attack of the disease, but also prevent its manifestation in the off-season.Old people who have lost their minds in the autumn days are in a hurry to leave home to visit their long-dead relatives. Schizophrenics stop taking medication and soon become aggravated. What drives people crazy?
It is traditionally believed that there are two main causes of autumn exacerbations. This is a lack of sunlight, due to which little melanin is produced in the body and a deficiency of vitamins. Almost everything is not so simple - the autumn exacerbation of depression and mental illness begins in September, when it is still quite light, fruits and vegetables are plentiful and cheap. The lack of melanin and beriberi should not be discounted, but it's not just about them.
Nowadays, the climate is changing, more and more often at the border of the seasons there are sharp changes in weather, atmospheric pressure drops, strong winds and rains. Psychiatrists know that during a storm, a thunderstorm, a cold snap, patients become restless, experience anxiety and fear. With age, up to a third of the adult population begins to suffer from weather dependence - it is not surprising that they get worse in the fall.
The biological clock also plays its role - in summer the body is in an active phase, stores nutrients, prepares for reproduction, in winter it saves resources with all its might so that it has the strength to escape from cold and hunger. The transition from summer to winter is inevitably accompanied by hormonal changes, and any change in hormonal levels affects mood. Do not forget that the cold itself has a depressing effect on a person.
If we consider the psychological aspects, autumn reminds people of approaching old age, inevitable death. Until recently, everything around was green, blooming and bearing fruit - and now, instead of a feast of colors, dull slush rises, gentle warmth is replaced by dank cold, and ahead is "little death", winter hibernation. Sad weather, bare tree branches, nasty rain - all this awakens a feeling of loneliness, hopelessness. But in such an unbalanced state, there are also strengths - for people of art, a certain imbalance of emotions leads to bursts of creative activity, and scientists more often than usual manage to look at the problem from an unexpected angle and make a discovery.
Who should be afraid of autumn exacerbation, depression and blues? At risk are people suffering from meteosensitivity, vegetative dystonia, bipolar disorder, chronic depression, hysteria, recovering from major operations and diseases, who have recently had a severe concussion, meningitis, encephalitis, severe stress, loss of a loved one, pregnant women, women in labor and breastfeeding. A slight "seasonal" decrease in mood can be observed in people with a melancholic temperament, with asthenia, schizoid and epileptoid personality traits.
It is useless to fight the autumn depression - you will only waste your energy in vain. But, of course, you can save yourself from trouble. The best medicines are heat, light and bright colors. Try not to freeze, dress according to the season, do not spare electricity for heaters. Fluffy shawls and blankets, soft sweaters and scarves, knitted “grandma” socks and warm slippers are wonderful antidepressants. Cover the bed with a red blanket, put a yellow vase on the bedside table, hang garlands of peppers, colorful onions, and small pumpkins around the kitchen. Light candles in the evenings - our ancestors knew for sure that living fire drives away anxiety and fear.
Be sure to have breakfast, lunch and dinner - no snacking. Strong coffee can be replaced with hot linden tea with honey and a sunny circle of lemon - sweet smells will immediately remind you of summer. Soups and borscht bursting with heat give strength and keep you warm in bad weather. Marine fish contain precious Omega-3 fatty acids - no blues is terrible with them.
To find peace and confidence in the future, try to turn to the experience of your ancestors - start stockpiling. Slowly, without rushing, cook several varieties of autumn jam and pour it into a bowl with your own hands. Preserve a few jars of cucumbers or mushrooms, lay out mushrooms, apples or plums to dry, put a bag of selected potatoes in the pantry. This will create a feeling of security, the subconscious mind will no longer be afraid of hunger. And painstaking, meditative manual work will help to relax, distract from bad thoughts.
Try to provide yourself with as many positive emotions and vivid impressions as possible. In good weather, walk in beautiful parks, admiring the rich colors of the foliage. Go to the gym and the gym, ride a bike, dance - the movement stimulates the production of endorphins. Pet fluffy cats and shaggy dogs, ride horses - communication with a horse, according to hippotherapists, stabilizes the psyche. Watch comedies and cartoons, good fairy tales with children. Read good books, fantasy novels and funny detective stories. Go to the circus, admire the real magic. And finally, try to turn autumn into Boldinskaya - write poetry, stories, draw, compose music. Creativity will help you express your overwhelming feelings.
Avoid whiners, complainers, emotional vampires, people who are insensitive and cold. Move away from conflicts, especially with close friends, deal with grievances and grief alone. Avoid idleness, aimless pastime, boring and lonely evenings. The more active you spend your days, the harder it is for the blues to get close to you!
Read the questions and tick each item you agree with.
1. I quarrel with friends, colleagues, relatives
a) never - I love them!
c) almost every day;
d) several times a day.
a) little and restless;
b) 7-8 hours, no problem;
c) 6-7 hours, restless;
d) I feel either insomnia or drowsiness.
3. It’s hard for me to wake up in the morning, I feel sad or angry
a) never - I'm like a cucumber in the morning;
b) only on working days;
c) quite often;
d) I hate mornings!
4. During work (both in the office and at home), I get distracted by trifles, take unnecessary breaks
a) why - it is better to finish quickly;
b) happens if the work is boring;
c) pull to the last;
d) I'm already in trouble because of these delays.
5. Lately I get tired quickly.
a) except to sit still;
b) no, everything is as usual;
d) I don’t have time to rest at all.
6. I have dark, heavy thoughts.
a) I only heard about them from whining friends;
b) occasionally, if there is a reason;
c) unfortunately quite often;
7. Something hurts or aches - my head, stomach, back, joints
a) no, I don’t complain about my health;
b) rarely happens;
c) yes, it often hurts;
d) it's not one thing that worries about the other all the time.
8. People around me think badly about me, discuss and condemn me “behind my back”
a) everyone thinks well of me;
c) occasionally noticed;
d) they constantly whisper behind my back.
9. Lately I've heard "voices" in my head
a) Why are you asking about this?
c) no, but I am visited by obsessive, as if someone else's ideas;
10. From hopelessness and autumn longing, I want to say goodbye to life
a) it is better to kill someone;
c) yes, such a desire arose;
d) often, I struggle with it.
6-15 points - you are completely healthy, the maximum that threatens you is a slight autumn blues.
16-24 - you have autumn depression. Consult with a psychologist, especially if you got high scores on questions 6-10.
25 or more - your mental health is in great danger. Be sure to contact a psychologist, you may need the help of a psychiatrist, sanatorium or medication.
5 points or less - your optimism is impressive, but most likely you are in the manic phase of bipolar disorder - a person cannot be so happy without a reason. If you are not a newlywed or an enlightened monk, consult your doctor.
Seasonal exacerbations of psychiatric diseases
IsraClinic consultants will be happy to answer any questions on this topic.
Causes of autumn and spring exacerbations
Disease prevention
Paranoia is a state of constant anxiety, suspicion, morbid jealousy, crazy ideas, and hallucinations. The first signs of the disease are manifested by minor oddities in behavior, changes in character - the patient shows aggression towards others, spoils relationships with loved ones, begins to get carried away with unusual ideas and fences himself off from the whole world. Relatives of the patient turn to specialists when the symptoms become acute, the patient can harm himself and others.
The problem of children's fears is quite common, almost all parents face it. Fears can be real and groundless - the child can be influenced by environmental factors (family violence, difficult relationships with peers) and neurotic disorders (fears are free-form, arise without a real threat and preconditions). Experts note that if a child is afraid of something, it is important to contact a psychologist, ignoring the problem can subsequently lead to deviations.
Patients with borderline personality disorder quite often show a tendency to deviant behavior, to the use of alcoholic beverages and drugs. They are also prone to self-harm and may threaten suicide. It must be understood that it will not work to cure such a violation in one session with a doctor - constant monitoring by a psychiatrist and the use of psychocorrective drugs are necessary. Considerable importance should also be given to psychotherapy. The psychiatrist selects pharmacological drugs and prescribes psychotherapy depending on the prevailing clinical picture.
Panic attacks can hardly be called a specific disease, it is rather a state of consciousness during which a person feels intense fear, anxiety and excitement. There are many techniques for dealing with panic, and home methods are quite effective. In particular, it is recommended to take a contrast shower, meditate, exercise, do massages and practice proper breathing techniques. Healing herbal infusions, for example, made on the basis of chamomile, also give a good effect. It is advisable to exclude harmful foods and alcohol from the diet.
Causes and symptoms of exacerbation of schizophrenia
When an exacerbation of schizophrenia occurs, the symptoms appear characteristic. Often exacerbations are seasonal, but may occur for other reasons. In this case, the patient should be hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital as soon as possible.
Schizophrenia: general information
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that is endogenous. This means that certain internal causes are a factor in its development.
This disease is characterized by a continuous or paroxysmal course, as a result of which a change in personality occurs.
This disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Positive. This group includes signs that are unique to a sick person. It is primarily about delusions and hallucinations.
- Negative. This group includes signs that, on the contrary, are inherent in a healthy person, but they drop out in a sick person. These include emotional disorders (decrease or complete disappearance of emotions), lethargy, a desire to protect oneself from any contact with the outside world, loss of interest in life, mood swings, catatonic syndrome, indifference to one's appearance, inability to adapt in society.
- Disorganized. It is the loss of the ability to think, act, and speak logically. In patients, these signs are manifested in slow speech and movements, jumping in a conversation from one topic to another, incoherent or meaningless thinking. Often a person does not understand the meaning of what he sees and hears every day, cannot make decisions.
Schizophrenia is the most common of all mental illnesses.
The period of exacerbation of schizophrenia
The phase of exacerbation of the disease is marked by the entry of a sick person into a state of acute psychosis. In turn, psychosis is a sudden change in the emotional background (state) and behavior of the patient. These disorders are devastating, affecting not only the patient and his quality of life, but also the people around him. In a state of exacerbation in schizophrenia, patients:
- cannot adequately contact the outside world and themselves;
- lose touch with reality;
- do not understand what is happening around;
- not oriented in space, time;
- do not understand their place in the world.
In general, patients do not understand what is happening to them. The condition is aggravated by the inconsistency of emotions, delusions, hallucinations, which are a guideline for the patient, according to which he acts. It is also important that in a state of exacerbation, all changes in the psyche that take place in this disease are intensified. A person becomes even more withdrawn, distrustful, suspicious, absolutely loses the ability to critically evaluate what is happening, including with himself.
In this state, patients cannot make adequate decisions, so people from the immediate environment must take responsibility. They must adequately respond to the exacerbation of schizophrenia in the patient and hospitalize him as soon as possible in a psychiatric clinic. This is explained by the fact that in this state, patients carry a potential danger both for themselves and for the people around them, since they are even capable of antisocial actions.
Symptoms of exacerbation of schizophrenia
It is worth noting that in a state of psychosis, characteristic signs appear that allow you to notice the onset of an exacerbation. These signs include:
- Behavior change. A person behaves pretentiously and eccentrically, drawing attention to himself.
- hallucinations. Usually vocal with a touch of criticism or commentary.
- Closure. The patient focuses only on himself and on what is happening inside him.
- Emotional background. On the one hand, a person experiences increased anxiety, helplessness. On the other hand, his emotions are mutually exclusive. The same goes for desires and actions.
- Feeling of external influence. It seems to patients that someone influences their body, thoughts, impulses from the outside.
As a rule, the exacerbation phase begins with characteristic signs. The following symptoms will help recognize the onset of a relapse:
- Emotions. A person is anxious, restless, suddenly begins to rush about.
- Ignoring. The patient is isolated from society, for example, closes in a room, does not respond if other people turn to him, etc.
- catatonic syndrome. The patient may freeze in unnatural and uncomfortable positions for a long time or, on the contrary, be in a state of excitement.
- Aggressiveness. A person becomes irritable, even the slightest reason can cause anger and aggression.
- Sleep and appetite disturbance. The patient may suffer from insomnia, suffer from nightmares, lose appetite.
- Bad habits. If the patient smokes or drinks alcohol, these habits are exacerbated. If they were not there before, a person may start drinking alcohol or smoking.
- speech activity. The patient begins to talk to himself, invents meaningless words. Speech becomes incoherent and illogical.
Patients during an exacerbation often feel that they are endowed with some kind of superpowers, for example, they can read minds, see the future, etc. They may also feel that they are in another world or dimension, ascribe to themselves a different social status; feel that someone is following them, watching, trying to do something bad.
Patients experience severe mood swings. Anxiety can change for no reason into unrestrained fun and joy; feelings of omnipotence and chosenness can abruptly change into a feeling of guilt, etc.
The duration of the exacerbation period is from 6 to 8 weeks, but can last longer. The sooner the patient is provided with qualified assistance in the hospital, the faster his condition stabilizes.
Causes of exacerbation of schizophrenia
Even the smallest cause can lead to a relapse of the disease. This is the difficulty in preventing exacerbation. Among the most common causes, doctors identify the following:
- stress;
- conflict or unstable situation in the family;
- alcohol abuse;
- external stimuli, for example, harsh sounds, too bright light.
That is, factors that a healthy person will not even pay attention to, a patient can be seriously “unsettled”. The disease can worsen during pregnancy, due to hormonal changes in the body.
Another factor is seasonality. Medical statistics have already proved that in the autumn-spring period the number of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in special medical institutions increases.
Patients with a fur-like or paroxysmal-progredient form of the disease are more susceptible to autumn and spring exacerbation. When the length of daylight hours changes, the biorhythms of the body, the usual way of life, also change. Such a reaction of the body of a sick person is explained by the fact that a violation of the biorhythm immediately affects the functioning of the central nervous system and the production of hormones that regulate the work of the whole organism.
Even healthy people are subject to seasonal mood swings. The only difference is that a healthy person can control his emotions, switch to interesting activities, without letting himself become discouraged. Unlike healthy people, the mentally ill are not capable of this.
In autumn and spring, patients experience mood swings.
This is due to the fact that fur-like schizophrenia is precisely characterized by a mood swing from a depressive to a manic state. The seasonal factor further enhances the manifestation of these conditions. In psychiatric practice, these seasonal fluctuations are called seasonal affective disorders or SAD.
Why is there an exacerbation of mental illness in the autumn-spring period?
Man is, first of all, a biological being and the vital activity of his body is subject to circadian rhythms. The change of day and night, the seasons - affect the course of internal processes, including the mental activity of the human body.
Cyclicity of mental processes
The cyclicity of the human psyche is observed not only in the norm, but also manifests itself in the form of an exacerbation of various endogenous diseases. With the onset of cold weather and shortening of daylight hours in the autumn, the number of mental patients in hospitals increases. Mental illnesses are chronic in nature, with exacerbation phases in the autumn-spring period.
According to statistics, since the beginning of October, the number of patients in psychiatric clinics has increased by a quarter. People with increased emotionality more painfully perceive the transition from hot weather to cold weather and rains, a reduction in daylight hours. The autumn exacerbation of mental illness is also due to the fact that under the influence of sunlight, people produce serotonin (the hormone of pleasure), and when cloudy days come, the amount of serotonin decreases. Many people have irritability, emotional instability. The bright colors of summer are replaced by gray hues, the heavy cloudy sky “presses”, the change in atmospheric pressure and everyday rains lead to the fact that a person has a feeling of hopelessness, there is longing, anxiety for his future.
Autumn is a season of exacerbation not only of mental illness, but also of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. Atmospheric pressure fluctuations affect the human vascular system and the neurovegetative regulation of internal organs and systems. In autumn, diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, affective psychoses, and epilepsy are exacerbated.
Clinic of seasonal relapses
In the autumn period, not only the number of hospitalizations of patients with endogenous diseases increases, but also outpatient service doctors note an increase in the flow of patients. Some diseases that proceeded in a latent (latent) form, in the fall, mental disorders manifest themselves in full. The economic crisis, analysts' forecasts of a deterioration in people's lives by the end of the year, and the risk of losing jobs and personal savings are causing a wave of mental disorders. Patients with neuroses and panic attacks feel worsening of their condition, seizures in epileptics become more frequent. Autumn "spleen" happens to all people in the norm, in mental patients, a depressive state can end in suicide.
Patients with depression and various types of psychoses can be dangerous during the autumn period of exacerbations, not only for themselves, but also for others. Some patients have ideas that a great danger threatens the whole family or society as a whole. There have been cases in psychiatry that mentally ill mothers could harm their child.
Autumn exacerbation of schizophrenia occurs more often in men. They have increased productive symptoms - delirium and hallucinations. Given that men drink alcohol more often and in large doses, the exacerbation of mental illness is more pronounced in them. By their biological nature, men are more aggressive and therefore the exacerbation of schizophrenia in the fall is associated with the commission of illegal acts, an increase in the number of traumatic brain injuries.
Some patients with schizophrenia complain to doctors in the autumn that they were attacked by other people's voices. Police officers note an increase in citizens' complaints of "UFO landing in the courtyard of the house" or "verbal contact with aliens." It is mentally ill men who become active participants in various demonstrations, revolutions and upheavals in the country.
Prevention of relapses
An important role in the prevention of autumn exacerbations is played by the participation of relatives and relatives in the life of a sick person. People with mental illness cannot adequately assess their condition, some patients stop taking medications, and men with schizophrenia are prone to alcoholism, which worsens the course of the endogenous disease. Relatives of the patient should refer him to inpatient or outpatient treatment at the first signs of worsening chronic mental illness.
Patients with depression, psychoses, neuroses are very often afraid to consult a psychiatrist, they try to cope with the symptoms and signs of the disease on their own. Many patients self-medicate, drink various medications that were recommended to them by friends or they read information on the Internet. The most important thing is to contact a specialist in a timely manner. Some patients need not so much medical help as psychotherapeutic.
To prevent seasonal exacerbations of depression and psychosis, a person needs to observe a sleep and rest regimen, rational nutrition and taking multivitamins. Moderate physical activity (running, swimming) and physiotherapy (relaxing baths, Charcot's douche) are recommended. You should refrain from psychoactive drinks - tea and coffee. The psychotherapist must convince the patient that the depressed state is simply the result of the influence of natural factors on the human body.
In the autumn period, it is recommended to be more outdoors, walk (if the weather permits), change the situation, leave the house more often, not lock yourself in yourself and your thoughts, go to visit or to the theater. Talking to friends and acquaintances will help you take your mind off negative thoughts. Some people run away from the autumn depressive cities and buy a week-long trip to warm countries.
The psychotherapist should help the patient find a way to relax, switch to positive thoughts and active activities in the autumn.
Why does mental illness worsen in autumn?
Doctors say that in the autumn months, first of all, people who are distinguished by emotional susceptibility feel worse. Their psyche suffers from the fact that in nature there is a “change of scenery”: the days become cool and rainy, the weather is “naughty”. Mental illness during this period is exacerbated, which is associated with biological factors.
Seasonal exacerbations: who is most prone to
Psychiatrists say that very emotional people of both sexes face this problem. It is generally accepted that incessant stress is to blame for the increase in the number of mental illnesses. Many people are afraid of their future, their psyche can hardly cope with thoughts about the fragility of the financial situation, the lack of stability in society, etc.
The cause of future problems can be formed in childhood, when a person has been ill with an infectious disease, or even earlier - when he was injured during childbirth. In the future, he may be emotionally unbalanced. The psyche is also affected by operations performed under general anesthesia. Generally speaking, a violation of the blood supply to the brain of any nature can have such a consequence as instability in the emotional sphere.
Why do we react to the change of seasons
The emotional depression of patients, according to psychiatrists, is due to changes in the state of nature, in the length of the day. Experiencing the influence of a number of factors, the nervous system becomes more sensitive. Reducing the activity of the sun, shortening daylight hours, radiation, changes in the magnetic field lead to the fact that the state of health worsens, hormonal processes are inhibited.
The life of people proceeds in cycles - daily, seasonal, annual. In any case, they will somehow react to the change of seasons, regardless of whether they have mental problems. In the autumn months, the body seems to protest against the fact that there is less sun and more clouds, that nature is slowly dying. The person becomes more emotionally unstable and irritated.
Of course, much is determined by individual psychological traits. If a person has problems with self-esteem, then in the fall he may feel an aggravation of a depressive state, perceive his life as gray and meaningless. However, even quite healthy and self-sufficient people at this time of the year begin to feel anxiety and fear, apathy, turn into more irritable and nervous personalities.
How to prevent exacerbations
The exacerbation of any mental illness is a classic "sign" of autumn. Patients with schizophrenia and manic-depressive psychosis can experience serious experiences, which sometimes lead to bad consequences. When the exacerbation phase occurs, the course of the disease becomes so variable that the behavior of patients is practically unpredictable. A considerable number of mental illnesses are accompanied by aggression. It can be hidden or open, directed at itself or to the outside world.
For preventive purposes, psychiatrists prescribe treatment. If someone close has a borderline disorder, i.e. suffers from psychopathy or neurosis, diseases whose cause lies in brain damage, then he should be given increased attention.
Qualified help comes first
If a person does not initiate anyone into his problems, he will not be able to solve them. A psychiatrist should come to the rescue, whose task is first of all to establish an accurate diagnosis. Then treatment is prescribed, which is usually complex. Along with medications, the state of the procedure will be facilitated, aimed at general strengthening of the nervous system and the body as a whole. Useful any contact with water, aromatherapy, massage course. Any stimulant drinks, including black tea and coffee, are undesirable during an exacerbation. The daily routine should be orderly.
Autumn exacerbation of mental illness
The states of neurotic and schizophrenic psychoses, which are accompanied by aggression, occur in the autumn period and are temporary. Moreover, all these mental illnesses can last all autumn.
The fluctuation of the mental state during the autumn exacerbation is due to biological factors. Solar activity decreases, daylight hours shorten, and the physiological rhythm fails, which affects the nervous system. The activity of the hormonal process decreases, the vulnerability of the body increases, and it begins to malfunction.
Many chronic diseases, as well as a number of mental disorders, have seasonal outbreaks of symptoms. Psychotic disturbances, experiences such as hallucinations and irrational ideas lead to unpredictable behavior. Exacerbations are considered especially dangerous. Where the sick person is at this seasonal time does not matter. It is impossible to predict the course of the disease, since the patient's condition is not static and varies.
The impact of stress is the main reason for the increase in the number of mental disorders. The psyche is influenced by many factors, both external - aggression, hostilities in the world, terrorist threats, the unstable economy of the country, and internal - conflicts with others, fear of the future, anxiety, outbursts of anger (both explicit and hidden), which may lead to aggression. Moreover, such an aggressive state negatively affects others and the patient himself.
Signs of mental disorders
Manifestations of symptoms of a mental disorder are diverse and even individual. You can determine them by the appearance of a person, by the characteristics of behavior. It also happens that the condition does not manifest itself in any way, but at any moment a person can harm himself or others.
People suffering from mental illness cannot control their actions because they live in a world of their own images. The biochemical processes that take place in the brain do not change at the request of a person. The most difficult cases are when the patient hears a voice inside himself, which pushes him to the wrong actions, and the person cannot not obey.
A clear sign of a change in mental health is a loss of understanding of reality. At these moments, a person is not aware of the reality of what is happening. A rich fantasy can form ideas and plans, the reality of which a person is not able to evaluate.
How should you react if a loved one begins a period of exacerbation?
Underestimating manifestations of inadequate reasoning or belief is risky. If a person, for example, claims that “two times two equals five”, and begins to prove his case. In such a situation, one should not aggravate the conversation with clarifications, but one cannot argue or convince oneself. The optimal reaction is protective. In addition, you need to see a doctor.
Some symptoms of mental health disorders are easy to identify for loved ones. But, unfortunately, relatives are not always sensitive enough to such human behavior. You need to respect self-esteem, show care, love and understanding. The following changes in the behavior of the individual should be a period of concern:
- if one of the family members plunged into himself;
- the person has lost his appetite;
- there were problems with sleep;
- the person stopped communicating with loved ones.
Prolonged immersion in oneself can cause a severe state of depression and lead to serious consequences.
If such behavior was noticed, you should try to attract the attention of this person, start a dialogue, return to reality. The biggest help will be if you convince the patient to visit a medical facility.
What are the causes of seasonal exacerbations?
Coping with the weather changes is difficult for the brain. Exacerbations apply to patients regardless of gender. But women are more prone to emotions, which leads to the fact that the representatives of the weaker sex endure this period more difficult. With age, blood vessels become clogged, brain activity is not so high, and the character becomes sharper, because of this, older people are more difficult to tolerate seasonal exacerbations.
The body adjusts to cycles of days, seasons and years. Therefore, in any season the changes are different. In the spring, irritable emotions, fatigue appear, concentration of attention decreases. The accumulated exhaustion of the nervous system and physical exertion cause a sharp change in mood.
In winter, the sun rarely comes out, mostly the weather is cloudy, there is not enough sunlight, the body suffers from beriberi.
On summer days, it is easy for the body to accumulate resources, but being at the peak of activity, it also quickly consumes them. With the onset of autumn, a person reacts to a gradual reduction in daylight hours, changes in nature, the body feels the onset of winter.
Preventive measures for seasonal exacerbation
With the depletion of the nervous system, restorative drugs, special procedures help. Multivitamins are needed, which contain a large amount of group B, nootopes, and drugs that improve blood circulation. Tranquilizers, antidepressants, and psychotropic drugs are prescribed by a doctor for irritability or anxiety. But not only pharmaceuticals have an effect. Relaxing massages, water procedures, auto-trainings help well.
Aromatherapy, soothing herbal teas can also be helpful. Listening to music, watching positive films is a kind of therapy. During periods of exacerbation, strong black tea and coffee should be excluded from the diet.
It is recommended to create a daily routine in which to correctly distribute the time of work and rest. But it is pointless to talk about prevention for people who work in an irregular mode without interruptions with endless rush jobs.
It is important to remember that being alone with problems is difficult even for an absolutely healthy person. Specialists in the field of psychiatry can help in difficult situations, and a timely visit to a doctor will prevent a depressive state.
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Seasonal exacerbations
According to statistics cited by Komsomolskaya Pravda, a quarter of dating site visitors suffer from various mental illnesses. In autumn, during the period of seasonal exacerbation, these people splash out their depressive thoughts and negative emotions on others, and on the Web it is much easier to do this and, in addition, remain anonymous. “Earlier, in the fall, some of these patients jumped out of windows, threw themselves under the wheels. Now these poor fellows are spinning virtual novels,” says psychologist and sexologist Vladimir Shahindzhanyan.
Chronic diseases gravitate to exacerbations, including a whole group of mental disorders. Psychotic experiences lead to dangerous behavior, especially during an exacerbation, and do not depend on the location of the sick person. These states can be compared to clouds in the sky, when their shape changes every moment. They vary considerably, so the course and prognosis are unpredictable.
The main reason for the growth of mental illness is constant stress. Fear of the future, the difficult economic situation, terrorist attacks, wars, aggression of the surrounding world test the psyche, the most valuable property of a person. Every fourth Russian needs psychiatric help today. Anxiety, explicit or hidden anger affect the mood, the disorder of which is next to the manifestation of aggressiveness. Aggression can be directed both at oneself and at other people.
For endogenous diseases such as manic-depressive psychosis (MDP) and schizophrenia, seasonal exacerbations are common. I think many people have a couple of stories about meeting with “strange types”. The attitude towards them, as a rule, is wary, and the first reaction upon direct contact is complete confusion. It is not clear what to do: either calm the person, or take off running, or immediately call an ambulance.
The fact that we do not know how to communicate with the mentally ill is easy to explain. Nobody taught us this. For centuries, they were considered outcasts, they were subjected to lifelong isolation and even physical destruction. Only at the end of the last millennium the situation began to change for the better. At least in the West, mental patients are considered just peculiar people whose only trouble is that their thinking and actions do not fit into generally accepted norms.
And yet, it is not easy to break the established opinion. Every crime committed by a mentally ill person causes a wide public outcry. And if it is repeated, indignant cries are heard: “Why was such a dangerous psycho released into the wild?!” At the same time, no one asks why a recidivist killer who has served his term is released. But the overwhelming majority of criminals and murderers are quite sane people, acting out of self-interest, envy, jealousy - in a word, proceeding from motives that are understandable to everyone. Most likely, the increased fear of mental patients is caused precisely by the fact that their actions are unpredictable, and the reaction to the world around them is often inadequate.
The symptoms of mental illness are varied. Sometimes you can immediately determine who you are dealing with by the strange or threatening appearance of a person, his behavior. But it also happens that a person does not show his condition in any way, but at any moment he can harm himself or others. The mental patient cannot control himself, he lives in his own world, the biochemistry of his brain changes regardless of desires. If he begins to hear voices pushing him to kill, he has no choice but to obey. At what point this will happen and whether it will happen at all, no one knows. However, the most severe condition in such patients can last 3-4 months. For six months of stay in the hospital, the exacerbation is removed, and it makes no sense to keep a person in the dispensary any longer. He goes out to people.
And yet, since no one is immune from meeting a mentally ill person, it would be useful to listen to the recommendations of specialists who will help you cope with the situation.
Remember that in no case should the conflict escalate. Patients should be treated calmly and kindly. People with severe mental illness are extremely sensitive to the emotional climate in their environment. Therefore, you need to pay attention to your behavior and gestures. Be respectful, try to be consistent and direct, keep a friendly distance, consider that the person is sick, and attribute the symptoms not to him, but to the disease. Such tactics are due to elementary common sense. Shouting and swearing can even bring a healthy person to white heat.
Mentally ill people often take what they hear too literally. They may misinterpret a joke or an evasive and react accordingly.
One of the pronounced signs of a mental disorder is the loss of the boundaries of reality, when a person cannot understand where he is, does not know who he is, is poorly oriented in space and time. This condition is typical for alcoholics who are in the stage of delirium tremens, and for people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury who have received organic brain damage. The more open and simple you will be, the more accessible your explanations, the better. True, this method may not work with alcoholics: in such a state they become anxious and aggressive, so in this case it is better to call the doctors.
Emotional fluctuations are generally inherent in people suffering from alcoholism. With a hangover syndrome, they experience the so-called dysphoria: their mood jumps from tenderness (which, however, is not enough for a long time), to open malice. The main thing here is not to take the spoken words or actions personally. Keep in mind that these are the person's own problems, offer to return to the conversation the next time he calms down.
In people with a rich imagination, one can find such a phenomenon as a fluctuation of intentions. They have a lot of ideas, plans and thoughts, which they randomly grab onto, unable to assess whether the idea is real or whether they are building a castle in the sand. Try to be consistent, clearly outline goals and objectives, and stick to one plan without letting the conversation jump from one topic to another.
Mental patients are very obsessive and affectionate. If you are often called by a person whose adequacy you doubt, ask directly if he is being observed by a psychiatrist. Otherwise, you can become his constant listener. Keep clinical psychiatry phone numbers handy just in case.
If your interlocutor has difficulty concentrating, try to be brief, repeat what has been said. If he is overexcited, a conversation with him will not work. You should limit the information, do not try to explain anything, keep it short, do not exacerbate the discussion. "Uh-huh", "yes", "goodbye" - that's your tactic.
Often people underestimate the danger when they manifest conditions such as inappropriate judgments or delusional beliefs. Roughly speaking, they differ from each other in that in the first case, a person is sure that “twice two is five,” and in the second, he can, in addition, “explain” why this is so. You should absolutely not keep up the conversation, indulge your curiosity: you are not a psychiatrist and you don’t know how the story about aliens or ghosts can end. Your reaction should be primarily protective. Do not argue with the patient, do not count on a rational discussion, but try to persuade him to wait for you and immediately call the “sixth team”. There are no better options for your own safety.
Mental patients are prone to unreasonable excitement and fears, sometimes turning into a phobia. Noting the excitement of the interlocutor, give him the opportunity to interrupt the conversation and leave. If he is afraid, you must first of all remain calm yourself.
By the way, all of the above tips can be useful to you not only in extreme situations, but also in everyday life. Do you know what the doctors themselves say? "People are divided into registered patients, unrecorded and psychiatrists." Agree, there is some truth in this saying. And it looks like a lot.
In a joke about seasonal exacerbations, in fact, only a fraction of a joke, the rest is true. Some experts are sure that seasonality can even serve as one of the diagnostic signs of a particular mental problem.
Both in spring and autumn, exacerbations of diseases of the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract are observed. Psychiatrists believe that this is secondary, since mental disorders are responsible for the surge in internal diseases. It is they that lead to the exacerbation of somatic, in other words, bodily diseases.
Are all mental illnesses more pronounced in autumn?
All. If these are gross mental pathologies, such as schizophrenia and manic-depressive psychosis, then, knowing about the seasonal danger, psychiatrists, in order to alleviate the next attack, try to carry out preventive treatment for patients by this time. The same is done if a person has borderline disorders, such as neurosis, psychopathy and diseases based on brain damage.
What usually causes a generally non-sick person to react to the onset of the fall season?
There are many reasons. If a person during childbirth or in early childhood suffered some kind of injury or suffered from an infectious disease (flu, severe intestinal infection, chickenpox, measles), accompanied by delirium or hallucinations, then it is quite possible that in the future he will manifest in the fall and spring emotional imbalance. And not only an infection or injury is fraught with such complications. The operation of the brain, and, therefore, the nervous system, is affected by operations carried out in the past under general anesthesia. And the state of hypoxia after someone has gone crazy in the bath, in the future they can remind themselves of one or another symptom, including, for example, signs of vegetovascular dystonia.
In other words, everything that leads to disruption of the blood supply to the brain usually later manifests itself as emotional and volitional instability and can lead to seasonal exacerbations. The reason is that the brain may not be able to cope with sudden changes in the weather during the transition from one season to another.
How does all this affect a person's life?
Like any psychological problems - first of all, on communication. For example, depression manifests itself as a hidden rejection of life. And if we see a protesting, irritated person who does not own emotions, this is nothing more than a nervous breakdown. Psychoanalysts call it clogging the channels of communication. In people suffering from one or the other, the peak of exacerbation, as a rule, falls on autumn and spring.
So, if a person suffered something in childhood that affected the functioning of the brain, he will suffer from emotional imbalance all his life in the fall?
Not necessarily. The children's brain has great compensatory capabilities, and everything can return to normal. But if such emotional instability already exists, parents should be very attentive to the child and help him.
Who is more susceptible to seasonal exacerbations: women or men, young or old?
Seasonal exacerbations do not depend on gender. But since emotional people suffer from them more often, and there are more of them among women, it is more difficult for women. As for age, by old age the resources of the brain are exhausted, blood vessels change, character traits become sharper. All this can lead to seasonal changes in health status.
What is the reason for such a reaction of the human body to the change of seasons?
A person generally lives in cycles - daily, seasonal, annual. In this regard, each season should be discussed separately. In the spring, the school and work year ends, fatigue accumulates. Children this season are affected by increased workloads due to graduation and passing exams. It doesn’t even matter if the child has mental problems at all, his body still reacts to the season.
In winter, daylight hours are shortened, cloudy weather is more often, and the lack of sunlight affects. Not indifferent to the body and the notorious beriberi. Spring is the time before holidays. Irritability, fatigue, emotional instability accumulated over the year are more often manifested, the ability to concentrate on something, to cope with physical and emotional stress is reduced. Nervous and physical exhaustion causes frequent mood swings. Negative thinking prevails.
As for autumn, at this time, after a summer vacation, fatigue and vitamin deficiency are usually not observed. But in summer, the body is at its peak of activity, and, as quickly as it accumulates resources, it spends just as quickly. When autumn comes, we react even to a barely noticeable shortening of daylight hours, to the withering of nature. And this is understandable: the body feels: winter is ahead ...
How can a person with such a seasonal reaction manifest himself at home and at work?
It depends not only on certain existing psychological characteristics of the individual, but also on the character and upbringing. If a person has low self-esteem and is prone to depressive reactions, then depression can begin in the spring, and worsen even more by autumn. Emotional, unrestrained, intolerant of others, in the fall it becomes even sharper and more irritable, it is even more difficult for him to curb his emotions, he is even more easily offended, looking for the guilty, and inclined to make claims to others. In autumn, fears, anxiety, the expectation of something unpleasant, sometimes frightening, intensify.
I want summer to never end.
How does all this affect work?
There are times when performance is reduced and even completely lost. Do you know why most people plan their holidays for the so-called velvet season, end of August - beginning of September? After all, this is nothing more than a desire ... to prolong the summer, enjoy the sun, warmth.
Does this mean that the polar night increases emotional instability more?
Without a doubt, northerners have the hardest time. After all, the polar night does not have the best effect on health, including mental health. Many northerners try to relieve stress, anxiety and depression with alcohol. And it is no coincidence that in the north there are increased salaries and pensions and long vacations.
Pills alone are not enough
How are seasonal exacerbations treated?
Several approaches. If the nervous system is depleted (in the spring, before the holidays), then general strengthening drugs and procedures will help. These are multivitamins with a high content of B vitamins; nootropics - facilitating the work of brain cells in hypoxia: pyrocetam (nootropil), glycine, picamilon, pantogam; drugs that improve cerebral circulation, such as cavinton (vinpocetine), stugeron (cinnarizine). Usually they are prescribed for the elderly and those who have had brain disorders.
But you should not limit yourself to medicines. A wonderful effect is given by massage, water procedures (underwater shower, Charcot shower, swimming). Auto-training also helps. But it is better if a specialist chooses the self-hypnosis formulas. Aromatherapy using lavender oil, mint oil can be useful; baths with oils or herbs, soothing teas: with chamomile and mint. A kind of therapy is listening to good music, a good movie, especially if you watch it with the whole family.
During periods of exacerbation, stimulating drinks should be avoided: strong black tea and coffee.
It is recommended to adhere to the correct mode of work and rest. Work without emergency work, with breaks, at the same time. If a person has been without vacation for two years, then it is almost pointless to talk about any other prevention.
“The soul must be treated with feelings, and feelings with the soul”
Is it better to take the whole vacation at once or break it into parts, resting twice a year?
It all depends on how you rest. If a woman, during her vacation, daily exhausts herself by preparing set meals, serving her husband, children and guests, then she will not rest. In addition, the treatment of emotions must be emotional. It's good to go out into nature or travel - see other cities, get vivid impressions. A few of these days will help a tired body more than a monotonous long vacation. Even if you relax in nature on weekends, communicate with friends, you are already benefiting your health.
As for the rest twice a year, it favorably affects the nervous system.
Don't be afraid, I'm with you!
What is the best way to relieve daily stress, stress and fatigue after a working day?
The same water procedures, walks, physical activity. Only walks and loads should not be exhausting, but pleasant.
If one of your friends or colleagues suffers from emotional imbalance, how can you help them?
It is desirable to see them in the full sense of the suffering, and not the attacker. Although it is not easy when a person accuses you, makes claims, scandals. It’s good if others understand that even aggression usually comes from a sense of one’s own discomfort. Move away from the person at the moment of emotional outburst, wait until he calms down. Don't respond to insults. You should not also instruct a crying girl who is depressed and everything is falling out of her hands: “You should not cry! You must pull yourself together! Be strong! Moscow does not believe in tears!"
It’s better to offer your help, say that together you can overcome everything, ask what worries her, let her talk.
Not everyone can find the right words at such a moment ...
You can say, “No matter what happens, you can count on me” or “We will be together when things get tough for you. I'm on your side (even if the person is wrong). I will protect you. We will find a way." But one must be careful when speaking with a person who is in a state of imbalance, so as not to offend him. After all, we mentioned that nervous stress is a clogging of communication channels. Communication must be brought back to normal.
It is not easy to help yourself and others in such a situation.
But after all, there are specialists for this: psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists. A good consultation can help in a difficult situation, get out of a depressive state. Not all problems can be solved by being alone with them. It is usually more effective when the whole family is consulted. After all, the problems of children are connected with the problems of parents, and the emotional difficulties of the husband exacerbate the imbalance of the wife.
Good results are given by special classes in groups, where people learn to communicate fully and effectively. We are going to organize such groups for children and teenagers in the new academic year in the city gymnasium. There are many specialists in the city who could organize such courses for adults. But in order for someone to give you a helping hand, you need to show that you will not push it away ...
Autumn and spring are seasons that are difficult for a person who has chronic health problems in the pathogenesis. Traditionally, during these periods of the year, almost all existing sores make themselves felt, progress with renewed vigor and do not allow a person to live and work normally.
The main reason for the seasonal exacerbation of gastritis is insufficient prevention.The organs of the digestive system are no exception. People suffering from gastritis, which is the most common among the current generation, consistently feel the disease during the off-season and experience its exacerbations. Let's consider why gastritis worsens in the spring, what symptoms the seasonal intensification of the disease has, whether it is possible to prevent or minimize adverse effects on the body during these periods.
Reasons for exacerbation of gastritis
Gastritis is a common disease of the gastrointestinal tract, which qualifies as inflammation in the stomach of varying severity, depending on the origin and development of the disease, as well as provocative factors. Most often, the occurrence of chronic gastritis is a consequence of incorrect or incomplete treatment of the usual manifestation of the disease. People who already have know that the disease was easier to prevent in ontogenesis than when it developed into a chronic form and will worsen at any inopportune moment, periodically reminding of itself.
The primary sources of the appearance of the disease can be many factors that are divided into internal and third-party causes. The most common external ones are:
- Irrational and unsystematic nutrition, frequent overeating or temporary starvation due to lack of time for a full meal.
- Strong loads on the body in physical and psychological terms.
- Addictions that negatively affect the entire body, and primarily on the organs of the digestive system.
Internal causes for the development of the disease may include unauthorized use of drugs for a long time, diseases of the immune and cardiovascular nature, or the development of harmful bacteria due to non-compliance with standard rules of personal hygiene.
Due to the presence of the above factors, a person develops painful symptoms in the stomach area, which signal the need to go to the doctor, the need for treatment and reconsider their lifestyle. In the initial stages, gastritis is not difficult to treat, the main thing is to follow the prescriptions recommended by the doctor and you can forget about the disease forever. However, if this is not done, minor prerequisites for the development of the disease can transform into more serious problems, the treatment of which is not such an easy task.
Minor inflammation of the gastric mucosa without the necessary treatment penetrates into the deeper balls of the epidermis, the disease becomes chronic, and can also be transformed into an erosive or atrophic type, the cure of which is completely almost impossible, it is only possible to stabilize the disease and lead it. As a result, gastritis can worsen immediately if there are concomitant factors for this.
Why during the off-season?
As already mentioned, the disease can worsen at any time of the year, if there are indicators accompanying this, however, the rise in exacerbations to a maximum extent occurs in the spring and autumn periods.
Seasonal exacerbation of gastritis is most often explained by the consequences of changeable and rainy weather, which is characteristic of the autumn and spring periods. The vicissitudes of weather conditions and a short day compared to night for many people cause melancholy, stress, bad mood and, as a result, all chronic diseases in the pathogenesis are exacerbated. In addition, in the fall, most people radically change their diet, switch to canned and salty foods to the maximum extent, which are also stimulants for the intensification of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Doctors often associate spring exacerbation of gastritis with a lack of vitamins for the full functioning of the body, increased consumption of fresh purchased vegetables, which are crammed with various nitrates that negatively affect the human digestive system. And also the old vegetables eaten in the spring no longer contain those useful substances that were in them before, they include coarse fiber and carcinogens, which are stimulants of gastritis.
Another indicator for the development of gastritis are debilitating diets that people, especially women, abuse in the spring to “squeeze” into their favorite jeans. For even without this exhausted organism, the rejection of nutritious and wholesome food is catastrophic, the body rebels, giving out all the existing diseases for show. For the older generation, diets are unusual, however, most Orthodox people fast in the spring, after which they try to catch up, thereby provoking an intensification of the disease.
It is worth noting that for a healthy person, the load on the body in spring and autumn is very large, the consequences can be various ailments, poor health, lack of mood. People who have chronic diseases are even more prone to health deterioration during the off-season, and malnutrition and lack of preventive treatment further exacerbate the problem.
Exacerbation symptoms
Most often, people who are diagnosed with chronic gastritis know firsthand the symptoms of its exacerbation. Spring and autumn exacerbations are no different from the usual manifestation of the disease, except that they have a seasonality indicator. The first signs of an aggravated illness most often appear after eating or a strong nervous shock, which are the main provocateurs for the gastrointestinal tract against the background of adverse weather conditions and the unstable state of the person as a whole.
The main symptoms of exacerbated gastritis, with the appearance of which it is urgent to consult a doctor and engage in rational treatment:
- Appeared pain in the stomach, which may be acute or aching in nature with a tendency to increase.
- Stool disorders characteristic of the disease, which can be manifested by both diarrhea and constipation.
- Flatulence and discomfort in the stomach.
- Unpleasant belching with possible manifestation of heartburn.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weakness and aches in the body, complemented by general malaise and restless forebodings for no apparent reason.
- Nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting.
In addition, exacerbated gastritis is sometimes accompanied by an increase in temperature, which indicates the presence of inflammatory processes in the body.
Doctors warn patients that the symptoms of exacerbation of gastritis are not always pronounced. Sometimes its manifestations may not be accompanied by sharp pains, have an episodic character and be characterized by slight discomfort for the patient after eating or in the presence of a feeling of hunger.
Even minor symptoms of the manifestation of the disease should be an occasion to reconsider your lifestyle and take care of your health. Despite the insignificant external manifestation of the disease, inside the body the disease can progress and cause significant harm to the human stomach, which will further affect his health. If a person has the prerequisites for the development of the disease, he must listen very carefully to his body, and the slightest changes and symptoms should be the reason for the need for treatment. Chronic gastritis tends to quickly transform into the intestinal tract, with damage to the deep layers of the epidermis of the stomach and developing into subsequent dangerous diseases of the digestive system.
Treatment and prevention
Treatment of gastritis, especially chronic, is a difficult task that requires endurance and willpower of the patient. The fact is that there is no universal pill, after taking which life will return to normal. One of the main provocateurs of the disease is food, which can renew the disease at any time.
To begin with, as soon as the first symptoms of the disease appear, it is worth reviewing your diet, since treating gastritis should begin with proper nutrition, which is considered the main component of the treatment of the disease. The exclusion from the usual diet of harmful products, regimen eating in small portions will immediately give positive prerequisites for recovery. During an exacerbation, it is worth observing more, which meets the requirements of doctors. The use of liquid food in grated form from light products is the main prescription for acute gastritis.
In addition, pain can be relieved with No-shpa or analgesics, and doctors can prescribe Festal, Pancreatin, Gastal and other drugs to improve digestion. However, you should not prescribe medications for yourself, as not all drugs are suitable for different types of gastritis. Only a gastroenterologist can choose the right treatment based on a complete examination and tests.
And one more important point: the treatment of the disease is always more difficult than its prevention. Since seasonal exacerbations of the disease have specific causes, they are not so difficult to foresee and eradicate to the maximum. In order for spring and autumn to pass without standard intensifications of the disease, you should be attentive to your diet throughout your life, and not only during periods of exacerbations, give up addictions, and try to avoid stressful surges. In the spring, it is important not to exhaust yourself with unjustified diets, but to introduce the first vegetables and fruits that are useful for the body into the diet little by little and with great care.
In autumn, doctors recommend paying more attention to your daily routine, as well as rational rest, so that weather conditions and climate changes go as unnoticed as possible for the body. Useful are regular walks on the street, in parks, squares, which can cheer you up even in autumn and cure the blues, as this time of year also has many of its charms.
Summing up
Seasonal exacerbations of gastritis are more the consequences of human inattention to their body than a special pattern. Patients stimulate a surge of disease in the off-season without paying due attention to personal health.
Awareness of the causes of exacerbations will help, with an appropriate approach, patients to avoid relapses of the disease, to stimulate their recovery. Stick to proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, enjoy every day, despite the weather, avoid unpleasant situations for yourself - this way you can avoid many health problems.
Today we propose to discuss the topic: "seasonal exacerbation of the joints." We tried to fully reveal the topic and present it in a convenient way. You can ask your questions after reading the article in the comments.
In autumn there is an exacerbation of many diseases, especially chronic ones. Often in the autumn, the joints begin to hurt a lot. The question often arises as to what causes joint pain in the fall and what this may be due to.
Scientists have long proven the relationship between human well-being, seasons and weather conditions. Indeed, the joints begin to ache in the autumn in many people, or this already existing pain increases with the onset of the autumn season.
This is due to the negative impact of high humidity due to constant rains on the human body.. Also affected by sudden changes in temperature and strong cold winds. These factors exacerbate diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
The very causes of joint diseases are much deeper. The most common of these are:
- Past injuries that led to a fracture or crack in the cartilage tissue;
- Hormonal and age-related changes - most people with joint diseases are older people;
- Overweight - the properties of the joints are destroyed under the constant pressure of excess weight.
Changes caused by these reasons may not appear for a long time. Often, it is in the fall that pain in the joints and exacerbation of their disease occur.
The most common joint diseases are arthritis and arthrosis. They have various distinguishing features.
It can occur acutely, especially in the autumn. It flows and develops rapidly. It can be completely cured with the right treatment. If it is not performed, arthritis very quickly becomes chronic with remissions and attacks.
The basis of this disease is always the defeat of the joint by any infection.
It can be seen that in the fall, infections spread frequently and quite quickly, therefore, the occurrence of arthritis in the fall is not uncommon.
With this disease, the cartilage of the joint is destroyed. After that, the cartilaginous layer is gradually replaced by bone growths. This disease is associated with vascular changes, which are often observed in hypertension, varicose veins, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. In autumn, diseases of the vascular system are also particularly aggravated, so arthrosis may occur.
Osteoarthritis usually affects the shoulder, hip and knee joints. Pain can be aggravated when walking, if inflammation of the hip joint is observed, and when bending, in cases of knee disease. A crackling sound may be heard when moving. At rest, there is no pain.
Arthritis pain comes on suddenly and spontaneously. After that, it is preserved, both during movement and at rest. There is swelling of the soft tissues in the area of the inflamed joint.
The skin over the sore spot may become shiny. The patient's body temperature rises, and the place above the joint becomes especially hot.
With this disease, there may be poor results of blood tests - increased leukocytes and ESR.
In order to avoid the occurrence or exacerbation of joint diseases in the fall, you should follow some recommendations from specialists:
- First of all, you need to try to reduce the load on the joints and give them more rest;
- Since overweight is one of the causes of joint diseases, it is recommended to follow a proper and balanced diet;
- Avoid sudden movements, especially if the exacerbation has already begun;
- You can take relaxing baths with sea salt, but only for prevention and if there are no exacerbations;
- In autumn, you can take various vitamin complexes, use a variety of creams for the joints.
If the disease has already arisen, then it is best to contact a specialist who will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. You should not wait for the change of season, in the hope that the pain will subside.
In the treatment of arthritis, first of all, they try to eliminate the infection that provoked this disease. For this, antibiotics, vitamins and anti-inflammatory agents are used.
In cases of arthrosis, it is necessary to establish the exact cause that caused the disease. Also, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, vascular therapy is selected. For severe pain, special ointments can be used. In severe cases, surgery may be needed. Now you know why pain can appear.
DO YOU STILL THINK IT IS HARD TO GET RID OF JOINT PAIN?
Judging by the fact that you are now reading these lines, victory in the fight against joint pain is not on your side yet.
Constant or intermittent pain, crunching and palpable pain during movement, discomfort, irritability. All these symptoms are familiar to you firsthand.
But perhaps it is more correct to treat not the consequence, but the cause? Is it possible to get rid of pain in the joints without serious consequences for the body? We recommend reading the article by DOCTOR OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, PROFESSOR BUBNOVSKY SERGEY MIKHAILOVICH about modern methods of getting rid of joint pain. Read article >>
The disease occurs after an injury (fracture, slight bruising of bone tissue). After injury, pain in the joint does not go away even at rest. Often, the period of exacerbation of arthrosis begins imperceptibly, and the doctor diagnoses the second or third stage of the pathology.
Exacerbation of arthrosis is caused by a number of factors, including:
A constant symptom in the considered joint damage is pain. Doctors focus on the relationship of pain syndrome with such factors:
- Times of Day;
- blockade of the joint.
Doctors point to the relationship between the rhythm of pain and the load on the affected joint. Pain intensifies after prolonged exercise (running, walking, standing), subsides at rest. This is due to a decrease in the ability of cartilage to absorb during movement.
The causes of night pains are venous congestion, increased intraosseous blood pressure. Unfavorable weather factors also cause increased pain:
- cold;
- high humidity;
- increased atmospheric pressure.
Arthrosis is characterized by initial pain. Pain occurs when performing the first movements after a state of rest. The cause of "starting pain" is detritus (a film formed from the components of the collapsing cartilage surface), which settles on the surfaces of the joint. When performing a movement, the detritus moves inside the torsion of the articular capsules from the cartilage. This explains the disappearance of pain.
The blockade is represented by sudden, sharp pain, the inability to move the joint. Occurs when the articular mouse is infringed (a piece of cartilage, bone, which lies freely inside the articular cavity). The development of reactive synovitis in a patient is also accompanied by pain, which is constant, bursting, aching. Pain is independent of movement.
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor examines the characteristic clinical signs, x-ray picture. To diagnose arthrosis, doctors take pictures in two projections. The doctor draws up an X-ray picture taking into account the signs of dystrophic changes that occur in the affected articular cartilage and adjacent bone.
In the picture, in the presence of arthrosis, the doctor sees:
- narrowing of the joint space;
- deformation of the bone site;
- compaction of the bone site;
- the presence of cystic formations;
- the presence of osteophytes;
- the presence of subchondral osteosclerosis;
- signs of joint instability (subluxations, curvature of the axis of the limb).
Often the brightness of the symptoms of the disease does not coincide with the severity of the x-ray picture. But doctors noted a certain pattern: osteophytes also occur in the early stages of the disease. Doctors consider this formation the first x-ray sign of the disease:
- At the initial stage of the disease, sharpening of the articular surfaces is noted.
- With the development of the disease, the osteophyte thickens, bone spikes and outgrowths appear.
- In later stages, the joint space narrows. As a result of the instability of the joint, the gap becomes wedge-shaped.
- Then osteosclerosis of the subchondral zone of the bone develops, cyst-like formations appear inside the tissue adjacent to the joint.
Being engaged in the treatment of arthrosis, you need to remember that this disease is constantly progressing. If pathological tissue changes go very far, the patient is threatened with complete immobilization of the joint. With an exacerbation of arthrosis, swelling is added to the pain, a characteristic crunch. If osteoarthritis worsens, you need the help of a qualified doctor.
The most effective drugs are considered in case of exacerbation of the disease. It is drug therapy that will help alleviate the serious condition of the patient. In the treatment of the disease, specialists use medicines of several groups:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ("Ortofen", "Voltaren", "Naklofen", "Diklonat");
- hormonal drugs;
- chondroprotectors ("Chondroxide", "Chondroitin");
- anti-inflammatory agents.
In addition to taking medication during an exacerbation of the disease, doctors recommend using a cane when walking. This simple device will help preserve the function of the joints of the lower extremities.
We have already learned what can aggravate the disease of the joints, how to treat the pathology, what treatment is most effective. Now we will find out what ways there are to eliminate pain during an exacerbation, how long an exacerbation period can last.
The spring exacerbation of the disease brings a lot of inconvenience to the patient, worsens the quality of his life. He is concerned about the question of how to relieve pain during an exacerbation. To relieve pain, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug is prescribed, which is used as an injection. To reduce their negative impact on the mucous membrane of the digestive organs, experts prescribe drugs designed to restore the integrity of the gastric mucosa (Almagel, Omeprazole).
In the acute period, corticosteroids are prescribed. These drugs are administered as an injection, used to apply compresses. To restore bone tissue, chondroprotectors are prescribed. The course of therapy usually lasts six months. The doctor can use glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, drugs with hyaluronic acid (Sinokorm, Ostenil).
If the form of the disease is acute, the specialist may prescribe narcotic analgesics, drugs of the opioid group. In some cases, antibiotics will be needed, which are prescribed only by a doctor after he establishes the path of infection into the joint. It can be:
- cephalosporins;
- tetracyclines;
- penicillins;
- macrolides;
- preparations with fluoroxyquinolone.
Diet and exercise are also important. To restore joint tissue, the body must receive sufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin B, D and others, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and minerals. Therapy should be carried out under the supervision of a physician.
Three threats to the joints. How to prevent autumn exacerbation
If you have joint problems, in late autumn you need to especially carefully monitor your health. Exacerbation of arthrosis and arthritis at this time is not uncommon. Why does this happen and how to avoid it?
Arthritis, that is, inflammation of the joints, can occur against the background of complete health. But, if you ask the people suffering from it, under what circumstances they first encountered an illness, many will say: “I got cold, I got ARVI, after that it started ...”. And some did not get sick - one hypothermia was enough. With prolonged exposure to cold, the immune defense weakens, which creates conditions for the development of inflammation, including in the joints.
With arthrosis, there is no inflammation in the joints (or it is much weaker than with arthritis), but metabolic processes are disturbed in the articular cartilage. The substances that make it strong are destroyed faster than they are formed. In this case, the cold is dangerous because it causes a reflex spasm of the muscles surrounding the joint. Because of this, blood flow to it decreases, cartilage does not receive the nutrition necessary to build new cells, and destruction accelerates.
In the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis in the clinic "Naran" the following Tibetan herbal medicines:
Additional components: clove, nutmeg, saffron, etc.
They are used with an increase in the amount of "bad blood" due to perturbation of the constitution Bile. Normalize the work of the liver.
Used to treat widespread osteochondrosis, arthrosis and arthritis.
Ingredients: fragrant rue, cassia torus, Theophrastus rope, justice gendarussa, mirobalan chebula, terminalia bellerica, yellowish sophora, officinalis emblica, mummy, etc.
The drug is used in diseases of "cold" on the basis of perturbation of the constitution Mucus, in obesity. Relieves swelling of large joints.
Ingredients: benzoic styrax, mummy, burdock-like Saussurea, musk deer musk, calamus marsh, Chekanovsky's aconite, pomegranate tree, gold sand, yellowish sophora, red clove, arthropod, juniper.
It is used for gout, neurodermatitis, the appearance of boils on the skin. Effectively helps with exacerbations of diseases of the joints, gout.
Any gastroenterologist knows that in spring and autumn the number of patients under his office increases dramatically. Why? Yes, because gastritis (inflammation of the gastric mucosa) is very fond of the off-season. How to resist their onslaught?
What is gastritis?
Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach. As a result of gastritis, the digestion and assimilation of food is disturbed. The symptoms of this disease can be acute, or they can make themselves felt only with slight hints (heaviness in the stomach, bloating, discomfort in the left hypochondrium). The most striking symptoms of gastritis:
-
loss of appetite
bad taste in the mouth
irregular stools (sometimes constipation, sometimes diarrhea).
pain in the epigastric region
bloating
Why do gastritis worsen in the off-season?
Spring and autumn are transition periods between summer and winter. In the off-season, the regime of the day changes (the day becomes shorter, the night is longer), the nature of nutrition (there is less fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet, preference is given to meat, cereals, pickles). Colds begin to activate, depleting the immune system, as a result, existing chronic diseases become aggravated. Affects the state of health and emotional depression, characteristic of autumn. Whether we like it or not, but the reduction of daylight hours has a depressing effect on our mood, and practice shows that the emotional sphere is very closely related to the state of the gastrointestinal tract. So, a person living in a state of chronic stress has a much higher chance of earning gastritis than those who treat any problem philosophically. And all because during stress, a large amount of adrenaline, a hormone that causes vasoconstriction, is released into the bloodstream. As a result, the blood supply to the gastrointestinal tract deteriorates, the nutrition of the cells of the gastric mucosa is disturbed, some of them atrophy and die, forming zones of inflammation, that is, gastritis. If this condition is not treated, over time, defects, erosion and ulceration appear on the mucosa.
Getty Images/Fotobank
What to do?
Exclude from your diet the main irritants of the gastric mucosa: hard liquor, coffee and soda.
Do not get carried away with spicy seasonings, pickles, marinades, too hot or cold food.
Refuse chips, fast food, fast soups.
Avoid foods rich in coarse fiber (raw cabbage, apples, carrots).
Get rid of the habit of smoking, especially on an empty stomach. Nicotine and other components of tobacco smoke damage the mucosa and slow down its regeneration processes.
Stop taking medication uncontrollably. Even an ordinary aspirin tablet can harm the stomach.
Chew food more thoroughly.
Forget about diets, especially strict and unbalanced ones, because any experiments with nutrition can lead to a deficiency of protein, vitamins and trace elements, without which normal regeneration of the gastric mucosa is impossible.
Twice a year (in spring and autumn) undergo a course of treatment with mineral waters, preferably at balneological resorts (Khmilnik, Irpen, Pushcha-Voditsa, Nemirov, Mirgorod, Truskavets, Morshyn, Shklo, Yalta, Feodosia, Odessa, Saki, Svalyava, Mukachevo).
If you feel unwell, you should switch to a diet that includes boiled and stewed vegetables, fish, lean meat, liquid cereals, all kinds of soups, low-fiber fruits - bananas, overripe pears, baked apples without peel, plums, peaches, seedless grapes.
It is possible that the cause of the development of gastritis was not a genetic predisposition or an unhealthy lifestyle, but a tiny, but very aggressive microbe, Helicobacter pylori. Having settled in the outlet section of the stomach, this microbe actively multiplies and releases a toxin that provokes the appearance of gastritis, erosions and ulcers. That is why, at the first symptoms of gastritis, it is important not to self-medicate, but to be examined by a gastroenterologist.
Our consultant is a gastroenterologist at the Institute of Gerontology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine Larisa Kovalenko.