Psychasthenia: What Is It And What Disorders Is It Associated With?
There are concepts within the field of psychology that have existed practically since its beginnings and although they are not currently used in the same way, they can still be used for the evaluation and identification of a series of psychological alterations or disorders.
One of them is psychasthenia, currently conceived as a personality trait Those who have this characteristic may experience high levels of anxiety, obsessions and even episodes of depersonalization.
Psychasthenia, also known as obsessive-compulsive anxiety, is an anxiety disorder characterized by the presence of obsessions and compulsions that cause significant distress and impact the daily lives of those who experience it. In this article, we will delve into the nature of psychasthenia, its symptoms, causes, and available treatment options.
Although its conception has changed a lot over the years, psychasthenia is considered an alteration of psychological or mental tension characterized by present symptoms associated with phobias, obsessions, compulsions or anxiety disorders
This term was described for the first time in 1903 by the psychologist and neurologist Pierre Janet, who developed a clinical picture that included the different varieties of phobias, anxieties and obsessions typical of its symptoms.
Despite this, currently psychasthenia is not considered a clinical disorder or diagnosis, it still appears as a one more personality factor within the clinical evaluation scales of the MMPI an assessment test used to detect personality and behavioral disorders.
In this sense, as a personality trait, psychasthenia is distinguished by causing a lack of control of conscious thought and memory which translates into scattered thoughts and language or a tendency to forget what was being talked about.
This disintegrated speech It is the result of poorly ordered thought processes, which are manifested through incongruent sentences that are usually incomprehensible to the people who hear them. Furthermore, the person with psychasthenic traits tends to manifest intense and irrational fears associated with their attention and concentration difficulties. As well as serious symptoms of stress and anxiety.
All these symptoms mean that psychasthenia is understood as a breakdown of psychological tension, which can become permanent, degenerative and, according to some theorists, hereditary.
Characteristics of Psychasthenia
Obsessions
Obsessions are persistent, unwanted thoughts, images, or impulses that repeatedly arise in the mind of the affected person. These thoughts are often intrusive and cause significant distress, as individuals may feel unable to control or dismiss them. Common obsessions include fears of contamination, doubts about safety or harm, and intrusive thoughts of a taboo nature.
Compulsions
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that individuals feel driven to perform in response to their obsessions. These behaviors are aimed at reducing distress or preventing perceived harm, even though they may be excessive or irrational. Common compulsions include repetitive handwashing, checking behaviors, counting, and mental rituals aimed at neutralizing obsessional thoughts.
Distress and Impairment
Psychasthenia typically causes significant distress and impairment in daily functioning. Individuals may spend a considerable amount of time engaging in compulsive behaviors or mental rituals, which can interfere with work, school, relationships, and other aspects of life. Despite their efforts to control or resist their obsessions and compulsions, individuals with psychasthenia often feel overwhelmed and trapped by their symptoms.
Causes of Psychasthenia
Biological Factors
Biological factors, including genetic predisposition, neurochemical imbalances, and abnormalities in brain structure and function, are believed to contribute to the development of psychasthenia. Research suggests that abnormalities in serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitter systems may play a role in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a condition closely related to psychasthenia.
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors, such as childhood experiences, traumatic events, and learned behaviors, can also influence the onset and course of psychasthenia. Stressful life events, significant life changes, and exposure to traumatic or triggering stimuli may exacerbate symptoms or trigger the onset of psychasthenia in vulnerable individuals.
Cognitive Factors
Cognitive factors, including maladaptive thought patterns, cognitive biases, and dysfunctional beliefs, play a significant role in the maintenance of psychasthenia symptoms. Individuals with psychasthenia may engage in cognitive processes such as catastrophic thinking, overestimation of threat, and inflated responsibility, which contribute to the perpetuation of obsessions and compulsions.
Although it is not considered a psychological disorder or disorder with a specific diagnostic label, psychasthenia is characterized by presenting a series of signs in those people in whom it occurs.
These symptoms characterize the personality of the person, which It is defined by being anxious in nature and presenting phobic, obsessive or compulsive symptoms among others. The severity of this clinical condition can vary between people who present it. However, this symptomatology is usually quite intense, reaching the point of interfering with the person’s daily life and well-being.
Next, we move on to describe the main characteristics or symptoms of the psychasthenic personality.
1. Anxiety
Traditionally, it has been determined that anxiety is the main symptom of psychasthenia, which causes and generates the rest of the anxious symptoms that characterize it. People with psychasthenia tend to manifest states of anxiety and tension constantly high, which leads them to nervousness and anxiety on a regular basis.
2. Phobias
Phobias consist of a series of mental disorders or alterations that are characterized by causing the person feelings of fear and disproportionate and irrational fear upon the appearance of certain stimuli, objects or specific situations.
This variety of fear disorder generates clinically significant anxiety symptoms as long as the person is faced with the stimulus considered phobic, causing them to carry out all types of behaviors and behaviors to avoid or escape the feared situation.
3. Nervous tics
Due to the high level of tension caused by psychasthenia, it is very possible that the person will experience a series of tics and sudden, uncontrolled movements known as tics. These muscular reactions are distinguished by being convulsive, sudden and exaggerated
4. Obsessions
Obsessions are traditionally defined as a series of mood disturbances caused by the development of fixed and recurring ideas and thoughts in the person’s mind.
These obsessive thoughts are usually associated with a specific idea that appears recurrently, causing serious concern, high levels of anguish and anxiety.
5. Compulsions
Associated with obsessive ideas or thoughts we find compulsions. This concept refers to the need that the person feels to perform repetitive behaviors or behaviors
These behaviors are carried out with the aim of reducing anxiety reactions caused by obsessive ideas and thoughts. Although obsessive-compulsive reactions form a specific clinical picture of OCD, in psychasthenia they appear as part of its symptomatology.
The last of these symptoms is depersonalization. Depersonalization consists of a disorder through which the person experiences an alteration of self-perception in which you feel that your mind is detached from your body and that you can perceive it from the outside, like an observer.
Treatment Options for Psychasthenia
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective psychological treatment for psychasthenia. CBT techniques, such as exposure and response prevention (ERP) and cognitive restructuring, help individuals challenge irrational beliefs, confront feared situations, and reduce the frequency and intensity of obsessions and compulsions.
Medication
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants are commonly prescribed medications for psychasthenia. These medications help alleviate symptoms by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, thereby reducing anxiety and improving mood. In some cases, antipsychotic medications may be prescribed to augment the effects of SSRIs in individuals with severe or treatment-resistant symptoms.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques
Mindfulness-based interventions, relaxation techniques, and stress management strategies can help individuals with psychasthenia reduce anxiety, increase self-awareness, and cultivate acceptance of their intrusive thoughts and urges. Practices such as mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation can promote relaxation and emotional regulation.
Concept according to the MMPI
As mentioned above, although psychasthenia is no longer considered a mental illness or disorder as such, The MMPI continues to classify it as a pathological personality disorder very close to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Furthermore, the MMPI user manual adds that these people also tend to experience extreme and abnormal feelings of guilt, pathological concentration problems or tendency to self-criticism.
Although it cannot be considered a diagnostic label, this subscale facilitates the identification of personality traits in which a lack of control of conscious thought, alterations in memories, and a tendency toward anxiety and obsessive thinking prevail.
Psychasthenia, or obsessive-compulsive anxiety, is a debilitating anxiety disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions that cause significant distress and impairment in daily functioning. By understanding the nature, causes, and treatment options for psychasthenia, individuals can seek appropriate support and interventions to alleviate symptoms, improve quality of life, and regain control over their mental health.
