We are glad to welcome you, dear readers of the site! The psychasthenic type of personality is more prone to the occurrence of neurosis, depression and other mental disorders than other types of character accentuations.
And today we offer to learn more about what it is, as well as how to interact with it.
Main characteristic
Such individuals are overly anxious. They worry about absolutely everything that happens to them, or does not happen.
They are far from sports, banal exercises can be difficult, not to mention more serious stable workouts.
In this regard, their muscles are poorly developed, endurance is low, and in general, excess weight is often observed due to the lack of physical activity. Especially if they are trying to «seize» stress, having received an illusory sense of security.
Self-esteem is usually not true. That is, they can ascribe to themselves unnecessary shortcomings, devalue the merits. It is always underestimated, and completely unfairly.
They criticize themselves for any reason, and even if there is none at all. For any external circumstances, if they led to unpleasant consequences, they take the blame. Although in fact they have nothing to do with what happened.
This is a little annoying for others, although it is convenient. Indeed, in this case, it becomes possible to throw all the «bumps» at the address of the psychasthenic, and he will not mind.
Psychasthenics are very slow in the selection process. If he needs to make a decision, for example, what shoes to buy, he can spend hours thinking about which pair would suit him best.
It affects indecision and disbelief in oneself, inability to listen to one’s own desires. He focuses more on whether they will laugh at him, whether they will say that his choice is terrible, and so on.
Therefore, it is not easy to get along with him. After all, ordinary classes will deliver more trouble than expected. Not every partner is able to withstand many hours of hesitation about which movie to go to, or which restaurant to dine in.
With its slowness, this accentuation of character is also distinguished by impatience. It will be painfully long to make a decision, but as soon as he understands what to do, he will not be able to wait a minute, he will instantly begin to translate his plans into reality. Even if he will be advised not to rush into vigorous activity.
Features of dealing with stress
To cope with anxiety, which does not even allow you to breathe calmly, such a person comes up with various rituals and games for himself.
For example, if you manage to blink exactly 55 times within a minute, then a cooperation agreement with another company will be signed.
Or, if you do not touch the door handle with your index finger, you will be able to avoid terrible and dangerous diseases. If you jump over the hatches that are on the way, then the beloved girl will agree to get married.
When everything goes too far, that is, the psychasthenic is simply not able to exist without performing certain rituals, we are talking about obsessive-compulsive disorder. In short, OCD is a mental disorder that requires the intervention of qualified specialists.
It also helps to calm down pedantry, that is, increased attention to details that other people usually do not pay attention to. On the one hand, it allows you to discover what others do not notice, but on the other hand, it leads to the loss of opportunities to advance in your career and life in general.
After all, not every employer or client is willing to wait until the task is completed after countless checks and thorough inspections.
This happens because the character of the psychasthenic is anxious, he is not sure what he is doing. Why is he afraid to hand over the work, thinking that he still made a mistake.
Detstvo
Children of the psychasthenic type are usually fearful and anxious. They are easy to scare, sometimes it happens unintentionally.
For example, an adult could simply tell about an accident that happened to him on the road, and this will be enough for a child with this accentuation of character to become afraid to cross the street even on a zebra.
They also differ from the rest in their propensity for reasoning. They can indulge in this activity for hours. And in general, they prefer intellectual games to mobile ones.
A little awkward, therefore, being in a room with fragile objects, they are very nervous. Since they understand that they will definitely break something by accident, and then they will be ashamed in front of the owners. Yes, and parents can punish, and this only adds to the anxiety and anxiety.
This way of life, in constant tension, leads to poor health. Young children suffer from enuresis, older ones «acquire» phobic disorders.
Most often, irrational fear is directed at animals and insects, but it happens that they are terribly afraid of the dark and stay at home, in a room without adults. Or be locked in a closet or bathroom.
They are tormented by obsessive thoughts that loved ones will die, or that they themselves will be ill with an incurable and terrible disease.
Naturally, such reflections from day to day provoke neuroses and breakdowns at a fairly early age.
Strive to meet the expectations of parents, even if they are completely overpriced. They may understand that they will not be able to achieve certain successes, but the likelihood of losing the love of loved ones will stimulate them to continue trying to realize other people’s ambitions.
Difficulties arise in families where adults instruct a psychasthenic child to take care of younger brothers and sisters.
An overdeveloped sense of responsibility can lead to the fact that, having failed to cope with a task, he simply loses mental stability. Feeling guilty for every tear of a baby, he will bring himself to the so-called psychasthenic syndrome.
Syndrome
Psychasthenia, as this syndrome is also called, can be diagnosed by the following signs:
- Hypochondria, or increased suspiciousness. A person is so afraid of getting sick or dying that he perceives any information too closely, “trying it on” for himself. For example, if he falls into the hands of a medical reference book, he will find in himself absolutely every disease he reads. After that, he will begin to worry, lose sleep and peace, as he decides that his end is near. Or he diagnoses himself with a terrible disease and will quarrel with doctors who deny it, devaluing their experience and knowledge.
- Increased anxiety. You can notice the first signs of the onset of the syndrome at an early age. Suppose a baby, being in the garden all day, in the evening, waiting for the arrival of his parents, will show extreme anxiety. Especially if they are late. Therefore, subsequently he worries about what if the situation repeats itself again and they do not come at all? Such thoughts naturally frighten even more, which is why the child gradually loses his mental balance, acquiring various phobias and nervous disorders. An adult is constantly tormented by obsessive thoughts that, for example, his loved one will have an accident on the way to work, the child will suddenly choke and die, along with parents and other valuable and dear people.
- Phobic disorders are mental disorders when a person is tormented by irrational fears. That is, which are either invented or overly «inflated» and do not carry the danger that psychasthenics attribute to them. Suppose there is a fear of balloons and even flowers in pots. Go to this section and you will find out what phobias exist, as well as how to get rid of them.
- Fear of change, of something new. Such a person may refuse promising work only because he does not know whether his new team will accept him or not, whether he will be able to cope with new responsibilities and, in general, whether he deserves a good position. Unable to adapt and adapt creatively, he will remain in the same place, despite the fact that he suffers and cannot realize his potential, satisfy needs. In principle, most people are afraid of change, the difference is that individuals with psychasthenic syndrome bring themselves to nervous exhaustion, having lost sleep and peace from fear.
- Fast fatiguability. Which is not surprising, because a lot of energy is spent on anxiety, obsessive thoughts and ideas. And at night you can’t really sleep and recover.
- Problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are commonly observed. Due to stress, changes in the nervous regulation of internal organs occur.
- Reduced concentration, depressed mood and insomnia due to the fact that a person cannot relax and feel calm. He seems to be constantly on alert, consuming the resources of the body, bringing it to exhaustion.
Completion
If you recognize yourself in the description of the psychasthenic character accentuation and understand that you are unable to cope with your anxiety at times, be sure to contact a specialist for help.
You can see a psychotherapist, you can see a psychiatrist for medical treatment if necessary. For example, to relax the nervous system, normalize sleep and get rid of unnecessary tension, obsessive thoughts. Otherwise, continuing to live in stress, there is a risk of getting neurosis, depression and related disorders.
And in order to find out in more detail what other types of character there are, both according to Lichko and according to Leonhard, stay with us by subscribing to updates.
Take care of yourself and be happy!