Treatment for neuroses

Disorders that are considered a neurosis or neurotic disorder are treatable to various degrees of success. In general, the sooner that the symptoms of neuroses are recognized and treated, the more effective treatment will be. The most effective treatment plans generally include a multifaceted approach and may include medications and psychotherapy.

Disorders that are considered a neurosis are treated with an individualized combination that may include medications, cognitive therapy and anxiety management. Psychotherapy, sometimes known as "talk therapy", may also be prescribed. In psychotherapy, a psychotherapist builds a relationship with a client, establishing trust and helping the client to address the neurosis through such techniques as communication and behaviour therapy.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, is the standard psychotherapy for treating neurotic disorders. It helps sufferers to identify, understand, and change faulty thinking and behaviour patterns, thus allowing neurotic people to learn how to control their worry. The cognitive part of CBT helps by changing the thinking patterns that create and support fears; the behavioral part helps with changing the way sufferers react to anxiety-provoking situations.

A part of cognitive-behavioral therapy can include learning relaxation techniques. In addition to medication and psychotherapy, your doctor or therapist might suggest activities such as meditation, yoga or other types of physical exercise.

Medication can keep the symptoms of neuroses under control while the patient receives psychotherapy. Medications used for treating neurotic disorders include antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and beta-blockers.

Warnings. Never try any medication without prescription from a doctor. Seek the advice of a neurological specialist before starting a new medication since most clinical doctors are not experts in the field of neurology.

Only you can recognize if a medication is right for you after it has been prescribed. Many doctors are quick to prescribe anti-depressants to the neurotic patients. Keep in mind, however, that many of anti-depressant companies have a lot of money for promotion. As a result, never feel guilty for telling a doctor to take you off of a medication that you don't think is working (especially if it is for a child).

Exercise 5. Answer the questions to the text:

1. When will the treatment for neuroses be more effective?

2. What includes treatment for neuroses?

3. What is psychotherapy?

4. What does the abbreviation CBT mean?

5. How are neuroses treated with the help of CBT?

6. What types of drugs can treat neuroses?

7. What should you know before starting drug therapy?

8. What should one do if the administered drugs do not help?

Exercise 6. Read, open the brackets, and discuss the case history:

Mr. T. K (Patient Reference Number-4285) (to bring) to the clinic with anxiety disorder. He (to suffer) from severe anxiety for last 4-6 months. He (to be) a software engineer with increased work related stress.

He (not can) express his anger. When he (to be) alone he (to get) thoughts of quitting from the job but (not to have) the courage to do so. He (to have) a nervous temperament with lack of confidence. Frequently he (to experience) sensation of itching on his palms and feet, along with repetitive movement of his legs. Due to all of these complaints his sex life (to affect), along with it his relations with other family members also (to affect). His appetite (to increase) when he (to depress). His sleep (to disturb). He often (to suffer) from neck and lower back pains. All of these (to identify) as stress related concerns. Dr. Shah (to study) his case in detail and (to prescribe) him research based medicine for anxiety neurosis.

In 8 weeks Mr. T.K. (to report) to the clinic, he (to feel) better. His body pains (to reduce) and his sleep (to improve). His medication (to continue) . In next 8 weeks he (to report) the anxiety to have reduced by 50 %. He said he (not to experience) such relief since quite long time. He (to feel) calmer and relaxed. The itching on his palms and soles (to reduce) considerably. 

Exercise 7. Open the brackets put the verbs into the appropriate tense:

1. The term neurosis (to coin) by the Scottish doctor William Cullen.

2. Cullen (to use) the term to describe various nervous disorders and symptoms.

3. Neurosis (may, to define) as a "poor ability to adapt to one's environment".

4. This patient (to treat) with antidepressants.

5. Neuroses (must, to distinguish) from psychoses.

6. Conflicts (to create) anxiety which leads to symptom formation.

7. If these antidepressants (not to help) you, you (should, to change) them to other ones.

8. Relaxation (to treat) this case of neurosis in several weeks.

Exercise 8. Put questions to the underlined words:

1. Phobias are initiated by classical conditioning of fear to a stimulus.

2. Psychoanalitic treatment requires a detailed interpretation of specific events and their meaning for a person.

3. Neuroses can disrupt the life of both patient and family.

4. Specific anxiety also occurs in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

5. During the last century serious attempts were made to find out the aetiology of neuroses.

6. Neuritic cases resemble one another to a certain extent.

7. Approximately 90% of population are I'll with neuroses.

8. Obsessive-compulsive disorder often runs throughout the individual's life.

Exercise 9. Translate into English using:

1. Complex Subject (Nominative Infinitive Construction)

1. Відомо, що люди із слабким типом нервової діяльності більш схильні до нервових розладів.

2. Вважають,що когнітивно-поведінкова терапія є одним із основних методів лікування неврозів.

3. Ліки при неврозах, без сумніву, призначаються лише спеціалістом у неврології.

4. Повідомили, що болі у спині та шиї у цього хворого мають невротичне походження.

5. Відомо, що люди, які страждають на істерію, відчувають постійний страх і втрачають самоконтроль.

2. Complex Object (Objective Infinitive Construction)

1. Пацієнт помітив, що свербіж з’являється в ситуації стресу, розумової чи фізичної напруги.

2. Лікар побачив, що зіниці хворого розширені.

3. Численні фобії змушують Вуді Аллена боятися висоти, замкненого простору та комах.

4. Лікар дозволив хворому припинити прийом антидепресантів .

5. Гіппократ вважав, що істерія спричинена порушенням кровообігу.

Exercise 10. Describe the term “neuroses” according to the table:

General characteristics
Symptoms
Analyses
Treatment
Complications