What is megalomania, is it incurable, the causes and signs of such a mental disorder, how to deal with it. Megalomania is a mental disorder when a person realizes himself as a "superman". Often it is a sign of a serious mental illness - schizophrenia. Such unrecognized "geniuses" extol their "ego", behave extremely arrogantly, considering all people stupid, unworthy of their intellect.
Description and mechanism of development of megalomania
Megalomania is an everyday concept. Its meaning is that a person “shakes” his rights and teaches others about life. As a rule, such people are treated negatively.
In medicine, such an inflated self-esteem is "the best!" - called delusions of grandeur, megalomania or expansive delusions, implying deviations in the mental activity of the individual.
It is difficult to diagnose the disease, since a megalomaniac sufferer will never turn to a psychologist on his own. Only in the most extreme case, when such a person has "gotten" everyone too much, can he be persuaded to appear to a specialist. After a thorough examination, he will issue his "guilty verdict", let's say that this is really delusion of greatness and the patient needs medical help.
The roots of megalomania have not been studied in detail, and therefore it is impossible to say for sure why delusional ideas of superiority over others develop. It is believed that this may be due to a disease of the central nervous system and sensory organs, when the cognitive (cognitive) processes by which a person cognizes himself and the world around him are disturbed in the part of the brain responsible for thinking. Expansive delusions are common in some mental illnesses. Paranoid schizophrenia, when thought processes are disturbed, is an example of this. The schizophrenic looks down on everyone, not even admitting the thought that someone disagrees with his opinion and can contradict. Such patients are aggressive, and therefore pose a serious threat to others. A neglected form of syphilis, when the brain is affected, is often accompanied by a mania for over-significance of one's person, which can reach madness.
Some experts consider megalomania a kind of affective syndrome, when, due to deep nervous excitement, thoughts go into a disorder and delusional ideas appear. Often in this state, a person exalts himself to heaven: "I am the most important person in the world!" Other people in his mind are just pawns. Megalomaniac cannot descend to the "sinful earth" in order to objectively assess himself and his capabilities. For others it becomes unbearable, such "titans of thought" are disliked. According to some reports, one third of drug addicts in the world suffer from megalomania. Manic-depressive individuals are less prone to "genius". Up to 75% of young people of both sexes under the age of 20 are found with this syndrome. For older people, the risk of becoming a "genius" is reduced by almost half (up to 40%).
A regularity has been noticed between the level of education and the development of megalomania. The more enlightened are more likely to fall into the power of "high ideas" and often look down on those around them. On the other hand, such people love life very much and are practically not susceptible to suicidal thoughts.
The mechanism of megalomania development goes through three stages:
- The first, harmless to others, is characterized by the desire to stand out from the "crowd", to prove the importance of their ideas and actions.
- At the second stage, signs of "genius" grow up to antisocial behavior due to the refusal of relatives and friends to recognize the outstanding "abilities" of the megalomaniac.
- The third, final phase is already a clinic, when depression develops with all the consequences that follow from this state. This requires drug treatment.
It's important to know! Megalomania is not considered a pathology, it should only be seen as a warning that there may be a serious mental illness.
Causes of megalomania
Psychiatrists do not view megalomania as an underlying disease. In an enthusiastic delirium, when a person repeats about her "genius", experts see evidence of a serious mental illness. However, quite often deviations of the psyche are not painful, but on the "edge", when a person seems to think sensibly, but considers himself a genius. Expansive delusions affect both sexes in equal measure.
It should be noted that megalomania in men is more pronounced than in women. For example, in a conversation, a young man interrupts everyone, always tries to show that his opinion is the most correct. People notice this, someone may be angry, while others just chuckle. But everyone thinks that the guy has an inflated conceit.
Megalomania in women does not manifest itself as strongly. Not every representative of the fairer sex seeks to show in public that she is more beautiful and better than all other ladies. Often such thoughts are clothed in the form of erotomania, when alone with yourself you can dream that "if Prince Charles saw me, he would definitely fall in love with me." Among the factors influencing the onset and development of megalomania in both women and men, an essential role is played by:
- Genetic predisposition … If the parents suffered from delusions of grandeur, it is highly likely that the children will be like that.
- Diseases of the central nervous system … When the normal functioning of the nervous processes is disrupted in the body, there is a failure in the functioning of the psyche and a disorder of thought processes in the brain.
- Affective insanity … When there is susceptibility to sudden mood swings. For example, melancholy is combined with excitement, and with an elevated state of mind, a person becomes inhibited.
- Paranoid schizophrenia … Almost half of these patients are obsessed with delusions of grandeur, and there are even more of them when the disease is aggravated by other disorders, such as narcissism.
- Syphilis … The neglected form of the disease decomposes the psyche and the brain. Thinking problems arise.
- Addiction … Taking drugs leads to euphoria, when it often seems that a person is flying, in the literal sense he feels “above everyone else”. This state, experienced more than once, makes the addict believe that he is thinking correctly. Such a concept is fixed in the mind, and this is already a delusion of greatness.
- Severe depression … A person with a weak psyche, due to constant life failures, is often in a depressed mood and cannot get out of it. Becomes withdrawn and alone with himself loses his adversity. In dreams, he becomes a superman. He fantasizes about how to fearlessly deal with his enemies. So imperceptibly for himself and those around him, a mania of grandeur captures.
- Neurotic and psychopathic condition … Severe emotional distress can lead to a nervous breakdown and seizure. If this is repeated often, the work of the central nervous system and psyche is disrupted. Mental activity is upset, there is a likelihood of developing megalomania.
- Head injuries … Injuries to the skull can damage the brain and disrupt its function. Often a person begins to think inadequately, which manifests itself as delirium of greatness.
- Moral humiliation … If a person in childhood or already an adult was constantly humiliated, in his dreams he is “strong”. Over time, this condition can develop into expansive delusions.
- Narcissism … Narcissism in such a good person is already a reason for the development of megalomania.
- Inappropriate praise … Let's say a child has always been encouraged from childhood, although in some cases this would not be worth doing. The child grew up with a high opinion of himself.
It's important to know! The causes of megalomania in men and women are basically the same. Some differences in their manifestation are insignificant. Therefore, representatives of both sexes suffer from delusions of "genius" in equal measure.
The main symptoms of megalomania in humans
At the first stage of the disease, the symptoms of megalomania are invisible, therefore they are quite safe for others. At the second and third stages, the deep signs of "stately" delirium appear outwardly, become symptoms, when it is possible to determine by behavior and conversation that a person is infected with the "bacillus" of genius.
Based on this fact, the symptoms of delusions of grandeur can be:
- Chronic mental illness … Can be inherited from parents. Another option: the person is ill with paranoid schizophrenia or has manic-depressive psychosis.
- Consistently bad mood … Suppressed state of health, for example, due to failures at work, compensate for thoughts about their exclusivity and genius, "they just don't understand me."
- Unimportant dream … I can't sleep, and I have bad thoughts. The so-called cognitive dissonance arises - mental discomfort when mutually exclusive thoughts and emotions "seize". They are compensated by an attempt to "get" oneself on high topics. This restructuring of thinking can become the prologue of megalomania.
- Emotional instability … When mood swings are frequent: from twilight to outbursts of anger. Indifference, melancholy, loss of strength are replaced by a sharp uplift and euphoria from high, iridescent thoughts. The speech of such people is inconsistent, and their thoughts often jump at random.
- Heightened self-esteem … It often happens with physically developed men, since it seems to them that they are stronger than others, and therefore better. Women can consider themselves the most beautiful and sexiest. All men should show them signs of attention.
- Temperament … Explosive activity, strong excitability, agility and quickness in business, when by his behavior a person shows that he is not like everyone else.
- Unwillingness to accept someone else's opinion … Let's say a person thinks that only he owns the ultimate truth. All the rest are talking nonsense, they do not have and cannot have anything constructive. They don't hold a candle to him! On this basis, scandals develop, which develop into enmity. Such aggressive intransigence poses a threat to loved ones.
- Egocentrism … When an objective analysis of his behavior disappears and a person strives with all his might to be in the center of attention. All honors are to him, he must be admired, he must be loved. Another variant of the attitude towards him is unacceptable. Young people are especially egocentric, trying to break out into the "people" by hook or by crook.
- Vanity and bragging … The desire for fame and the belief in one's own invulnerability, coupled with irrepressible bragging, are all manifestations of megalomania.
It's important to know! If a person shows at least one of the symptoms of megalomania, he must be persuaded to see a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.
Ways to deal with megalomania
How to get rid of megalomania, only a specialist can tell. Overconfidence cannot be cured at home. In a hospital setting, it is also impossible to achieve complete recovery, but it is quite possible to stop delirium mania. To achieve a stable remission, they combine medication methods of treatment with psychotherapy sessions. Let's consider these two options in more detail.
Medication for megalomania
Relatives need to persuade the patient to go to the hospital, although this is rather difficult, since megalomaniac sufferers do not consider themselves sick. After a thorough study of the patient's history, observations and examination, the psychiatrist will prescribe the necessary course of treatment. It lies in the localization of the main mental illness, against the background of which there was a delusion of "genius".
To diagnose the severity of expansive delusions, the Young rating scale is often used. The doctor completes it. Most of the eleven questions are about the mental state of the patient. Answers to seven of them are allowed in five variations.
Let's say that the item "thought disorder" has the following gradation:
- 0 - absent;
- 1 - thorough, moderate distraction, thinking is accelerated;
- 2 - we are distracting, thinking is not purposeful, topics are changing rapidly, thoughts are running;
- 3 - leaps of ideas, confusion, it is difficult to keep track of the train of thought;
- 4 - incoherence, communication is impossible.
On four other questions, for example, on such as "the content of thinking", the notes should be in two versions: the patient thinks normally, if not, comments are recorded.
On the basis of this test, psychotropic drugs are prescribed, they calm the nervous system, stabilize emotions, normalize sleep, and remove delusional ideas. As a rule, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and other drugs of the latest generation are used.
From their use, the harmful side effects are minimal. Suppose a patient does not have a tremor of the hands, he does not feel stiffness and anxiety, other unwanted reactions of the body disappear. Such drugs include Risperidone, Quetiapine, Klopiksol-depot, Leponex and others.
It's important to know! A full course of treatment does not guarantee that the disease will not recur. To make this happen as rarely as possible, you need the help of a psychologist.
Psychological assistance in the treatment of megalomania
The psychotherapist, depending on what scientific school he adheres to, chooses a methodology in working with a patient. These can be sessions of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, gestalt therapy, or, for example, hypnosis.
The whole essence of working with a patient comes down to getting rid of old bad habits, developing new positive attitudes of thinking and behavior. They should be reinforced, for example, in conversations or special games. For example, in a collective psychotherapy session, patients share their experiences in turn.
Such "family" therapy develops in patients a sincere desire to "tie up" with their problem and live a normal healthy life. Naturally, on only one condition that they themselves really want it, and close people support them in this endeavor.
During hypnosis sessions, the patient does not need to exert his will to get rid of his sore "greatness". He has all hope for a hypnologist, they say, he will help. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Only tireless work on oneself will help a person get rid of bad behavioral attitudes. However, this is only if they were not provoked by any chronic illness.
How to get rid of megalomania - watch the video:
Megalomania is an inadequate work of the psyche, when an individual, having no objective reasons for this, suddenly "soared into the heavens." Has become too high opinion of myself. It is very bad if self-esteem is low, but not better when it is overestimated. For those who consider themselves the “navel” of the Earth, everyone around them is simply ignorant, they do not really know anything and do not know how to appreciate his “genius”. Such people cause rejection, they are unpleasant in society, they try to communicate less with them. It's good if the "genius" sooner or later begins to understand this. Then all is not lost for him, having visited a psychologist, he will be able to change his attitude towards the world and people. When delirium of grandeur arises against the background of a mental illness, one cannot do without a psychiatrist. This is a serious pathology that will accompany a person throughout his life, calming down after treatment and returning again. It's good to be brilliant, but it's bad to rave about it!
