Asthenic psychopathy

Individuals attract attention to themselves with an extreme degree of sensitivity, indecisiveness and timidity, which becomes especially noticeable when getting into a new group, in an unfamiliar environment. Asthenics (dependent, inhibited) are passive, pessimistic, prone to "self-digging" and self-torture, easily lose weight, weaken, which is facilitated by various factors that irritate them. The symptoms of decompensation resemble classic neurasthenia. This is, so to speak, a nervous psychopathy in people with an astheno-neurotic personality type. They are constantly tired, rarely feel well, and the competitive nature of their activities is especially unbearable for them.

Unlike paranoids, they are dominated by a lack of confidence in their own strengths and abilities, low self-esteem, a feeling of dependence and fear of future, still imaginary, difficulties. Asthenics are unresponsive, submissive and irresponsible, in the sense that they can neither initiate any action, nor take on even the slightest responsibility, for fear of failing everything. They are apathetic and sluggish, quickly get tired, suffer from suspiciousness and are often in a depressed state of mind. They are not distinguished by their ability to work, they cannot stand the sight of blood, loud noise, temperature changes, in general - they do not tolerate any discomfort. Manifestations of irritability are usually reduced to grumbling, short-lived, they do not have enough strength even for this.

They suffer from hypochondria, listen to their body, trying to find signs of dysfunction, which contributes to the aggravation of vegetative disorders. Against the background of unfavorable environmental influences, asthenics often develop organic neuroses - gastroneurosis, cardioneurosis, and others.

They are very attached to a certain way of life and strive to preserve it with all their might. Characteristic features are pedantry, conservatism, restraint, caution, and they demand the same behavior from their close circle. They are incapable of either physical or mental stress, and asthenic features are noticeable already at an early age. Striving at all costs to preserve their characteristic way of life, such individuals are often pedantic and demand the same from their close circle. Decompensation of personality disorder in such patients is usually caused by a situational breakdown of the dynamic stereotype.

Psychasthenic psychopathy is considered a type of asthenic. The main quality of this personality type is hypertrophied anxiety and suspiciousness (they are very worried about all sorts of trifles, to which others are normally indifferent). This type of disorder is called by other authors and in ICD-9 anankastic psychopathy (anankastic, insecure personality type).

The mental infantilism of an individual is expressed in constant hesitation, lack of ability to make decisions, confidence and independence. They are unable to repel an offender, refuse a petitioner, always doubt the correctness of their judgments, which leads them to dependence on other people's opinions and actions. Anxious and suspicious psychasthenics are very sensitive, experience negative impressions and negative information about themselves for a long time. They often concentrate on solving problems that are far from reality, are poorly adapted to physical activity, awkward and clumsy. In life, they are impractical, prone to introspection, and they estimate their abilities very low, underestimating their strengths and exaggerating their shortcomings.

Anankastic psychopathy is also a prerogative of people with a weak type of nervous system. They have a well-developed signal system of the second type of higher nervous activity, associated with logical conclusions and reflections. This is the so-called intellectual psychopathy. Individuals prone to endless self-psychoanalysis are subject to it. Constantly chewing their "mental" cud, they often show emotional dullness, since the signal system number one, responsible for emotions, does not work well in psychasthenics.

Various life collisions highlight various character traits in anancasts.

In a work collective they sometimes appear as very energetic employees, great adherents of order and stereotypical forms of behavior, pedants and formalists. They are selfish, react angrily to insubordination, and are tedious and importunate.

The prevalence of character traits is influenced by life experience: at a young age, Anancasts are dominated by anxiety and suspiciousness, while in mature years they are neat and pedantic (as one of the forms of psychological defense).

However, under favorable circumstances, anankastic psychopaths find their place in life and overcome their doubts. They are characterized as careful, reasonable and self-critical people who can be relied upon. In extreme circumstances, they can show firmness and courage, and are able to carry out necessary actions quickly and diligently.

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