Lability: concept, features, causes of appearance and methods of treatment

Knowledge of certain psychological states (deviations, disorders) is extremely important for any person. This fully applies to such a state as lability. It is less known than depression or neurosis, but it does not become less dangerous from that.

In psychology, the term "mental lability" has a different meaning than in physiology. This is no longer the number of electrical signals transmitted along the nerve fibers, but the rate of occurrence of the mental process plus the rate of switching between them. In any case, attention is paid not only to the level of lability at a particular moment, but also to the differences in this level in various situations.

In general, lability is understood in science as:

• mobility or mobility (in normal situations);
• instability (with pathological manifestations);
• variability (dynamics of certain processes).

Since all biological processes in the body are controlled by the nervous system, ultimately the overall lability is associated with it. This applies to the frequency of heart oscillations, and to the number of breaths, and to body temperature. The mood is even more out of the question. Therefore, there is a direct relationship between the severity of variability and the risk of pathologies. Many psychological and mental abnormalities can be corrected with due attention to the state of the autonomic nervous system. It shows the tension of the stressful environment much earlier than the brain.The activity of the main organs and systems is intensified, the use of internal reserves begins. Only if the tense situation continues for a long time, the central nervous system is already connected.

It is often written that the lability of the psyche is definitely a negative moment. This is not so, because such a property of a person allows him to adapt to a changing environment, to switch. The lack of the possibility of mental mobilization, the unwillingness to readjust one's behavior sometimes causes no less harm than instability. In a normal psyche, both points should be present, which appear only where they are appropriate. Difficulties and problems are associated with an excessive degree of both conditions. Usually, increased lability means that a person has a specific type of temperament. Choleric people are distinguished by an increased speed of emotional reaction set at the physiological level.

Quite often, mood swings are associated with:

• neurotic conditions;
• mental trauma in childhood;
• a previous traumatic situation of similar content;
• a person's unpreparedness for certain social changes, violent upheavals in society.

It is important to understand that lability can also be provoked by purely physiological factors:

• organic brain disorder due to trauma;
• poisoning with psychoactive and narcotic substances;
• malignant neoplasms;
• vascular pathologies.

Therefore, the determination of the real causes of abnormal lability is very important. First of all, physiological factors will have to be checked and, if possible, excluded. Severe pathological conditions often have to be eliminated in inpatient facilities. Organic personality disorder (the so-called asthenic syndrome) is accompanied by various negative manifestations, including fatigue, increased sensitivity, decreased activity, and dizziness. In any case, both pathological and “conditionally normal” rapid mood swings have common features (signs).

In case of acute and unjustifiably strong manifestations of emotions, even in children and adolescents, it is required to use the help of professionals. Do not think that everything will pass by itself. Even if it's not about the pathologies (mentioned above or some others), one can fear the formation of a labile personality type. People who relate to him are well recognized: their mood changes from seemingly insignificant factors. So, getting caught in the rain, not having time to get on the bus or breaking a cup, such individuals fall into deep despondency or vent their irritation on others.

Psychotherapists and other specialists know for sure: in the process of an elementary test, people with a labile personality can change their mood inconsistently in literally a minute. This entails:

• increased irascibility;
• impressive potential for conflict;
• weakness of self-control;
• tendency to hysterical attacks.

The classification of character deviations developed by Lichko refers primarily to children. They are characterized as emotionally volatile and unpredictable in their behavior. It is enough for someone to “look the wrong way” at them for aggression or a deep decline in self-confidence. On the other hand, seemingly insignificant praise can easily be used to manipulate such children. Both of these extremes must be overcome before they have time to cause negative consequences.

Even the most general characteristic of lability shows that it breaks down into a whole series of variants.So, the labile accentuation of character in childhood and adolescence is often accompanied by infantilism and / or is masked by it. Some experts believe that infantilism is a kind of basis for the formation of various psychopathies and other deviations. As a result of many years of psychiatric research, it was possible to prove that emotional lability in many cases is accompanied by paradoxical reactions, unmotivated actions. Taking offense at someone for a trifling reason, a person bursts out with a fit of hysterical laughter, or, conversely, when some undeniably joyful event occurs, tears flow like a river.

Along with emotional, characteristic psychomotor processes are observed. So, in a moment of stormy joy, motor excitement is invariably present. If the mood worsens, activity is sharply reduced, up to a complete reluctance to do anything. Psychoemotional lability almost inevitably gives rise to:

• increased impressionability;
• frivolity;
• suspiciousness;
• high sensitivity to criticism of others;
• uncontrollable excitement.

The affective-labile type of character accentuation must be clearly distinguished from the lability in the proper sense of the word. A feature of this accentuation is a fairly high compensation of negative personality traits with its positive properties. But at the same time, a person is inclined to unlimited trust in various kinds of authorities, be it some famous personalities, immediate environment, philosophical, religious and political doctrines, judgments that he likes. What is important, cooling in relation to all this (often with a transition to opposite positions) can occur very easily and even repeatedly. It is not difficult to understand the consequences of such inconsistency.

With labile accentuation, almost everything depends on the current emotional state. Sometimes it is impossible to fall asleep, appetite disappears, there is an unexpected desire for solitude or to stay in noisy companies. People with this accentuation can have deep and lasting emotional attachments, form strong families, and be friends with someone for decades. At the same time, much also depends on the willingness of other people to put up with frequent quarrels and quirks. People with such a deviation in character are extremely difficult to endure separation from those to whom they are attached; it is doubly and tripled for them to bear criticism and negative assessments from the object of their passion.

Additionally, it should be said about intellectual lability (which is often forgotten, reducing everything to a purely emotional sphere). This property of the psyche allows you to process a huge amount of facts, events, judgments, observations. This processing happens subconsciously. Intellectually labile individuals can:

• quickly switch from one source of information to another and back;
• simultaneously process information of different nature;
• instantly switch between individual tasks, even if their content is not related in any way or even completely opposite.

This side of lability first attracted the attention of psychologists only in the second half of the twentieth century. The gigantic acceleration of the pace of life has made it the only possible way of adapting people to the modern world. Intellectually labile people can, for example, while traveling in transport, think about an upcoming talk at a meeting, not forgetting where they need to change trains, where to get off, and so on. Calls, noise, conversations do not distract from solving such problems.

Having become acquainted with the negative impact of emotional lability on everyday life, it is not difficult to understand that timely diagnosis of such a deviation in children is extremely important.Only by promptly correcting behavior can the level of socialization be increased and subsequent problems can be avoided. The great difficulty, however, is associated with the absence of usually specific deviations up to 10-12 years of age. Even experienced psychologists observing a game or everyday communication find it difficult to identify any suspicious signs. But you can pay attention to such a risk factor as diseases of various organs of the body, provoked by conditionally pathological microorganisms.

The localization of the infectious focus does not matter: it can be pulmonary pathologies, and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and disruptions in digestion, and abnormalities in the work of the liver, endocrine glands. Sometimes other pathologies can also provoke negative psychological shifts. At the same time, the common feature is that the diseases, albeit relatively easy, are delayed and can quickly return. Research that will clarify the role and significance of each syndrome in the formation of lability is yet to come. But it is already clear that they act, if not the direct cause of deviations, then the background.

The severity of manifestations of lability in adolescents is greater than in children. This is due to a more developed and differentiated psyche, which in a number of properties is already approaching the psyche of adults. But psychologists have to overcome another difficulty: from 12 to 17 years old, and sometimes a little later, emotional instability occurs in almost every case. Parents, older relatives, classmates and in general everyone who communicates with problem teenagers can provide invaluable help here. The first sign that allows us to talk about the folding of lability is an excessively frequent and extremely abrupt change in mood without a good reason.

Slightly diminished grades in school, negative peer grades (in passing), and similar events can make your mood worse for a long time. But at the same time, an exclamation of approval is enough for it to improve for a long time. Emotionally unstable teenagers are often “fired up” with certain hobbies, but they can also quickly become disappointed in them. Another sign is passion for popular performers, creative figures. This enthusiasm can reach the point of recklessness.

All such manifestations are easiest to notice just in the family, at school. Therefore, they play a decisive role in early diagnosis. Qualified psychologists are sure to interview everyone to confirm or refute the assumption of emotional lability. Teens inclined to her feel good in the family, if they are surrounded by attention, appreciated. But in an unfavorable situation, one must beware of the outgrowth of a simple desire for independence into a steady rejection of all relatives.

The lability of minors almost completely excludes claims to leadership in both formal and informal social circles. This type of personality has other characteristic manifestations:

• a clear understanding of their emotional instability and related problems;
• the desire to offer oneself to others without radical "alteration", without adjusting to someone's opinion;
• the ability to understand what other people think of them (from the first seconds of communication);
• an adequate response to this attitude (necessarily demonstrated openly).

Sometimes lability is intertwined with hysterical accentuation. At the same time, a certain degree of egocentrism is manifested, but the emphasized demonstrativeness of actions is excluded. The ability to empathize with other people and become emotionally attached to them remains. In contrast to the purely hysterical character, there is no sophisticated, energetic adventurism, the desire at all costs to attract the attention of people.Instead of claims to exclusivity, dreams of peace and tranquility are typical (including for your friends, close circle).

It should be noted that a labile personality type can also have a cycloidal connotation. The peculiarity of this accentuation is, as its name suggests, cyclical mood swings. As a result of special studies, other deviations from the norm may be detected, although they are relatively rare. It is possible to assume the presence of lability in adults for the usual accompanying circumstances:

• lack of attention;
• strong mental shocks;
• long and / or very serious life failures;
• established defects of upbringing;
• systematic stressful influences.

When diagnosing, it is also necessary to collect information about:

• changes in hormonal levels;
• avitaminosis;
• insufficient or excessive intake of trace elements important for the nervous system.

Having dealt with the general features and with the characteristic signs of lability, we must now find out: how to behave around people who are inclined to it, what mistakes should not be made. Emotionally unstable individuals can sink into a semblance of depression and sometimes even express suicidal thoughts. But this negative mood quickly passes, and raising the alarm once again is undesirable.

It is important to understand that a labile personality in adults is usually quarrelsome, can "explode" from any rudeness and even just criticism. Families are also likely to have increased authoritarianism and craving for scandals. All that remains is to show goodwill. It is necessary to avoid reciprocal anger and rage, because this will only make matters worse. It is also recommended to exclude conversations on deliberately unpleasant and provocative topics, not to get personal.

The root causes of the limited stability of the nervous system and psyche can be:

• stress;
• organic brain defects and other neurological pathologies;
• psychosis and psychopathy;
• dementia;
• mistakes in upbringing and a bad example of parents, older children.

Only professionals can select treatment! The fight against lability due to emotional overload is carried out by psychologists. In more serious cases, anti-anxiety medications, sometimes tranquilizers or antidepressants, are prescribed. It is necessary to teach patients methods of conflict-free sequential reaction, to train attention and volitional qualities. Prevention includes:

• normalization of family relations;
• timely and complete treatment of somatic diseases;
• exclusion of bad examples to follow;
• minimizing stress, relieving emotional stress.

Psychologists recommend that you always conduct a thorough examination if lability is suspected. Healthy sleep and proper nutrition, relaxing massage, walks in the fresh air are very important. Any self-medication is unacceptable, even if the diagnosis is definitely confirmed. On the part of others, sensitivity and attention are very important. At the same time, they must also discard false "humanism", seeking help promptly.

What is emotional lability, see the next video.