catatonic is a catatonia sufferer, a state of psychomotor disturbance that can be caused by psychological or neurological factors.
The catatonic usually presents an extreme condition passivity, negativism, mutism, body rigidity or, in some cases, great agitation.
The best known form of catatonic state it is precisely the rigidity and immobility of the body, causing the catatonic individual to remain hours, days or even weeks in the same position, without moving.
Most catatonics remain completely oblivious to the world around them, not reacting to stimuli or contact with other people.
Traditionally, the catatonic behavior it is associated with one of the conditions of schizophrenia. However, this disorder may appear due to other mental disorders, not being characterized as something unique to the schizophrenic.
Learn more about the meaning of Schizophrenia.
Several other medical causes can lead to the development of catatonic behavior, such as deep depressions, brain cancer, head trauma, major psychological trauma, among others disorders.
Symptoms of the catatonic state
Among the main symptoms that people present when they are in a state of catatonia are:
- Negativism (loss of skills and routines that I performed before);
- Suggestibility (being highly influenced by other people's ideas);
- Prolonged immobility or extreme motor activity;
- Mutism (going for long periods of time without speaking);
- Ecopraxia (imitating other people's movements);
- Ecolalia (sound repetition);
In the most common cases, catatonia can be divided mainly into: catatonic schizophrenia and catatonic depression.
In catatonic schizophrenia, the main symptoms are: immobility or motor restlessness; loss of contact with reality; and, in some cases, intense hallucinations and episodes of violence.
In catatonic depression, the individual presents a state of severe apathy, muteness, slowness or immobilization of movements and anhedonia (inability to feel emotions).
Find out more about the meaning of depression.