- "In a few cases, it can be associated with bipolar or psychotic disorders."
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| "You work hard, but to no avail": this is how the syndrome of accelerated thinking attacks due to stress and excessive tasks. / Pixabay |
Getting up, taking public transport, working, going home, all with the almost constant vibration of the mobile phone in your pocket and the incessant bombardment of different screens and robotic voices. The contemporary lifestyle (at least, that of the majority of the population that in the richest countries accumulates in the metropolises) is intense and frenetic. And it may end up taking its toll.
It's no wonder that mental health problems are becoming more common. Yes, it is true that there is more and more awareness, it is talked about more openly and it is dealt with more seriously in the clinic; It is also true that the latest economic crises and world events have increased the insecurity and competitiveness of many people, forced to maintain productivity at all times to ensure their own subsistence.
"No wonder it can appear in anyone"
Similar to the sensory bombardment that we experience in the environment we inhabit, many people may notice that their thoughts sometimes race with unstoppable speed and rhythm. As Carlos Sánchez Polo, General Health Psychologist at the University of Comillas and psychotherapist at the Cláritas Psychological Institute, explains to 20Minutes, that this phenomenon is what we call accelerated thinking syndrome.
"It is an ineffective thought pattern since it is characterized by an intense production of content that escapes comprehension. A constant association of ideas that do not lead to conclusions," he specifies. "The result is a lot of work and little result."
It should be noted that it is not a 'mental illness in itself, but rather a sign of a deeper malaise, whether of clinical consideration or not: "It is a symptom and not a disorder. It is the consequence of a problem," Sánchez points out. "It can appear in non-clinical circumstances: if we are exposed to a lot of stress (for example, if we are in charge of a company, we have family problems and the country is submerged in a deep crisis that affects the quality of life), it would not be surprising that this symptomatology can appear in any person, although perhaps not in an obvious way".
Even so, pachyonychia, as this syndrome is technically known, can appear linked to certain disorders: "Many times," says the expert, "it is a characteristic symptom of bipolar and psychotic-type disorders. In these cases, this clinical distinction because it does not always respond to objective stressors so that the person expresses this symptom in a frequent, long-lasting and excessively intense way".
"It has a negative impact on our self-esteem"
"It is important not to confuse it with the intrusive and recurrent thoughts typical of anxiety disorders", specifies Sánchez, "in which we anchor ourselves to content and concerns. Here that does not matter, here the problem is the way in which thought is expressed: that acceleration that leads to unconnected ideas and that has no functionality".
In fact, in this sense, it is different from "immersing ourselves in a limiting concern": the consequence, rather, is a disorganized discourse, which does not allow us to access coherent ideas or makes it difficult for us to express what we need at that moment".
Logically, in the long run, living thinking in this way can have an important effect on day-to-day life. As the psychologist points out, "It affects the resolution of routine problems, access, and the correct functioning that a job requires of us, in our family, personal and partner relationships... And all this with a negative impact on our self-esteem"
"It is a strategy of our psyche"
Tachypsychia is perhaps not exclusive to the world today, but it is certainly related to the form it has been taking (at least in the Western sphere): "We are immersed in a lifestyle where we are much more bombarded with stimuli than before. decades, there was a time and space of the day to read the newspaper, to answer the mail; now the exposure to stimuli is constant. As a strategy of adaptation to the environment, human beings have become much more accelerated", argues Sánchez.
This does not mean that it will necessarily appear in everyone who lives in these conditions: "As in most mental health issues, problems are usually the result of an interaction between the individual and the environment. When the environment interacts with predispositions of certain individuals, the result may be an intensification of this symptom".
"It is a pattern of vital management that has an addictive point"
"It could even be seen as a strategy of our psyche to deal with discomfort. It is a vital management pattern that has an addictive point. We become dependent on that accelerated lifestyle, since when we stop we are invaded by discomfort," he says. the expert, although he clarifies that the latter is only a personal hypothesis.
"Sometimes certain life changes can be enough"
Be that as it may, the approach will necessarily depend on the underlying problem that is causing it. It is not the same when tachypsychia occurs in response to a stressful situation as when it is part of the symptom picture of a psychiatric illness.
In this regard, Sánchez comments that "when we are facing a bipolar or psychotic disorder, the type of treatment will be pharmacology accompanied by psychotherapy. From there, specific techniques will be given that will allow all the symptoms associated with the problem to be worked on, including tachypsychia ". We cannot expect a definitive remission of the sign if there is no strategy to deal with the cause.
"As for the symptom in question, the approach will be aimed at identifying and working on the stressors that may be motivating this accelerated thinking. Sometimes, certain vital changes may be enough to work on this symptom." As specified, in individuals without any type of diagnosed disorder, this is the line to follow.
"It is about minimizing the disruptive elements to which the person is exposed, incorporating relaxation techniques, daily rest activities, avoiding overstimulation caused by excess information, introducing mindfulness to learn to connect with the here and now, training from verbal and emotional expression the way in which the individual narrates the events, training in social skills...", summarizes Sánchez.