【Basic Knowledge of Occupational Health】Nervous Exhaustion

Thread Content

Neurasthenia is a term that people often hear about, and many may suffer from it themselves. But do you know what neurasthenia is, in the same way you know it? GBZT157-2009 \"Terminology for the Diagnosis of Occupational Diseases\" states that neurasthenia is a neurosis characterized primarily by weakened brain and physical functions. It is characterized by mental hyperexcitability and easy fatigue, often accompanied by emotional symptoms such as tension, anxiety, and irritability, as well as physiological dysfunction symptoms such as muscle tension pain and sleep disorders. These symptoms are not secondary to organic diseases of the body or brain, nor are they part of any other mental disorder. Baidu Baike states that it is one of the diagnoses for neurosis in China. It is caused by being under stress and tension for a long time, leading to heightened mental excitement and mental fatigue, often accompanied by emotional distress, irritability, sleep disorders, and muscle tension pain ； These symptoms cannot be attributed to brain, physical diseases, or other mental disorders. The symptoms vary in severity, fluctuating with psychosocial factors, and the course of the disease is often protracted. In recent centuries, the concept of neurasthenia has undergone a series of changes. As doctors’ understanding of it evolved and various specific syndromes and subtypes were identified, this diagnosis is no longer used in the United States and Western Europe. Field tests conducted by the CCMD-3 working group have shown that the diagnosis of neurasthenia has also decreased significantly in China. Many patients exhibit negative personality traits before falling ill: low self-esteem, sensitivity, suspicion, lack of confidence or subjectivity, impatience, and a strong desire to win. These traits can lead to difficulties in regulating emotional responses to life’s events, keeping the brain in a state of constant stress and thus triggering the onset of the disease. Currently, most scholars believe that psychological factors are the main cause of neurasthenia. Any factors that can cause persistent stress and long-term internal conflicts, thereby keeping the nervous system in a state of intense and prolonged tension that exceeds its tolerance limit, can lead to the onset of the disease. Excessive fatigue without rest leads to excessive tension in the excitation process ； Dissatisfaction with the current situation results from excessive tension in the inhibitory process ； Frequently changing living environments without adapting to them puts the central nervous system under excessive stress and fatigue. The nerve cells in the cerebral cortex possess a fairly high level of tolerance; after intense mental exertion, although fatigue occurs, they can recover with a short rest or sleep. However, if neural activity remains under a state of prolonged stress beyond its tolerance limit, neurasthenia may develop.