Li was reprimanded by her team leader for work-related issues which left her unhappy and ultimately led to a complete emotional and physical shutdown
A young Chinese woman suffered a severe psychological breakdown after she was scolded by her supervisor at work. According to a news report from the South China Morning Post, Li, from Henan province, became catatonic – stopped eating, drinking, or even moving as a result of the trauma.
The news report said Li was reprimanded by her team leader for work-related issues which left her unhappy and ultimately led to a complete emotional and physical shutdown. Li's condition deteriorated with time – severely declining her physical abilities. Her family said if they removed the pillow from beneath her head, it would hang limply in mid-air, unable to support itself. She slowly also lost complete control over basic bodily functions – even requiring constant assistance from her family members to use the toilet.
Li suffered from catatonic stupor
According to doctors, when she was brought to the hospital, Li resembled a "wooden figure” - who could not move or respond. Dr. Jia Dehuan, Li's physician at Zhengzhou Eighth People's Hospital, said she was suffering from a catatonic stupor - a severe symptom of depression characterized by immobilization, unresponsiveness, loss of motor control, and withdrawal from reality.
Dr. Jia said this rare and extreme manifestation of depression, is triggered by intense emotional trauma.
According to Dr. Jia, Li was an introvert and struggled to open up to people, and small triggers led to her condition – which is now being treated.
What is a catatonic stupor and how does it affect you mentally and physically?
Studies say catatonic stupor – also known as catatonia, is a psychomotor disorder – which involves the connection between mental function and movement, affecting a person’s ability to move in a normal way. Those who have the condition experience a variety of symptoms – which include a stupor that makes them unable to move, speak, or respond to anything.
According to experts, catatonia lasts anywhere from a few hours to weeks, months, or even years. It can also reoccur years after the initial episode.
What causes catatonic stupor?
According to experts, there are many reasons behind the onset of catatonia, a few of which include the following:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Psychotic disorders
- Bipolar disorders
- Depressive disorders
- Cerebral folate deficiency
- Autoimmune diseases
Signs and symptoms of catatonia
There are many symptoms that indicate that you may have catatonia, a few of which include:
- Stupor: Making a person unable to move and speak and look blank
- Posturing - where a person stays in the same position
- Malnourished and dehydrated
- Echolalia – a condition where a person responds to conversation by only repeating the same sentences again
- Muscular rigidity
- Negativity
- Mimicking of another person’s movements
- Going mute
- Restlessness
- Rigidity
- Vital signs like blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate continue to fluctuate
Who is at the highest risk factor for developing catatonia?
Doctors say women have a higher risk of developing catatonia and it only increases with age. Even though the condition has historically been associated with schizophrenia – a mental health disorder - catatonia now is treated as a separate disorder.
Statistics say around 10 per cent of extremely ill psychiatric inpatients experience catatonia. At least 20 per cent have schizophrenia diagnoses, while 45 per cent have mood disorder diagnoses.
Also, women with postpartum depression may experience the condition. Other risk factors include:
- Recurrent use of cocaine
- Low salt concentration in the blood
- Blatant usage of medications like ciprofloxacin
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