In a sample of 131 patients with panic disorder, we explored both the presence of DSM-III-R criteria for hypochondriasis and the occurrence of illness phobia before the onset of panic disorder. To explore further the possible relationship between hypochondriacal features and panic-agoraphobic syndrome, we compared patients both with and without current hypochondriasis and then patients both wit...

The two terms, pseudocyesis and delusion of pregnancy, were frequently used for pseudopregnancy. Delusion of pregnancy is a special form of hypochondriacal/somatic delusion reported in various psychiatric and organic disorders. The origin of the delusion of pregnancy in schizophrenia has often been explained by psycho-analytic interpretations attributing wish fulfilling, protective role to fals...

OBJECTIVE Previous studies demonstrated that a history of childhood trauma is linked to mental disorders in adulthood, particularly to depression. Adverse childhood experiences are also considered to contribute to the risk of hypochondriasis, but the results of previous studies have not been conclusive with respect to the strength and specificity of this association. Therefore, we compared the ...

A significant proportion of attenders at venereal diseases clinics can be regarded as potential psychiatric patients. However, there have been few reports on the value of readily available psychiatric advice at such clinics. The findings during a three-month period when a psychiatrist attended a venereal disease clinic are described. Twenty-two patients were referred for psychiatric assessment....

OBJECTIVE To determine whether medically unexplained recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in childhood predicts abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), other somatic complaints, and psychiatric symptoms and disorders in young adulthood. METHODS A sample of 28 young adults evaluated for RAP between the ages of 6 and 17 years were compared with 28 individually matched former childhood partici...

Pathophysiological mechanisms are often unknown in patients suffering from "idiopathic" tinnitus, and the presence of other unexplained physical symptoms such as those seen in somatoform disorders can be assumed. This study investigates how often tinnitus exists in general medical out-patients with and without somatoform disorders. In an international study initiated by the World Health Organiz...

OBJECTIVE We examine the descriptive epidemiology of chronic widespread pain using the 'Manchester' definition [CWP(M)] and assess psychosocial and other features which characterize subjects with such pain according to these more stringent criteria. METHODS A population postal survey of 3004 subjects was conducted in the Greater Manchester area of the UK. RESULTS The point prevalence of Man...

In this study, two 6-week psychoeducational courses for hypochondriasis are compared, one based on the cognitive-behavioural approach, and the other on the problem-solving approach. Effects of both courses on hypochondriacal complaints, depression, trait anxiety, and number of problems encountered in daily life, are measured pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 1- and 6-month follow-up. Partic...

Many elderly patients with organic brain syndrome are admitted to psychiatric hospitals, where they make up approximately 30 per cent of the resident popu lation (Ballinger et a!, 1981). The psychiatric in patients are a selected group and most demented people are in the community (Kay et al, 1964) and other hospitals. Most patients are diagnosed as suffering fromsenile orarteriosclerotic demen...

The article reviews the historical background and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and olfactory reference disorder, and describes the proposals of the WHO ICD-11 Working Group on the Classification of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders related to these categories. This paper examines the possible classification of BDD symptoms in ICD-10. Four different possible diagnoses are ...