• Emotional problems or "nerves" are often considered etiological agents of relevance in many conditions for which patients consult physicians. This diagnosis cannot be justified or supported by an evaluation of symptoms alone, but data allowing a positive psychiatric diagnosis should be elicited. The absence of such data should cast doubt on the diagnosis and indicate the need for further investigation. Six case histories illustrate instances in which the use of the above principle was valuable in arriving at a proper diagnosis and planning an effective therapeutic approach.