Physical Illness in Psychiatric Out-Patients

Abstract

Patients with somatic symptoms who fear serious organic disease are frequently encountered in medical practice. Chest pain and palpitation for example may give rise to concern about heart disease, and abdominal pain to fear of cancer. Every case warrants careful consideration, including examination and investigation where necessary. As a result, some will be relieved both of anxiety and symptoms by simple explanation and reassurance, if their fears were ill-founded or misplaced. The outcome may not be so favourable in others, also free of physical disease, who may need expert psychiatric help. Davies, B. (1964), reviewing the literature, reported a mean incidence of 27.3 per cent. of medical out-patients with purely psychiatric illness, and a further 10–40 per cent. with mixed organic and psychiatric conditions in those attending general hospital clinics.