The Importance of Physical Illness in Psychiatric Breakdown

Abstract

This paper gives an indication of the importance of physical disease in contributing to psychiatric admission. The study was conducted in a situation in which the psychiatric unit dealt with all the psychiatric referrals and admissions for a fairly circumscribed population. Most admissions were made at the request of general practitioners who had equally easy access to either psychiatric or medical beds. The figures suggest that undervalued or unsuspected physical illness is particularly important in the apparent psychiatric breakdown of middle aged men.