The Psychological System

Abstract

Psychological disorders, emotional and psychiatric, account for at least 20% of all medical consultations. Anxiety and depression form at least half of these, and the incidence in females is twice that of males. Hospitalization is (in order of frequency), for depression and suicide attempts, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, personality disorders, alcoholism, dementia and mental handicap. The most frequent cause of admission is for drug overdosage — now in some countries the single most frequent cause of all admissions to general hospitals. Suicide — self-poisoning — is the main cause of death in disorders of the psychological system.