engleski

Psychiatric consultation - liaison approach to psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing and invalidating disease with elevated psychiatric comorbidity. More than a quarter of patients with psoriasis develop mental health problems while coping with illness and treatment - the risk of depression, demoralisation and anxiety is elevated. Therefore, a comprehensive biopsychosocial approach via development of psychiatric - liaison services is necessary . Consultation – liaison psychiatrists are practioners in the field of psychosomatic medicine. Basic psychosomatic concepts like integrity of mind and body, alexithymia and an inordinate need for affection are worth considering when discussing treatment and diagnosis of psoriasis. Also, understanding the emotional skin language represents a very important topic for consultation-liaison psychiatry with the possibility for applying the biopsychosocial model to psoriasis. Patients have to cope with their chronic condition and treatment of it, make adjustments to changed appearance, family life and social situation. Over the past 10 and more years, the provision of liaison psychiatry service in Department of dermatovenerology in Rijeka has shown evident clinical benefits ; some organizational problems relating to the development of such services are discussed. The necessary basis for further clinical work, learning and research certainly exists.

consultation - liaison psychiatry; psoriasis; chronic disease; psychiatric commorbidity

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