Depressive disorder and alopecia

Psychiatr Danub. 2010 Jun;22(2):293-5.

Abstract

Psychophysical dermatitis is frequently manifested in patients that suffer from psychiatric illnesses and disorders as well as in patients that suffer from depressive disorders. These diseases occur or worsen after acute stress that may trigger them. Difficulties in expressing feelings or impossibility to verbalise them are connected to somatic diseases. In order to emphasize their importance, we will present a case of a 58 years old woman who has been suffering from alopecia areata that developed after her husband's death. The patient doesn't function well since then - she is socially isolated, she has lost self confidence and self esteem. As she has realised it was impossible to live like that, she decided to seek psychiatric help. The patient should be examined through the prism of the interdisciplinary treatment and as an integral structure of the mind and body.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Alopecia / psychology*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cooperative Behavior
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology*
  • Depressive Disorder / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Life Change Events*
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Care Team
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders / psychology*
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders / therapy
  • Psychotherapy
  • Psychotropic Drugs / therapeutic use
  • Quality of Life / psychology
  • Social Isolation

Substances

  • Psychotropic Drugs