Psychiatric problems in patients from Arab countries

In 1979-1988 at the Prague Psychiatric Clinic 26 patients from Arab areas were hospitalized. The reason for admission were acute mental disorders involving paranoid, paranoid hallucinatory, manic or depressive syndromes, alcoholism and aggressive behaviour. No bizarre or at least remote psychopathological symptoms were recorded. The author draws attention to the frequent incidence of alcoholism and aggressiveness: these manifestations are at variance with traditions of Arab morality. In the diagnostic evaluation syndromological conclusions proved more useful than nosological ones.