Psychiatric aspects of deafness.

Paranoia has long been associated with deafness, but the most significant psychiatric questions in the field of deafness concern the effects of prelingual deafness on intelligence, personality, and control of aggressive drives. With intensive language training, an emotionally favorable family situation, and adequate education, prelingual deafness has little or no deleterious effect on intelligence or personality. It does not predispose to major psychotic illnesses, but probably affects character structure in such a way as to accentuate impulsivity, and weaken depressive and obsessional traits. In order to prevent psychiatric morbidity in the deaf, the primary care physician needs not only to be able to diagnose and treat deafness and its causes, but also to grasp the importance of family counseling, adequate communication and education, and vocational rehabilitation for the deaf.     

Psychiatric aspects of headache

Psychological factors, such as psychological stressors, personality style, conditioning, and psychodynamic issues, play a role in the etiology of chronic migraine and muscle contraction headaches. Psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, personality disorders, conversion, and hypochondriasis, may accompany and complicate headache. Psychiatric diagnosis and treatment add a useful and important dimension to the medical care of the patient. This article presented a useful conceptual model for discriminating between different kinds of psychological influencing factors and guidelines for selecting the appropriate form of psychiatric treatment.     

Psychiatric nursing. Guidelines for successful relocation

The physical and psychological repercussions of relocating chronically mentally ill patients from institution to community can be grave unless adequate preparation is offered well in advance and continuing support given throughout. Nurses, too, are not immune to the effects of relocation and require similar preparation and support. Hazel Nelson and her colleagues offer guidelines on preparation for relocation which are based on an extensive literature search and which represent a planned and structured approach to the process.