Stigma in Malta; A Mediterranean Perspective.

The aim of this paper to describe what Transcultural Psychiatry is. It attempts to describe stigma in Malta and how it comes about that the Mental Hospital in Malta is named for Our Lady of Mount Carmel and finally attempt to put Mount Carmel Hospital and its dedication within Maltese Culture and the culture of the Mediterranean. The paper demonstrates that to understand this, it is necessary to employ History, Anthropology, Theology, among other issues.

Outlining the psychopathology behind a case of conversion syndrome: Is a holistic approach beneficial?

Conversion disorder refers to a set of symptoms where no relevant organic cause is found. These include sensory/motor disturbances, and other neurological symptoms, such as pseudoseizures. Patients with this condition may, by having it, achieve a primary or secondary gain.

'Dar Kenn Ghal Sahhtek'--an eating disorder and obesity service in Malta.

This paper will describe the incidence of eating disorders, with particular focus on obesity and binge eating, within the Island of Malta. The development of and 'Dar Kenn Ghal Sahhtek', the first centre for eating disorders in Malta will then be recounted, and the effective therapeutic interventions provided in it will be described. One important function of this unit is the treatment of excessive obesity.

Palliative Care in Dementia.

The Dementias are common neurodegenerative diseases which gradually deteriorate and eventually become fatal. However, hospice care is usually made available to patients suffering from Cancer, while patients who suffer from other chronic conditions such as dementia are not usually offered such care. However the lessons which have been learnt regarding hospice palliative care could be applied with some modification to the care of patients with Dementia.

The multifactorial etiology of eating disorders outlined in a case of anorexia nervosa and complicated by psychiatric co-morbidities.

This article outlines a case of anorexia nervosa within the context of its multifactorial etiology and complex neurobiology. Additionally, it also highlights that in this case there were several co-morbid personality traits and other psychiatric co-morbidites such as OCD and bipolar disorder.

Comorbidities and psychotic illness. Part 1: Philosophy and clinical consequences.

This article aims at addressing the implications of defining 'comorbidity' within the field of psychiatry. We have looked at the standard definition of comorbidity and then discussed whether this definition can be applied to comorbidities in psychiatry. While comorbidities in physical illness are clearly the coexistence of two independent illnesses, Comorbidities in Mental illness are the result of the polygenic nature of mental illnesses, especially in psychotic illness whether schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

The multidisciplinary approach to mood disorders.

This article outlines the use of the multidisciplinary approach to mood disorders in the Short Stay Psychiatric Unit (SSPU) in Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta. An audit was carried out on all patients whose first admission to SSPU was in 2008 and who were diagnosed with having a mood disorder. The aim was to see whether the use of a multidisciplinary approach is in actual fact affecting patient outcome or not.