Alexithymia in adolescents in Poland: an important issue in the holistic approach to patients' care.

Introduction: Alexithymia is defined as a disturbed ability to identify and verbally express emotions with a limited imaginative capacity as well as externally oriented thinking. The literature on alexithymia is limited and scarce research concentrated on alexithymia in different gender groups.

Aim: As alexithymia may influence the therapeutic outcome, the objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of alexithymia in adolescents in Poland, paying special attention to gender differences.

Delusional infestation in clinical practice over a period of two decades.

Introduction: Patients presenting with cutaneous symptomatology may in fact suffer from underlying psychiatric conditions. Individuals diagnosed with delusional infestation (DI) have a fixed false belief of being infested with certain organisms or objects.

Aim: To analyse clinical features of subjects with DI who were admitted to the tertiary dermatology ward.

Delusions of Parasitosis: An Update.

Delusional parasitosis, also known as delusional infestation or Ekbom syndrome, is a relatively infrequent psychotic disorder characterized by an unwavering false belief that there is a parasitic infestation of the skin, despite the absence of any medical evidence that could support this claim. Delusional parasitosis can be categorized into primary, secondary, and organic forms. Sometimes, close relatives also experience identical delusions.

Trichotillomania Among Young Adults: Prevalence and Comorbidity.

Trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by repetitive pulling out of one's hair. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of trichotillomania in young adults and its association with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). A total of 339 individuals completed a questionnaire to determine the presence of trichotillomania.

Onychophagia is associated with impairment of quality of life.

Onychophagia is defined as a chronic nail biting behaviour affecting about 20-30% of the general population. However, nail biting seems to be an ignored problem in a daily clinical practice. We have analysed the influence of onychophagia on quality of life (QoL) and stigmatisation level among 339 medical students with and without nail biting.

Onychophagia and onychotillomania: prevalence, clinical picture and comorbidities.

Onychophagia is defined as chronic nail biting behaviour, which usually starts during childhood. Onychotillomania results from recurrent picking and manicuring of the fingernails and/or toenails, leading to visual shortening and/or estraction of nails. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of onychophagia and onychotillomania in young adults, and the comorbidity of these conditions with anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), as well as to determine factors related to these behaviours.

Onychophagia as a spectrum of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Onychophagia can be explained as a kind of a compulsion that may cause destruction of the nails. Habitual nail biting is a common behaviour among children and young adults. By the age of 18 years the frequency of this behaviour decreases, but it may persist in some adults.

Frequency and treatment of trichotillomania in Poland.

Although trichotillomania is a relatively common disorder no large epidemiological studies are available. The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of trichotillomania as identified by Polish dermatologists, and to evaluate the treatment modalities used. A questionnaire was sent to 172 dermatologists; 118 (68.

Body dysmorphic disorder and dermatologists.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) identified by Polish dermatologists and to evaluate the treatment modalities applied by them.

Methods: A specially designed questionnaire was distributed to 172 dermatologists. A total of 118 doctors responded (68.

Evaluation of quality of life in patients with toenail onychomycosis by Polish version of an international onychomycosis-specific questionnaire.

Background: Onychomycosis is the most frequent nail disease, which could impair the patient's quality of life.

Objective: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of toenail onychomycosis on quality of life among Polish population.

Patients And Methods: Three thousand nine-hundred and four (3904: 2269 females and 1635 males) individuals fulfilled an international onychomycosis-specific quality-of-life questionnaire consisting of statements regarding social, emotional and symptoms problems.

Delusional parasitosis in dermatological practice.

Background: The accurate incidence of delusional parasitosis (DP) is difficult to assess. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of DP treated by dermatologists, and to evaluate the treatment modalities they applied.

Material And Methods: A specially designed questionnaire was distributed to 172 dermatologists.

[An estimate of family doctor's knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders].

Depression is more widespread than hypertension. Nevertheless, physicians specialized in family medicine did not have knowledge necessary to diagnose and treat depression and anxiety disorders. Only six persons out of fifty five who filled in the questionnaire could recognize depression correctly (ICD-10 criteria).

[Trichotillomania].

Trichotillomania is the recurrent pulling out of one's own hair, which results in noticeable hair loss, classified in DSM IV and ICD 10 as an impulse control disorder. Trichotillomania can occur as an isolated symptom or may be associated with affective disorders, schizophrenia, substance abuse, borderline personality, obsessive-compulsive disorder. Its onset is usually in childhood and females are more affected than males.