[The psychological effects of intensive care (author's transl)].

After some twelve years experience as a Consultant Anaesthesist in Intensive Therapy Units the author suffered a catastrophic illness which required a period of artificial ventilation in the I.T.U. in which he worked. He found that much of what he and others had written about the psychological effects on the patient of intensive therapy was mistaken. The main psychological problems were anxiety, disorientation and exhaustion and communication difficulties. The methods used by the author to achieve recall of these distressing events and suggestions as to how such problems may be alleviated are discussed.