EMOTIONAL FACTORS IN PSORIASIS.

Levels of anxiety and depression in twenty five patients with psoriasis were compared with anxiety and depression levels in equal number of age and sex matched normal controls, patients with nonpsychosomatic medical illnesses, and patients with neuroses. Sinha's anxiety scale and Hamilton's depression rating scale were used to measure anxiety and depression respectively. Analysis revealed that patients with psoriasis were significantly more anxious and depressed as compared to normal subjects and hospitalized patients with medical illnesses. Psoriatics were significantly less anxious and depressed than neurotics. Five patients with psoriasis were dependent on alcohol. Therapeutic implications of these findings are discussed.