Diagnosis of mental disorders in a comorbid patient (clinical observation)

Patients with anxiety and depressive disorders can consult doctors from a wide range of specialties. Most often, such patients complain of diseases of the cardiovascular system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and neurological diseases. The article, using a clinical example, examines the complexity of diagnosing mental disorders in a comorbid patient in general somatic practice. Many symptoms of mental disorders may be similar to those diseases that occur in general somatic practice. Patients with these disorders often visit doctors, are examined repeatedly and for a long time, and "somatic" diseases are treated without much effect, often by doctors of various specialties. Comorbid patients are found in the practice of every doctor. Knowledge of the basics of psychology and psychiatry, the doctor's alertness to the presence of mental disorders in certain groups of patients, will help diagnose a change in the patient's mental health at an earlier period and help by referring him to a specialized specialist.