A Comparison of Twenty-year Medical Histories of Individuals With Depressive and Paranoid States a Preliminary Note

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Abstract
This study compared the medical histories of two groups of individuals who suffer psychological stress but who differ significantly in their coping behavior. It was felt depressive and paranoid patients both suffer psychological distress but cope very differently particularly with their aggressive feelings. Two groups of 50 physically healthy male subjects for each disorder were selected on the basis of admission to hospital between 1948-1952 for their psychiatric disorder. The groups were similar as to age, education, and socioeconomic background. However, a study of their subsequent medical histories over a 20- to 24-year period showed that the depressive group suffered from a significantly greater number of medical disorders and had a significantly greater number of medical disorders per individual. The medical disorders were predominantly those associated with the aging process, e.g., cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, arthritis. Further studies are suggested to investigate other elements affecting the aging process in what seems to be a particularly high-risk population.

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