[Modern illnesses from the critical viewpoint]

Psychosomatic illness as "modern diseases" are of increasing interest to the public. Environmental illnesses, for example assumed intoxication with organic solvents, multiple chemical sensitivity, sick building syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, the influence of amalgam or of electromagnetic waves and ozone are often causes of anxiety. There are many hypotheses about the origin of these diseases. Some scientists emphasize an organic basis; however, this is not generally accepted. Very often with good reason a psychological cause is supposed. Objective diagnostic criteria are not available, therefore these diagnoses may only be applied after sufficient exclusion of other known organic diseases. Mostly a psychological treatment is refused by the person affected, and a scientifically based somatic concept for the therapy does not exist. The medicolegal problems are important and often the reason for prolonged forensic confrontations.