Experiences of a stress clinic

The Stress Clinic has been established for the systematic investigation and quantification of various stress factors that may produce adverse effects on health. Nine areas are investigated: social habits, social relationships, life events, psychiatric, sexual, sleep, geriatric, menstrual, and stress and the heart. The degree of stress in each area is quantified and a Stress Profile constructed for each patient. The Stress Profile can then be used to determine in which areas stress is most important and appropriate treatment can then be prescribed. In a preliminary analysis, the commonest principal diagnosis was depression (47%), followed by anxiety (27%), whilst in 18% the main stress was insomnia and in three patients an organic illness (7%). The Stress Profile is also used to assess improvement and significant reduction in many of the main stress areas has been demonstrated, coincident with response to treatment. In particular, we have been using centrally acting beta-blocking drugs in the treatment of anxiety and panic attacks with similar results.