[Psychosomatic disorders in the new German states. Findings and background information]

The sociopsychological background and the conceptual problems in understanding the individual experience of the far reaching changes in the living after the remification of Germany is discussed. It is attempted by the analysis of treatment courses from a psychosomatic hospital to identify typical clinical pictures, trigger situations, or pathopsychological features in especially affected patients coming from the new states. From the author's experience, this is not possible. However, it is pointed out that specific health problems in this population are obvious. The decrease in birth-rate, the frequency of notifications of illness, unemployment, and applications for retirement are observed as an example. In a sample case, changes in the values regarding the areas of existence securing, self-realization, and human relationships are discussed in their effect on coping with illness. It is found that taking into account the societal changes and the internal and external weakening caused by these changes eases the coping with individual conflicts and psychosomatic disturbances.