The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has updated its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including with new information specifically addressed to individuals in the European Economic Area. As described in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences.

Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.

×
Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.125.7.963

The authors describe a group of patients in an outpatient clinic who present many diffuse illness symptoms and who pass from one physician to another over a long period of time without noticeable progress. By so doing, such patients manage to create a secondary world in which they play out a great number of problems they have projected.

Access content

To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.