| Abstract: | Studies on the psychosomatic aspects of tuberculosis have not brought to light a clearcut correlation between a specific personality structure and susceptibility to the illness. The recommendation is made to look for several rather than for one personality type. It is suggested that people should be studied who react to stress with loss of appetite and loss of sleep. This character structure in contrast to that where the person withdraws into sleep and overeats might make a person prone to tuberculosis.The somatopsychic influence of tuberculosis needs to be interpreted in terms of the localization of the lesion as well as infectiousness and conspicuousness of the disease.Some common sociopsychological factors of tuberculosis have been mentioned. Reports on mental illness and tuberculosis and on diet were reviewed. |
