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This cogent volume written by an allergist and psychologist delves into the problems of allergy and its protean manifestations. The first chapter is devoted to a succinct perusal on modern concepts in allergy. The other chapters deal with the emotional climate of the allergic individual and specific psychological techniques for helping the patient. Psychosomatic is defined by the authors as “mind and body, not as two separate entities but as joint forces merging and inevitably interacting within the whole patient.” They feel the common matrix for all allergic individuals is “an individual with an immunologically allergic constitution, born in a family in which the mother was unable to give and express as much love and warmth as he craved.” The child's response to this lack of affection is hostility toward the persons who are felt as the depriving agents. However, the fear of further deprivation prevents expression of hostility toward the significant person. It must be internalized and forms the matrix for the various allergic syndromes. Such is the modus operandi for the clinical picture of allergy.
The authors provide the reader with a wealth of information for handling the allergic patient: the initial appointment, fee arrangements, the interview and evaluating emotional responses.
The authors stress treating both the physical and psychological factors. They feel that on the physical side of allergy one must block the action of histamine and treat the disturbances of physiology resulting from the liberation of this secretion. In the psychological area they feel one must deal with the patients' affect hunger and fear of rejection.