[Fear of environmental poisons--justified fear or psychiatric disorder?].

A typical anxiety of our time is the anxiety of environmental poisons. Although some of the fears may be reasonable, anxiety diseases and somatoform disorders are important differential diagnoses. The limited value of toxicological and immunological parameters is discussed in depth, and risk factors associated with the development of environmental phobia are presented. This establishes that the concept of "clinical ecology" lacks credible scientific foundation. It must be stressed, that "clinical ecology" may seriously hinder a proper psychosomatic diagnosis and its relevant therapy.