ABSTRACT
The controversies and dilemmas in psychiatry are determined by various factors. Only those who have little knowledge of psychiatry or too much faith in psychiatry can expect psychiatrists to resolve all controversies and dilemmas in psychiatry. As the reader has seen, psychiatry is fraught with controversies and dilemmas; probably more than any other medical discipline. They are trade-mark of psychiatry. With a bit of exaggeration one can say that if we take controversies and dilemmas out of psychiatry there will be not much psychiatry left. Critics of psychiatry of whatever orientation challenge the basics of psychiatry, its foundation. Psychiatrists are unable to influence some of them. A second group is more of a matter for philosophers than psychiatrists. A third group will probably be resolved by the discovery of the organic basis of most mental disorders. The contradictions belonging to the fourth group are more artificial than real.
