clarify what are the main problems that have brought the patient to be there. Some of this may have already been achieved in the previous section. The patient may have more than one problem and these may be related, such as posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse or seemingly unrelated, such as panic disorder and premature ejaculation. The patient is unlikely to present a diagnosis and is more likely to describe the nature of their problems in common language. History of the presenting complaints (present illness) The clinician then attempts to obtain a clear description of these problems. When did they start? How did they start, suddenly, slowly or in fits and starts? Have they fluctuated over time? What does the patient describe as the essential features of the complaints? Having developed a hypothesis of what may be the diagnosis, the clinician next looks at symptoms that might confirm this hypothesis or lead them to consider another possibility. Much of the mental process for the clinician is involved in this process of hypothesis testing to arrive at a diagnostic formulation that will form the basis of a management plan. The severity of each complaint is assessed and this may include probing questions on sensitive issues such as suicidal thoughts or sexual difficulties. History This is divided into the psychiatric history, which looks at any previous episodes of the presenting complaint as well as any other past or ongoing psychiatric problems. The substance (drug) history included data about patterns of use (mode of administration, age of onset, frequency, amount, last use, medical or psychological complications, history of attempting to quit) for alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. The medical history documents significant illnesses, both past and current, and significant medical events such as head injury, seizures, major surgeries, and major illnesses. A separate sexual history gathers data about sexual orientation and sexual activity. Finally a history of abuse, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse is obtained from the patient and collateral sources (family members or close family friends) as trauma might not be directly remembered by the patient. Family history Many psychiatric disorders have a genetic component and the biological family history is thus relevant. Clinical experience also suggests that a response to treatment may have a genetic component as well. Thus a patient who presents with clinical depression whose mother also suffered from the same disorder and responded well to fluoxetine