Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can be complicated by psychogenic or organic psychiatric disorders. Among HIV-infected outpatients mood disorders, anxiety disorders and alcohol or nonopiate drug abuse are the most often described disorders. Medical records of 32 HIV-infected psychiatric outpatients in the Netherlands were studied. Most occurring DSM-III(-R)-diagnoses were a major depression (n = 10) and an adjustment disorder with depressed or anxious mood (n = 10). No correlation was found between DSM-III(-R)-diagnosis and type of HIV diagnosis. The psychiatric treatment of the HIV-infected outpatients did not differ fundamentally from the treatment of other psychiatric outpatients with similar problems. In Amsterdam an extensive psychosocial and psychiatric supportsystem has been developed serving patients with HIV infection. However, since the number of AIDS-patients in the Netherlands living outside of Amsterdam is increasing, psychiatric health-care professionals working in this area will need to be more informed on specific aspects of HIV infection, homosexuality, prostitution and intravenous drug abuse.