Psychological Disorders
As a result of a traumatic event that happened in her life, Karen, the patient described in case study 4, suffers from a dissociative disorder, namely the dissociative amnesia. After her baby has died, at only 15 months because of a cold that evolved in a respiratory disorder that could have not been treated, the woman and her husband, Larry buried their son Austin, three days after he had died. The next day when she woke up and she did not find her son in his crib, the woman panicked. The sorrow that the woman had experienced was a traumatic event (BehaveNet, “Dissociative Amnesia”) that left her with no memory about the death of her son.
The recommended treatment for this disorder is the psychoanalysis (using dreams to reiterate existent moments from the past) and the psychotherapy, combined with permanent care, support and their historical perspective from the family members. However, there are no clear indications that such treatments or any other are effective for the patients’ recovery (Rhoads & Murphy, 2012).
Tony, the patient described in the Case Study 5 manifests the symptoms of a dissociative disorder, namely the dissociative identity disorder, which reflects the migration of the patient between at least two identities or personal states, living, perceiving and relating to distinct environments of each personality (BehaveNet, “Dissociative Identity Disorder”).
As such, Tony considers himself a FBI agent, while he still identifies with his real identity, episodically. Although this disorder is mostly encountered in children, it manifests through difficulties in focusing in school, mood disorders, hallucination, anxiety disorders, or personality disorders (Rhoads & Murphy , 2012). These symptoms are explicable for Tony’s reactions of speaking to himself, muttering in the classroom or in the carelessness of his appearances and hygiene. The treatment for this disorder is psychotherapy and medication or pharmacokinetics/drug administration – desvenlafaxine or mirtazapine (antidepressant). The patients should be initially tested if they are prepared physiologically to take these drugs, in order not to have any condition that would cause a negative side effect to these drugs (Rhoads & Murphy, 2012).
The case study number 3 explores Anissa’s inexplicable numbness in both hands. The 23 year-old-girl had suffered from a horrific car accident in which two passengers died in the car that she drove. Although from a medical point of view she was fully recovered, she remained with a numbness in her hands. This is an inexplicable symptom for physicians and it manifests through a burden and a pain for patients. It is usually thought to have a connection with a psychological stressor (BehaveNet, “Stomatoform Disorders”). In relation to this aspect, Anissa’s numbness might have been caused by a subconscious feeling of guilt for the death of the people involved in the car accident. The recommended treatment for this disorder is the therapy (First & Tasman, 2010).
The patient of the case study number 2, Louis, manifests the symptoms of the narcissistic personality disorder. He is solely concerned about himself, uses people to reach his goals, has grandiose, imaginative, illusory perceptions about himself, dreaming that he will become the CEO of the company, although he has been an office assistant for 10 years. He requires admiration, showing off with his business successes and he is not interested with others’ stories (BehaveNet, “Narcissistic Personality Disorder”). The causes of this disorder are not known, and the recommended treatment is psychotherapy, cognitive and group therapies (Rhoads & Murphy, 2012).
The patient treated in case the case study 1 – Josephine – manifests the symptoms of a schizoid personality. She finds no pleasure in interacting with others, not even her relatives and she cannot hold any job for a long time, as she is unable to socialize. She has no pleasure, other than to stay by her own playing video games. This estate can be caused by a lonely, isolated childhood or by the inacceptance of the peers (First & Tasman, 2010). The treatment recommended for this case is individual psychotherapy or group therapy, but on short term. However, there are no clear evidences that any treatment is effective, because people who suffer from this disorder usually lack the desire to change and they are unlikely to present to treatment (First & Tasma, 2010).
References
BehaveNet (n.d.) Dissociative amnesia. Retrieved from http://behavenet.com/dissociative-amnesia.
BehaveNet (n.d.) Dissociative identity disorder. Retrieved from http://behavenet.com/dissociative-identity-disorder.
BehaveNet (n.d.) Somatoform disorders. Retrieved from http://behavenet.com/somatoform-disorders#301.
BehaveNet (n.d.) Schizoid personality disorder. Retrieved from http://behavenet.com/schizoid-personality-disorder#301.
BehaveNet (n.d.) Narcissistic personality disorder. Retrieved from http://behavenet.com/narcissistic-personality-disorder#301.
First, M., B & Tasman, A. (2010) Clinical guide to the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: New Jersey.
Rhoads, J. & Murphy, P., J., M. (2012) Nurses’ clinical consult to psychopharmacology. Springer Publishing Company, LLC: New York.
