(Student’s Name)
All submitted papers must be typed no hand written papers will be accepted.
1. Unfortunately, many individuals in our society are considered at "great risk" for psychological problems. Identify the psychosocial issues in the movie that should cause individuals to seek professional counseling help (even if some individuals could not afford to pay).
The film is a romance-comedy-drama written and directed by David O. Russell and based from the novel of the same title by Matthew Quick. It tells the story of a former History teacher, Patrizio "Pat" Solitano, Jr. (Bradley Cooper), who wants to reunite with his wife, Nikki (Brea Bee), after spending eight months of therapy for bipolar disorder.
In the movie, there are notable psychosocial issues that should cause individuals to seek professional help. One of them shows Danny McDaniels (Chris Tucker), Pat's friend inside the institution, and a former X-ray technician, who came in the institution for substance abuse, anxiety, and attention deficiency disorder (ADD). He keeps on escaping the institution to follow Pat and he has these ongoing disagreements with hospital authorities. He admitted in the film that he had lots of access to medications.
Another notable issue is Pat, Sr.’s (Robert de Niro) obsessive-compulsive behavior as shown on the way he holds a handkerchief, the way he keeps the remote controls on the table, the way he roots for the Eagles, and the way he deals his “friendly wagers” with Randy that already borders to compulsive gambling. He lost his job and wanted to put up a restaurant. When asked where he would get the money, it revealed that he would get it by bookmaking, which Encyclopedia Britannica defined as “a gambling practice of determining odds and receiving and paying off bets on the outcome of sporting events.” (Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d)
Proper stress management became a problem to Ronnie (John Ortiz), Pat’s friend, who tries to survive amidst pressures and stress of daily living. He hides these feelings to his wife, Veronica (Julia Stiles), but keeps on complaining to Pat behind Veronica’s back.
At a dinner Ronnie and his wife hosted, Pat meets Veronica’s sister, Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence) who has just lost her job and husband in an accident. It turns out that Pat and Tiffany have something in common: their medications for depression and neuroses.
2. If an individual was hospitalized or attended a mental health clinic for the problems you identified in the above question, as a psychiatric nurse, what type of nursing approaches would you take to address their problems (Identify the problem like the example showsyou can have more than one just be sure to identify them accordingly).
Problem 1: Depression
Approach: Check for suicidal ideation
Check nutritional intake
Chapman & McCann (1988) listed different nursing approaches that would address the problems if an individual was admitted for the problems identified in the movie.
Problem 1: Bipolar Affective Disorder
Approach: When depressed, patient needs continuous positive reinforcement.
Encourage patient to express his or her feelings and listen.
Provide structured routine and promote interaction with others.
Prevent possible self-injuries, and supervise the patient’s medications.
When maniacal, remember his physical needs like food and personal hygiene. Maintain a calm environment and set realistic goals for his or her activities. Provide diversion activities suited to short attention span.
Watch for signs of frustrations and other triggers.
Once the incident is over, discuss with the patient his or her feelings.
Problem 2: Attention Deficit Disorder
Approach: Relaxation training and stress management to reduce anxiety and stress.
Help set clear objectives and plan home and work activities.
Try coaching to support better working relationships and improve on-the-job performance
Problem 3: Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior
Approach: Focus on reducing the associated anxiety, fears and guilt.
Approach the patient unhurriedly.
Allow the patient to carry out his behavior (unless it is dangerous) until he can be distracted into some other activity.
Explore the patterns leading to the behavior or recurring problems.
Encourage use of effective defense mechanisms to relieve loneliness or isolation.
Encourage active diversion activities to divert attention from the unwanted thoughts.
Show the patient alternate ways to solve problems, develop effective coping skills by setting limits on unacceptable behavior.
Make reasonable and clear demands, purpose, and set limitations.
Avoid situations that trigger frustration and provoke anger.
Problem 4: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Approach: Help the patient to find balance between personal, work, and family needs.
Help the patient define his purpose in life.
Encourage the patient to get enough sleep.
Encourage the patient to adopt healthy habits.
3. What type of preventive measures could have been taken to eliminate the problem or problems you identified?
Some of the factors that bring about these problems start from development. Physical, emotional, and intellectual growth, the social environment a person has subjected into, the education, the belief systems etc. contribute to a person’s perceptions and adaptations (WebMD, 2013). The film begins with Pat’s voice over telling how much he loves family, his wife, and mentions that his father always calls him crazy. At one scene with his psychiatrist, Pat said, “I don’t wanna need meds, doctor. I’m not the explosion guy, okay? My father is the explosion guy. I am not that guy.”
4. Identify one agency in the community that would be of help to an individual dealing with one psychosocial problem you identified.
There are agencies in the community that would be of help to an individual dealing with psychosocial problems. WebMD, an online medical resource listed different support agencies that you could contact.
Problem: Bipolar Affective Disorder
Agency: The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance is a website that provides up-to-date information on bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. They also help explain how doctors conduct tests for these conditions.
Problem: Attention Deficit Disorder
Agency: Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) is a national, nonprofit organization that provides education, advocacy, and support for persons with ADHD. Aside from their website, the organization publishes printed materials like Attention, a magazine for family members and professionals to keep them updated with developments on research, medications, and treatments.
Problem: Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior
Agency: The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) is a nonprofit organization established in 1953. It is composed of over eight thousand psychiatrists and physicians that research, evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders for kids, teenagers, and families affected by mental, behavioral, or developmental problems.
Problem: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Agency: The American Psychiatric Association is an organization of psychiatrists nationwide that aims for the care and effective treatment of people with behavioral and mental disorders, substance abuse problems, and mental retardation. They also provide more information about common mental health problems, medications, and prevention.
5. Do you think there is any educational benefit to viewing this movie for Behavioral Health? Explain your answer if yes or no.
I believe that there is worth learning from this film for Behavioral Health. As a student of Nursing, there is a continuous need for educating the public, most especially the family, and the community, on how to deal with people who came back from therapy. Although family members and friends are happy that the patient has successfully treated, these people are not aware on how to go about with the triggers, and some violent bursts of behavior. As shown in the film, Pat’s mother is eager to get Pat out of the institution against medical advice. These same parents remove Pat's picture from the walls and could not control Pat during fits of temper.
The community, too, needs education. People tend to avoid the patient rather than face him. In one particular scene, Pat was jogs to the school he used to work and saw a fellow teacher. The teacher runs from her car to the school’s door just to avoid him. In another scene, a neighbor knocks at the door hoping that he could take some pictures of Pat while having some anxiety attacks because Pat could not find his wedding video.
Irony presents itself when the two main characters, Pat and Tiffany, have accepted their own selves and problems after treatment, while the people around them are still in denial of their own psychological problems and neuroses.
Resources
Cohen, Bruce, Gigliotti, Donna (Producers), & Russel, David O. (Director). (8 September 2012). Silver Linings Playbook [Motion picture]. USA: The Weinstein Company.
1 bookmaking. (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica online. Retrieved from http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/73591/bookmaking
Gyetvan, Mary Chapman, & McCann, Judith A. Schilling (Eds.). (1988). Diseases and Disorders Handbook. Springhouse, Pennsylvania: Springhouse Corporation.
Bipolar Disorder Health Center. (n.d.). Retrieved 29 May 2013 from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/default.htm
ADD & ADHD Health Center. (n.d.). Retrieved 29 May 2013 from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/default.htm
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Health Center. (n.d.). Retrieved 29 May 2013 from WebMD:
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/obsessive-compulsive-disorder
Stress Management Health Center. (n.d.). Retrieved 29 May 2013 from WebMD:
http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/default.htm
