Discussion

by


In addition, to prepare for this discussion read Chapter 3 and Chapter 6 in your required textbook and view the videos Depression and Its TreatmentsLinks to an external site. and OCD: One Patient’s StoryLinks to an external site..

Read the following case studies and refer to your textbook, and the DSM-5, as needed to support your understanding.

Option 1: Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Joe is a 44-year-old, married Latino male. He presents with racing thoughts and constant worry. He states that he cannot control the anxious thoughts and they are constant. In the session, Joe has a hard time sitting still and his leg bounces up and down the entire time. Speaking more about his anxiety, he states he doesn’t sleep much because the worry keeps him from falling and staying asleep. He has had to quit his job because he cannot focus on work, as his racing worried thoughts keep him from concentrating. At home, he paces the floor because he struggles to sit still. Over the past year, he has lost several friends because he loses his patience with them easily. He has stated he has always been a worrier, but it really started to get out of control after he had a car accident last year.

Option 2: Panic disorder – Week 2

Deanna is a 52-year-old African American married female. She was driving home from work one day when she all of a sudden high tightness in her chest and had a hard time breathing. She thought that she was going to die. Fearing she might be having a heart attack, she pulled into the next parking lot and called an ambulance that took her to the ER. She explained to the doctors that she started feeling dizzy, then had tightness in her chest and hard a hard time breathing, and her heart was pounding fast in her chest. The doctors checked her out and stated she was fine and sent her home. After that, Deanna started to have more attacks like this, even when she was not driving. She started to worry about when the next one would come. She started to avoid driving, fearing that she might cause an accident when one of the attacks comes back and would have her husband drive her where she needed to go.

In your initial post,

  • First, choose one of the options and describe the patient’s symptoms and the available demographic and historical data.
  • Based on the scenario you chose, evaluate how the intensity, duration, and focus support the identified diagnosis. (Support your discussion with citations outlined in the University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site.)
  • Discuss the available treatments for this patient.
  • Discuss the implications of a therapist who actively encourages a patient to take medication that has been shown to be effective when the patient has strong objections to the use of a pharmacological approach to treatment.
  • Develop at least three recommendations for the patient/family for ongoing functioning (social, occupational, and academic, if applicable), associated with the scenario you chose.
  • Finally, analyze the differences between both scenarios: Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder? Do the recommendations differ?

Post your initial response of 300 words or more by Day 3 (Thursday). Respond to at least two of your peers by Day 7 (Monday). Peer postings should be a minimum of 200 words each.

Guided Peer Responses: Peer responses should be carefully crafted and insightful. The goal of the discussion forum is to foster continual dialogue, similar to what might occur in a verbal face-to-face exchange. Consider discussing areas of interest as well as the following questions in your responses:

  • What strikes you as interesting or something you did not know that your peer shared?
  • What additional recommendations would you offer the patient/family that your peer chose to investigate?
  • Share diagnoses that could potentially be considered for your peer’s case study. (Support with citations.)
  • Discuss differing implications that you shared for the therapist who actively encourages a patient to take medication that has been shown to be effective, when the patient has strong objections to the use of a pharmacological approach to treatment.

Instructor Responses: Review any instructor feedback on your postings. Often feedback is shared to help you to elevate your level of critical thought or make corrections. Reply based on this feedback to advance your understanding of the content addressed.

Observe the following guidelines for all responses:

  • Remember that discussion forums should be conversations; dialogue is encouraged throughout the course.
  • Provide a courteous and interactive learning environment.
  • Continue to monitor this discussion through 5:00 p.m. on Day 7 of the week and reply to anyone (instructor or classmate) who has chosen to respond to your original post.
  • Your grade will reflect the quality of your initial post, the depth of your peer replies, and your active support of forum dialogue.
  • Your responses should demonstrate that you have read the existing replies on the board. (In your response mention information and viewpoints already expressed by existing responses to the same post.)