Psych Discussion 5
Description of Problems
Vee, a 26-year-old lady of African American descent, has several mental health problems. She describes past non-suicidal self-harm, especially cutting her arms and legs. In addition, Vee attempted suicide twice through drug overdoses when she was a teenager and six months ago. However, Vee reports having persistent suicidal thoughts and losing her focus in the middle of discussions. She claims she frequently loses consciousness and has a history of altering her appearance, hobbies, and employment to fit in with each different social group. All these issues indicate that she has a mental health problem.
Primary and Differential Diagnosis
Vee has a borderline personality disorder (BPD) as her primary diagnosis (ICD- 301.83). According to DSM-5 criteria, people must exhibit symptoms like impulsivity, an unstable self-image, a fear of abandonment, impulsivity, interpersonal relationship issues, quick mood swings, impulsive behavior, a pattern of repeated suicidal behavior, persistent feelings of emptiness, dissociative episodes, and problems with anger management to be diagnosed with BPD (APA, 2020). Vee exhibits the majority of these signs. First has a history of both previous and present suicidal thoughts and actions. Additionally, she struggles with self-control, especially around her husband. She frequently lashes out at her spouse, yells at him, and throws objects when she feels like she can no longer take him. She frequently experiences emptiness, sadness, and fear of abandonment after doing this. Vee has already admitted to acting impulsively and having several partners for sexual activity. Vee also struggles with identification, especially with dissociation episodes and a confused perception of who she is. This is demonstrated by the way she adapts her personality to the situation.
A major depressive disorder is one of Vee’s differential diagnoses. Individuals must exhibit five or more of the symptoms of sad mood, loss of pleasure or interest, sleeplessness, weariness, feelings of worthlessness, lack of focus, and suicidal ideation to be diagnosed with major depressive disorder (ICD- 296.20-296.36), according to DSM-5 (Hasin et al., 2018). I believed Vee exhibits signs of major depressive disorder, such as increased sensitivity, suicidal thoughts, and attempts, easily losing interest in her job, and a lack of interest in social activities.
The Cluster of Main Diagnosis
Vee’s condition falls under cluster B of personality disorders. In this cluster, personality disorders are categorized by how difficult it is for a person to control their emotions. Others may perceive them as unpredictable (APA, 2020). One of the diseases included in this cluster is BPD, which is frequently characterized by mood swings, intense emotions, and challenging feelings to cope with.
Treatment Plan
Therapy and self-care techniques will be combined in Vee’s treatment plan to be effective. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is the most effective treatment for Vee’s BPD symptoms (DBT). DBT was developed specifically to support BPD patients in identifying and managing their symptoms. DBT focuses on the client’s behaviors in the present rather than their prior habits. Its four components are emotional regulation, mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, and pain tolerance (Perrotta, 2020). Vee will be able to concentrate on her current state, comprehend her behaviors and feelings, refrain from passing judgment on her present emotions, and employ useful coping mechanisms in difficult circumstances with the assistance of these factors (Perrotta, 2020). Additionally, mindfulness will assist Vee in calming down and creating better behavioral patterns. Vee should do yoga, consume food that contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory characteristics as well as minimally processed foods, get enough sleep, and play a sport that requires coordination to lessen her BPD and depression symptoms.
References
American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2020). Assessment measures. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.AssessmentMeasures
Hasin, D. S., Sarvet, A. L., Meyers, J. L., Saha, T. D., Ruan, W. J., Stohl, M., & Grant, B. F. (2018). Epidemiology of adult DSM-5 major depressive disorder and its specifiers in the United States. JAMA psychiatry, 75(4), 336-346.
Perrotta, G. (2020). Borderline personality disorder: Definition, differential diagnosis, clinical contexts, and therapeutic approaches. Annals of Psychiatry and Treatment, 4(1), 043-056.
