Diagnosing Ellen
1a. Refer to the DSM-IV checklist and list all symptoms that Ellen has that match the criteria for major depressive episode. Which of Ellen’s symptoms meet any of the criteria? (Be sure to match specific symptoms with specific criteria.) Ellen is not comfortable and feels out of place and therefore is not interested in social activities, she feels guilty about not having a very loving relationship with her mother a guilt that extends to not doing more for her mother when she was sick. Ellen often thinks of suicide and has a plan to commit it. Her depression has lasted longer than a month and affects her health by not eating correctly. 1b. Can Ellen be said to be suffering from a major depressive disorder? Ellen has major depressive disorder because she meets most of the criteria for it as outlined in the DSM-5. 1c. Explain and defend your diagnoses or lack thereof.
Ellen meets the criteria because she meets more than five of the criteria for it in the DSM-5. She is depressed daily, she doesn’t seem to take pleasure in most of daily activities, she has a loss of appetite, she feels worthless and guilty, and she often thinks of suicide, as well as having a plan to carry it out. 2. Where does Ellen fit with Shneidman’s taxonomy of people who intentionally end their lives? I would have to say that she doesn’t fit very well in any one category but if I were to make an educated discussion I would say that she is a death ignorer. She believes that she will be happier when she is dead and has religious beliefs. She also meets a minimum of seven of Shneidmans commonalities of suicide (unknown, 2014).
The Essay on Life Suicide Feels Face
For anyone who has ever had someone they know commit suicide Janice Mirikitani s Suicide Note allows you to see what makes a person take their own life. While reading this poem, the reasons behind this college girl s suicide are given. She has written this note as an apology to her parents. She compares herself to a sparrow, wishes she was someone else, and believes that if she is not perfect ...
Here is a link to the site I got the information from. http://suicidepreventioncommunity.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/shneidman_10-commonalities.pdf 3. What factors are present that may trigger a suicide attempt by Ellen? The events that may trigger an attempt by Ellen would be Harry’s affair with his student as well as her unresolved guilt she has about her mother’s death. Another trigger could be the fact that she is trained with a gun and knows she can do it at any time she wants.
Explaining Ellen’s Depression and Suicidality
1. What genetic factors might play a role in Ellen’s depression? Her alcoholic father and religious mother and their obsession with both may play factors in a genetic link. However, Being a middle child because of lack of positive attention. She was also had a lack of loving communication with her parents and physical abuse. 2. What biochemical factors might play a role in Ellen’s depression? Drugs can reduce depression and can increase serotonin which Ellen may have lacked (Comer, 2014, p.220).
Ellen stated that she would never use drugs and did not want to try them. 3a.What would a psychodynamic theorist say about the origins of Ellen’s depression? The psychodynamic theorist would say that Ellen is unable to accept the loss of her mother and as a result she regresses back to the oral stage of development and then is dependent on her dead loved ones. She then merges her identity to her parents in an attempt to regain her loses. They would say that she was unable to right the problem and became severely depressed (Comer, 2014 p. 184).
4. How might Freud’s concept of symbolic or imagined loss help explain Ellen’s depression? Ellen’s imagined lost opportunities are 1. Her father being gone for several months out of the year for recovery. 2. The loss of the separation with her boyfriend for a student affair. 3. The lost opportunity with her parents not attending her achievements and successes. 5. What evidence is there that Ellen is engaging in the cognitive triad and automatic thoughts? 1. She believes that the only way out of her pain is suicide. 2. She doesn’t believe that her daughter will miss her much. 3. She believes that the faster she commits suicide the better off she is. 6. How might the hormone theory help explain Ellen’s depression? If Ellen is feeling depression from elevated hormone from her endocrine glands her system isn’t functioning correctly during stressful times in her life. 7. How would the body dissatisfaction explanation lend to understanding Ellen’s depression? I do not believe that body dissatisfaction helps us understand Ellen’s depression. Although she may strive for perfection she the facts don’t support that she is dissatisfied with her body. 8. With regard to Ellen’s wish to commit suicide, which of Durkheim’s categories does Ellen belong and why? I believe that she fits in Durkheim’s category of Anomic suicide. She believes that her family and other social
The Essay on What Caused the Great Depression
As followed by many, if the notion of ” History Repeats itself,”ls true, then the cause of the great Depression of the 1920’s needs to be analyzed. The 1920’s or the “Modern Era” was full of exciting times, new inventions, creations, and entertainment. However, as explained in the Background Essay of the DBQ, the economy does not pause for these exciting events ...
structures have failed her throughout her life. This has left her feeling like she does not belong to society because society and the structures in it has let her down (Comer, 2014, pp.219-220).
Treating Ellen
1. Explain how a psychodynamic therapist would treat Ellen for her depression and suicidal tendencies. “Because of self-anger people turn their death instinct toward themselves (Comer, 2014, p.219).
I believe they would use the same processes as they do for most people who are suffering from depression. They would provide “free association, interpretations of dreams, displays of resistance and transference, and help the person review past events and feelings (Comer, 2014, p.185).
2. Explain how a behavioral therapist would treat Ellen for her depression and suicidal tendencies. They would treat her by suggesting that she engage in activities that she enjoys doing while monitoring her rewards for these activities by ignoring the bad behaviors and rewarding the good ones. They may also teach her how to gain social relationships. 3. Explain how a cognitive therapist would treat Ellen for her depression and suicidal tendencies. A cognitive therapist would treat Ellen by teaching her to think more positive through a four “phase approach. According to (Comer, 2014, pp, 190-191) the first phase they would encourage her to be more socially active. In the second phase they would help her be more aware of her negative thoughts by recording them so they can then challenge those thoughts. Phase three they would teach her how illogical the processes of thoughts she is using are. And stage four they would help her change the maladaptive attitudes that caused her depression. 4. Explain how an interpersonal therapist would treat Ellen for her depression and suicidal tendencies. The therapist would treat her by exploring her relationships with her mother and father and ask her to express her anger toward them and teach her better ways of thinking about her parents. The therapist may also ask her to face the views that she has on the roles of the people in her life and try to resolve those issues. A clinician may also help her learn her new place in life after the breakup and loss of her parents. Finally the therapist might help her develop new social skills to help her improve her social strength so to speak (Comer, 2014, p.192-193).
The Term Paper on What will a therapist need to consider when planning the treatment of a depressed client?
For this assignment, I am going to look at the main points regarding Mr. P’s case using given information whilst also giving a brief about depression of the reactive types followed by recognised treatments, developing a plan of treatment with set goals at each stage, respecting his Individuality, Dignity, ensuring Confidentiality, using a Non-Judgemental and Fair approach. INTRODUCTION Reading ...
5. Explain what biological treatment might be appropriate
for Ellen. I do not believe that Ellen should be treated through electroconvulsive therapy but this is a biological option for treatment for her because she refuses to take drugs for treatment. However, if they are able to treat her with drugs I believe that a great option for her may be one of the classic antidepressant drugs or a second generation antidepressant.
