PCN605 Grand Canyon Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Discussion Response
250 words with 1-2 scholarly references. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Add a discussion to enhance a conversation on the topic being discussed.
1) Tim Straight – 6.1
are not too happy in work settings right now. The so-called iGen, however, is quite happy to work very hard when they are at work–much like Baby Boombers. So, if the media helps and hurts the cause of mental illness, what should we do as a profession? What is your opinion of the move (at least here in my hometown) to embed counselors in primary care settings to do screenings and even brief interventions “on the spot” with primary care providers?
2) Christina Fife – 6.1
Obsessive-compulsive disorders are commonly portrayed as causing someone to either be extremely Type A or anal retentive in actions and personality or the exact opposite, someone who is dirty and so unorganized because they are not able to contain all the objects they collect or are obsessed with. The Type A may look like the overly neat and possibly germophobic male who uses hand sanitizer after shaking hands. This person is portrayed as having an overly neat house with everything put in place. The opposite you can see on the TV show Hoarders. This person is seen as not only obsessed with objects but not being able to organize due to the amount of stuff they have. The first example is portrayed as ok in society and a personality that is idealized. On TV they are the successful businessmen or women who live a lavish lifestyle. The hoarder is seen as a crazy person who is just not able to let go. Family is typically shown not being able to deal with them and turning their backs on them. The media likes to portray all mental illness as either glamorous and aiding someone in obtaining things (mania helps them get things done, ADHD medication helps with accomplishing tasks, obsessive-compulsive disorder helps them be organized and stylish). By glamorizing some mental illness, it may keep those needing help from seeking it as they may feel they are being helped, even those others around them may see it differently.
The DSM states that those suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder have recurring and persistent thoughts, urges or images that intrusive and unwanted and cause anxiety and distress. It is also noted that these individuals attempt to ignore or suppress these thoughts, urges or images or counter act them by performing a compulsive action (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that a person feels driven to perform and they are not able to deviate from them. They are used to decrease the anxiety experienced by the intrusive thoughts, urges or images. These thoughts, urges, or images and compulsions cause inability to function daily and may diminish the person’s quality of life (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Because media portrays some aspects of this disorder as leading to a better life, those who suffer from this disorder may not seek treatment, thinking their habits or compulsions and thoughts are helping them.
Hoarding is seen as extreme difficulty in parting with objects regardless of value. There is distress experienced when faced with the idea of having to get rid of things that can lead to an accumulation of so much stuff, living environments become hazardous. There is significant distress felt and a decreased quality of life for the person suffering from this disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Those dealing with this disease may not reach out for fear of loosing their family as that is what is seen on TV and especially the show Hoarders.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author
3) Gerlyn Walker – 6.2
Rebecca is a 15-year-old girl brought in by her mother due to Rebecca’s history of cutting and the mother had discovered fresh superficial scars. The counselor did observe multiple older scars. The mother reported a history of non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors for approximately two years. Rebecca reported a history of anxiety and depression.
Rebecca reports a history of non-permanence in her home due to her father serving in the military. Two years ago they moved several times and across the country where she could not maintain any friendships from her past. Many clients want to treat their own symptoms by self-medicating with illegal substances or alcohol. Rebecca appears to have encountered anxiety, depression and stress disorder with each new environment. It is normal for juveniles her age to aware of their weight looks. grades, if they belong or not belong. She continues to be the new girl in school and has experienced bullying, made fun of in school. This is a lot of pressure put on Rebecca. She has made friends with a peer who is not so helpful for teaching her how to use laxatives and purge, which is a worry since this is hard to detect and a strain on the body. Rebecca has chosen to relieve her anxiety and pain through self-harming behaviors evidenced by her report of she cuts to “ on the outside to alleviates her pain inside.”
The symptoms reported by Rebecca and her mother could be diagnosed with DMS-5 as adjustment disorder due to her moving and experiencing all the bullying in school, her belief of she doesn’t belong look right. She should be monitored for an eating disorder that may interfere with Rebecca’s health.
I believe Rebecca is suffering from Adjustment Disorder, The diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder an individual must develop emotional or behavioral symptoms that in response to a stressful situation, the distress is proportioned to the severity of the stressor, or cause significant social impairment (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The disturbance is not due to any other mental disorder, bereavement, and symptoms do not persist after six months after the stress has been terminated (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
Rebecca could benefit from learning mindfulness exercised to reduce her stress. She could benefit from DBT skills to reduce her anxiety and stress of other students bullying her. It could benefit Rebecca to attend and complete a Cognitive based program to address her maladaptive thinking and behaviors
References
Dziegielewski, S. F. (2013). DSM-5 in action. Hoboken NJ: John Wiley & sons.
Webb, C. A., Beard, C., Kertz, S. J., Hsu, K. J., & Björgvinsson, T. (2016). Differential role of CBT skills, DBT skills and psychological flexibility in predicting depressive versus anxiety symptom improvement. Behaviour research and therapy, 81, 12–20. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2016.03.006
4) Catherine Ashley – 6.2
There are many healthy and unhealthy ways in which an individual can cope with or treat their own symptoms of anxiety, stress, or trauma. Healthy ways to treat these symptoms would include “problem-solving, support seeking, cognitive restructuring, and acceptance” (Ștefan, 2019). Unhealthy ways of treating these symptoms would include substance use/abuse, non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors (NSSI), detachment, and seclusion.
In Rebecca’s case, she is engaging in NSSI behaviors and is beginning to experiment with other unhealthy coping strategies at the suggestion of a friend. I would formulate an initial diagnosis of social anxiety disorder for Rebecca based on her having experienced these symptoms for the past 2 years. She displays a lot of anxiety surrounding peer group interactions, beyond what is typical for that stage of development. She has begun attempting cope with the intense fear/anxiety by utilizing NSSI in the form of cutting her arms to release pain. While she is beginning to display some signs of preoccupation with her weight and has attempted some disordered eating behaviors, she is as concerned with her grades as she is her appearance and how her peers, especially male peers, view her.
Reference:
Ștefan, C. A. (2019). Self-compassion as mediator between coping and social anxiety in late adolescence: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of adolescence, 76, 120–128. Retrieved from https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2019.08.013
