Case Study of Depression and Mental Pressure Case Study

Introduction

The video provides an interview with Alison, who feels depressed. The woman is 38 years old and talks about how she finds it hard to cope with everyday things, causing them to pile up and put pressure on her. Some months she feels tired, and her mood is always low, despite having children and working at the supermarket. Alison’s primary complaints are the constant fatigue and depression that keep her from feeling well.

History of Present Illness

Alison came to the appointment independently after her sister advised her to learn more about her condition with a specialist. According to the woman, the constant fatigue had been present for several months. Alison reports that during that time, she had stopped taking care of her appearance and had lost some weight due to a lack of sleep. The woman points to fatigue, which causes daily activities to become insurmountable obstacles. She notices that her boyfriend Dave does not want to communicate with her and Alison’s condition worsens. The disease probably began gradually, affecting her whole body at once. Alison believes that her illness is severe and taking a toll all the time, and the environment is worsening the condition. She gets relief after talking to her sister or interacting with her children.

Mental Health Review of Symptoms

Alison reports the following symptoms she observes over time she considers herself ill. First and foremost is a problem with sleep: sleep does not bring relief and recovery, sleep is restless, and waking up at night does not allow for further rest. Alison also reports that she cannot fall asleep for a long time, and sometimes reading a book before bed helps her, but being alone before falling asleep bothers her the most. Second, a drop in energy and fatigue is other symptoms that put pressure. This causes Alison to cope less with daily activities, and at work, she cannot perform routine activities such as talking to customers or arranging merchandise. Third, communicating with her sister or friends is also tricky: more often than not, Alison is so exhausted that she cannot participate in discussions. Because of this, her relationship with her boyfriend Dave has deteriorated, and she considers herself a burden on him. Separately, Alison talks about her difficulties with her children: she feels useless and feels she can’t help them in their lives.

Mental Status Exam

Alison can be evaluated in the following categories: observations, mood, cognition, perception, behavior, and thoughts. Observations analysis shows shaky, quiet speech, a little unkempt, a little lethargic, and no eye contact. Alison’s mood is depressed and anxious, and the woman cries frequently. Assessment of cognition – Alison concentrates poorly and sometimes forgets how to do the things she does daily. The patient’s behavior is normal, not aggressive, restless, or tired. Alison is fixated on troubling thoughts which interfere with her sleep and daily routines; she is poor at sticking to plans and has a subordinate social role.

Diagnosis and Plan

Alison most likely has a depressive state accompanied by the typical symptoms of sleep disturbance, increased fatigue, decreased communication ability, and anxiety. The following plan for resolving depression is recommended for this case.

1. Re-interviewing and assessing risk behaviors.
2. Providing the patient with a treatment plan and socializing with it by conceptualizing problems.
3. Setting treatment goals with the patient.
4. Behavioral activation and creating a safe environment for behavior change.
5. Social-behavioral and cognitive therapy with possible involvement of medication.
6. After symptom reduction, the continuation of observation.