Introduction
Cindy is a 37-year-old woman who was admitted to a psychiatric hospital following a suicide attempt. The case study under analysis reveals that the patient can have different mental disorders. Consequently, the paper is going to present the disorders with their diagnostic codes that Cindy is likely to have, possible differential diagnoses and the rationale behind them, and various psychological and environmental problems affecting Cindy.
Discussion
Firstly, it is possible to state that Cindy has F32.1 Major Depressive Disorder, moderate, with mixed features. Specific symptoms demonstrate that the patient can have this condition. In the morning after the party, Cindy had a depressed mood, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, and inappropriate guilt, which resulted in her suicide attempt. This event was predicted by elevated mood, grandiosity, and others. According to the American Psychiatric Association (2013), these features are sufficient to diagnose a Major Depressive Disorder. Secondly, F31.12 Bipolar I Disorder, moderate, is another potential diagnosis that deserves consideration. Relevant symptoms include grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, being more talkative, and an increase in goal-directed activities, and they are all present in Cindy (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Finally, F31.81 Bipolar II Disorder, hypomanic, can also be applied to the person under analysis. Cindy’s symptoms are the same as those for Bipolar I Disorder, but the current condition’s specifiers are moderate and hypomanic because a severe manic episode was not identified in the patient.
According to the information above, F32.1 Major Depressive Disorder and F31.81 Bipolar II Disorder are meaningful differential diagnoses. Now, it is reasonable to provide arguments to exclude them. On the one hand, Major Depressive Disorder should be ruled out because the mixed features can be fully classified as a manic or hypomanic episode. If it occurs, “the diagnosis should be Bipolar I or Bipolar II disorder” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 185). On the other hand, Bipolar II Disorder should be ruled out because Cindy’s symptoms are abundant to claim that she only has a hypomanic episode. In addition to having the features of a hypomanic episode, the patient is also involved in risky behavior by flirting with her boss’s husband. This statement denotes that F31.12 Bipolar I Disorder is the leading diagnosis for Cindy.
Now, it is reasonable to focus on the psychosocial, environmental, and medical problems that accompany Cindy. One should begin with those factors that led to her diagnosis. Firstly, it is possible to state that the patient stopped taking her antidepressants and failed to report it to her psychiatrist. There is no doubt that this fact could significantly affect her mental health. Secondly, Cindy survived three divorces, and these events typically result in adverse consequences for people. In addition to that, it is reasonable to focus on the fact that attending a party with many people could remind Cindy of her loneliness. That is why it is necessary to state that an environmental factor also affected the patient.
Conclusion
In addition to that, it is worth admitting that some problems became the result of the diagnosis. Cindy’s decision to make a suicide attempt was made because of the heavy guilt that was present because of having Bipolar I Disorder. Furthermore, one can suggest that hospitalization following a suicide attempt will lead to negative psychosocial consequences. For example, it is possible to expect that Cindy will experience stigma and isolation in society. There is no doubt that these factors will make it more challenging for this person to live a normal life and manage the existing health condition.
Reference
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Pub Inc.