Rubric
Shelby Morrow Case Study Case Study: Substance abuse Below is a case study of a male client, Bob. He suffers from substance abuse. Substance Abuse is a “maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as a manifested by one (or more) of the following, occurring within a 12-month period: 1) recurrent substance use resulting in failure to fulfill major role of obligations at work, school or home (e.g., absences, poor work performance, expulsion or suspension from school), 2) recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving or operating machinery), 3) recurrent substance- related legal problems (e.g., arrests for substance related disorderly conduct), 4) continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the substance (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences of intoxication, physical fights)” (Medical Definition of Substance Abuse). Bob, like many people suffering from substance abuse, has experienced a dramatic shift in friendships as well as other relationships, weight loss, irritableness, and anger. Through examination it has been determined that Bob does indeed suffer from substance abuse. Although he has been diagnosed, the process in which London deals with mental disorders, he will not be offered treatment as evidence (his behavior and attitude) supports the conclusion that he will not benefit from treatment because he is unwilling to work on the issue at hand.
Patient This section is comprised of a brief summary of the patient. Bob is a very thin, Caucasian, male. Bob is 27 years old from London. He is in a serious relationship with his girlfriend, Sally. Sally is concerned about her boyfriend, especially as they want to start a family in the near future. Bob’s childhood was comprised of an abusive father beating his mother. At age sixteen his mother left him and his brother with the father. Bob hating the absence of his mom and taking the blame for not standing up to defend her, he began heavily drinking and using drugs to cope with the guilt. He became an irritable, angry, and withdrawn man. He recently has been released from jail and his girlfriend is wanting to get help for him so they can start their family. Symptoms and Diagnosis This section is a description of Bob’s issues he’s experiencing and his diagnosis. Sally’s concerns and Bob’s attitude suggest extreme substance abuse. Bob’s frail stature, legal issues, lack of motivation, and sudden angry outburst are common signs of substance abuse.
Bob presents with a very strong, aggressive demeanor, he has no desire to change his behavior and appears to be very stubborn and unwilling to discuss the topic. Plan Components: From a psychologist point of view, this is treatable; however, it is a lengthy process usually consisting of setbacks. Bob has had prolonged exposure to drugs and alcohol, effecting the brain resulting in extreme cravings. Treatment is necessary in this situation as sheer will may not be enough. However, in Bob’s case, treatment is out of the question and will not be provided since Bob has no desire to change and treatment is not predicted to be beneficial (Robinson, Smith, M.A. and Saisan, M.S.W) in this situation. Application of therapy: Considering the position London takes on this matter, it is not apparent that Bob will benefit from treatment. He doesn’t want to listen in sessions, is very stubborn and unwilling. By order of London law, no treatment will be given to Bob as it is not predicted to alleviate symptoms of his disorder. Results/ Outcome Bob still presents with substance abuse. Unfortunately, as Bob presents as someone who will not benefit from treatment, treatment will not be offered. Sally may attend support groups to try to help Bob on her own, but unfortunately with this criminally ill patient, treatment will not be offered. Conclusion The author hopes that this case study reveals the issues within the London and Wales psychiatric system. Having a requirement of being disoriented enough to need treatment, but also be projected to have a successful outcome from treatment is not an effective system as many people who really need help will be denied treatment for not meeting these criteria.
References: Jewell, Richard. Case Study. 1 August 2013. 13 April 2017. <http://www.tc.umn.edu/~jewel001/CollegeWriting/WRITEWORK/DISCIPLINES/CaseStu dySamples.htm#Two>. Medical Definition of Substance Abuse. 13 May 2016. 12 April 2017. <http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=24405>. Robinson, Lawrence, et al. Drug Abuse and Addiction. April 2017. 13 April 2017. <https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addiction/drug-abuse-and-addiction.htm>.
Shelby Morrow April 17, 2017 Tiffany Isaacs ENC 2135- 38
Genre 3: Case Study
For my third genre, I decided to “conduct a case study.” I put this in quotes because I created a pretend situation, however following the criteria of a real case study, while answering the way a doctor in London would respond to such a situation (provided by research). After reading examples online of basic psychiatric case studies, I created my own. I thought this genre was very fitting; I figured since I’m writing about psychological issues, I probably should have a genre representing the field. By conducting a case study, I was able to give a brief description of a disorder, warranting treatment. I also was able to give details of the client’s life, behavior, attitude, and symptoms followed by a “psychiatric” analysis of the findings provided. In this particular case study, the plan of treatment and results/ outcome section are quite short in comparison to other case studies of its kind. This is because in London they can deny treatment if they feel an individual will not benefit from treatment, which is what occurred in this particular case study. I chose this genre because I wanted to show what many people seeking treatment in London and Wales experience- being denied treatment. This clearly falls under mistreatment. Like all case studies I started with a short introduction section, introducing the client involved in the case study. A brief statement is made of what the individual is suffering from,
followed by a brief researched description of that particular disorder. This is important as it allows the reader to know who and what they are about to be reading about as well as be given background information on the disorder. The intended audience is fellow psychologist/ psychiatrist. They will read this case study and see how mistreated individuals in the London mental health system are. By reading a case study they are given all the information they need to know to make a pretty adequate assessment. They are given information about the patient, the patients upbringing, the patients attitude and mindset, diagnosis, as well as the course of action. The audience will read this, and as professionals in the field they will know that this individual needs treatment, but is not being given it. This will effectively show the mistreatment these individuals endure as fellow psychiatrist will know the consequences of the patients not receiving the treatment they so desperately need. My syntax and diction in this genre are very specific as I needed to follow the conventions of a case study; focusing on being professional. The genre is consistently objective, simply stating the facts and analyzing throughout the study. This is done to promote the faรงade that it is a real case study, found all to often in London. The lay out of this piece also supports the attempt at being professional and making the case study as realistic as possible, as it follows the format and conventions of a case study. Lastly, the results/ outcome section is a pivotal section as it focuses on what the client and his partner must do now that he has been denied treatment. This section shows that his partner is going to have to bear the weight of his recovery on her shoulders, instead of receiving professional help because of the mental health system of London and Wales.