Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - Essay Example

? Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Reflection Paper (ASL) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or the Lou Gehrig’s disease is a neurological disease in which the neurons controlling voluntary muscles become dysfunctional. The symptoms of this disease include; degeneration and eventual death of motor neurons. Involuntary twitching occurs as the muscles degenerate. Respiratory failure is the main cause of death for most ASL patients (Bethseda, 2010). This is because the chest and diaphragm muscles collapse when motor neurons die. It affects people all around the world without discriminating based on ethnic or racial lines. However, men are prone to it compared to women (Association, 2000). The movie So Much So Fast is a documentary on the life of Stephen Heywood. At the age of 29 years, Stephen learns from medical tests that he has ALS (Ascher, 2006). Most people who receive such diagnosis seal their fate. They easily give up on life automatically signing their own death sentence. It is necessary for a counseling psychologist to address all concerns that may arise from ALS. Proper analysis of the afflicted patient, his immediate family and friends and the community he comes from should be done (Winstead, 2005). Cross-cultural psychology studies the effect culture has on people’s thinking, behaviors and expression of emotions and feelings. Culture plays an enormous role in the way people in a culture define physiological disorders and how they express them. For example, western cultures are individualistic in nature, whereas, eastern cultures are more communistic. Therefore, people in individualistic cultures deal with their disorders privately compared to people in communist cultures where the entire society is aware of the disorder and pitches in to help in therapy. Comprehensive comparative studies on different cultures shows that people’s cultural backgrounds affects the way they respond to treatment. They also show that culture impacts on the success or failure of therapy received during the treatment process. Integration of cultural influences and therapy is a sole responsibility of a counseling psychologist. This will help the therapist with tips on how to deal with the patient, his family and the entire community (Winstead, 2005). In the case of Stephen, a therapist’s concern would be in dealing with his exuberant positive attitude despite the diagnosis of a terminal disease (Gordon,2000). Stephen’s attitude from the exact start was uplifting to those around him. Unlike most patients diagnosed with ALS, Stephen took the news in a rather positive way. To any therapist, this might be indications of escapist behaviors and lack of acceptance of the serious issue at hand. The therapist’s concern would, therefore, be primarily based on attempting to get through to the patient in order to help him see the seriousness of the diagnosis (Winstead, 2005). The therapist might adopt a plan which would help Stephen realise the gravity of the matter on his own. This can only be achieved by using Ca Roger’s person-ceneterd therapy. In this case, the therapist empathises and continually shows unconditional positive regard while integrating it with counselling skills. These skills help to point out pertinent details to the client and with time the client comes to a realisation on his own. The next step for the therapist would be in helping the entire family deal with the news. This would involve constant group therapy sessions that would provide better insight on the disease. Stephen’s brother would be the therapist main subject of interest. This is because Stephen’s brother was in the medical profession. As a result, he might develop self-destructive tendencies as he tries to come up with a cure for his brother’s condition. The goal of therapy would be to help him understand that his brother’s condition was as a result of factors beyond his control. He would, therefore, not develop an obsession with the creation of a cure for his brother’s condition. In the event that he did, he would be strong enough to control this obsession in a positive, healthy manner (Winstead, 2005). The role of a therapist undergoes a transformation as time elapses and the disease advances. At the very beginning, the therapist plays the role of an understanding figure to the afflicted client. The therapist helps the client accept implications that arise from such a diagnosis. The life expectancy of patients suffering from ASL is 5 to 10 years (Bethseda, 2010). Psychological studies on the subject of death show that it is a gradual process characterized by different phases. The acceptance phase is noteworthy because it helps bring closure to the patient and all those close to him. Therefore, the initial diagnosis phase requires the therapist to be honest with the client about their impending death (Gordon,2000). Despite the bleak nature of the client’s future, the therapist should offer encouragement. This allows the client to maximize the little time they have left as they practice positive living. This involves living life to the fullest enjoying all life has to offer (Association, 2000). Two years or so into treatment, other, healthcare professionals play assist with the healthcare of the patient. The primary goal of the entire team is to ensure the patient’s relief from symptoms. The condition further worsens during this period and therapy becomes a motivating tool. The therapist plays the role of a motivating figure giving moral support to the client. This helps in boosting their morale and gives them the strength to proceed. The therapist also solicits support from those closest to the client (Association, 2000). Failure of vital body organs represents the end days. For example, the respiratory system begins to fail, and the use of mechanical ventilation is necessary (Bethseda, 2010). Therapy during this period is mostly for those close to the patient. The intention of therapy at this time is to prepare them for the eventual death of the ALS patient. This helps those soon to be left behind make peace with the entire situation. Only this can help them move on without developing maladaptive conditions (Association, 2000). The maladaptive conditions include; depression and anxiety disorders, which impair, daily functioning of individuals. If maladaptive disorders fail to be prevented on time, it might worsen and lead to suicidal tendencies. The therapy used to counsel the family is group therapy. This form of therapy is appropriate for dealing with many people at the same time in a single session. The therapist plays the role of a referee who co-ordinates the entire process ensuring every person gets an opportunity to share their experiences. Many teams work together to provide comfort to a patient suffering from ALS. This might result in breach of many ethical expectations (Bethseda, 2010). The entire team is to remain professional throughout their job of caring for the patient. For instance, the nurses should always be available around the clock caring for the medical needs of the patient. Social workers, on the other hand, possess the responsibility of assisting the family address their financial obligations. This entails looking for funding for the family because caring for a patient suffering from ALS takes an enormous toll on the family’s finances. They ought to coordinate the process of the writing of the last will of the patient (Bethseda, 2010). The interdisciplinary team ought to behave in a professional way by not influencing the outcome of the will. They should not use the weak state of the patient to persuade him into changing his mind with regard to the will (Winstead, 2005). Therapists should also play their role in a professional manner. This means that they should supply their clients with adequate and truthful information at all times. The patient’s information should also be kept private and confidential with all the members of the interdisciplinary teams. This is because they are all bound by professional codes of conduct within their different professions. These codes require for all patient information to be kept private and confidential (Association, 2000). The patient might have many questions about the disease. For example, a patient might want to know whether it is healthy for them to engage in long-term relationships like marriage. They might also want to know whether they ought to disclose their condition to their family members. Most patients suffering from ALS fear the dependency state the disease puts them in as it progresses. They, therefore, experience some level of difficulty when they have to tell those around them about their condition (Association, 2000). Families of patients might want to know what to expect as the disease advances (Gordon,2000). They might also be interested in knowing the psychological dispositions of the patient in the different phases of the disease. The patient’s children might have questions about what is happening to their parent. The therapist must, therefore, try to answer all these questions. They might also seek expert opinion where they are not well versed with information (Winstead, 2005). Different factors helped shape Stephen and the experiences faced by his family. Stephen was a brave young man and did not take the news with a negative attitude. Positive thinking helped him achieve success in his house building and marriage ventures. The support from his knowledgeable brother also helped the entire family deal with it. His brother also dedicated his life to creating awareness about the disease and searching for a cure for the condition. Other families might not be privy to such information making it hard to deal with ALS. The fact that ALS causes a financial strain on the entire family might lead to other family members resenting the patient (Winstead, 2005). A comparison between Stephen’s experience and that of the latter family shows that offering support is the best way in which an ALS patient can get the strength to live his life to the fullest. In conclusion, ALS is a neurological disorder that affects many people, and it has no known treatment. A combination of skilled personnel works to relieve symptoms of an afflicted patient. Like other terminal diseases, for example, cancer; the thought of death lingers constantly around everyone affected. There is, therefore, a crucial need to find a way in which people can cope with their situation while maintaining their sanity. Therapy, therefore, plays a key role in dealing with ALS (Association, 2000). Sensitization of people about the disease has increased people’s awareness helping them cope with it in a mature way. Support groups for those affected by the disease provides people with an opportunity to share and encourage each other. References Association, A. P. (2000). DSM-IV-TR: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Ney York. Bethseda. (2010, February 10 April 2012).). ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Fact Sheet. . Retrieved from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: : http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/amyotrophiclateralsclerosis/detail_ALS.html Gordon, D. (2000, March 10 April). About ALS. Retrieved from ALS Association: http://als-ny.org/index.php?page=als_main Steven Ascher, J. J. (Director). (2006). So Much So Fast [Motion Picture]. Winstead, J. E. (2005). Psychopathology , Foundations for a Contemporary Understanding . New York: Routledge. Read More