Utilizing the DSM-IV-TR: Assessment,Planning,and Practice Strategy - Essay Example

When you notice someone with these symptoms the first thing to do is to take them to the doctors for the following assessments;physical tests to make sure they do not have any underlying conditions this will include checking the abdomen, heart rate, blood pressure and temperature; laboratory tests screening for alcohol and drugs, a complete blood count and to measure thyroid function and a psychological evaluation with the doctor and possibly a mental health care provider. All these are done to make sure that no physical condition is a cause of depression and the person is not a danger to himself/herself and to others.

To fully understand a person’s situation one needs to assess it, this will help in identifying the cause and the action to be taken toward helping the person. The assessment requires the following steps; Assessing risk factors- the most common risk factors are medical conditions for instance diabetes, HIV/AIDS, alcoholism, drug abuse, genetic predisposition these factors could contribute to depression. Evaluation of the persons’ life circumstances. This is important for you to notice any changes for example birth, death of a loved one, loss or threat of losing of a job, financial strain.

You should therefore assess the patient’s reactions towards each of these changes. . Anxiety is that uncomfortable feeling of fear and it reflects the thoughts and bodily reactions a person has when they are faced with an event or situation that they cannot manage or undertake successfully. It causes many responses which include; physical responses caused arousal of the nervous system leading to physical symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, cognitive responses caused by thoughts about the situation and the one’s ability to cope with it.

For someone experiencing high anxiety this often means interpreting situations negatively and having unhelpful thoughts, behavioral responses which may include avoidance or uncharacteristic behavior including aggression, restlessness or irrational behavior repeated checking if everything is in order and emotional responses which reflect the high level of distress the person is experiencing. An accurate and detailed assessment should be done before any psychological treatment of anxiety is undertaken.

This is the very first step in the therapy process but it continues as therapy progresses and even the therapy has been concluded. The most widely used assessment method is structured clinical interviews which help in gathering vital information of the nature of the anxiety and how it affects the person. The interviews will vary from with therapists depending on their background and their theoretical orientation. The interviews are great tools in that they are flexible enough to allow therapists explore various issues either in depth or briefly.

During the interview the therapist should aim to know about the treatment history, the work and lifestyle of the patient as well as the goals and expectations from therapy. Questionnaires that assess a particular component of anxiety may be given on a session by session