Diabetes: Psychological Case Study Analysis Case Study - Essay Example

 Diabetes: Psychological Case Study Analysis-Adrian’s Story Hawthorne s that diabetes has emerged as one of the scariest diseases in the world. At the same time, studies show that the prevalence of diabetes is on the rise worldwide. According to a recent survey, about 360 million people are living with diabetes (Hawthorne, 2011). This number accounts for about 8.5% of the world’s population. The most worrying revelation is that the number of people who die as a result of diabetes is likely to rise in the coming years. The research also estimated that the number of people living with diabetes might double by 2030. Diabetes is a disease characterized by rising sugar levels. Without proper management and treatment, the disease can kill in a matter of a few months. Currently diabetes ranks the fifth most killer disease in the world. Hawthorne (2011) notes that one person in every eight people aged between 20 and 79 years die of diabetes every year. On average, a person diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can live for an average of 10 years while those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes can live up to 20 years. Countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes include China, India, USA, Russia, and Brazil. While this is the case, its prevalence in the U.K. is a major concern to the government. A recent study conducted in the U.K. established that about 3 million U.K. citizens are diabetic (Hermanns, Lloyd, and Pouwer, 2012). This number accounts for about 4.5% o the total U.K. population. The prevalence of the disease is highest in England where approximately 5.5% of the population is diabetic. Wales follows closely with 5.0% prevalence, Scotland 4.3%, and Northern Ireland 3.8%. Currently, the NHS allocates about 10% of its budget toward the treatment and management of diabetes (Al Romaithi, 2013). This budget accounts for about nine billion pounds a year. Diabetes in the U.K. is mainly associated with obesity. Even though much documentation has been done regarding complications brought about by diabetes, Bower, Gask and Macdonald (2011) note that its psychological impacts have largely been ignored or overlooked by researchers. As the prevalence of the disease increases worldwide, psychologists are also increasingly becoming concerned of the psychological impacts of the disease on affected individuals. This is attributable to the mental health problems associated with the diabetes. For instance, a research conducted by Diabetes U.K., a leading organization dealing with diabetes management in the U.K., revealed that individuals diagnosed with diabetes tend to experience mental disorders such as anxiety and depression (Hermanns, Lloyd, and Pouwer, 2012). In this regard, the charity organization established that patients diagnosed with diabetes are 20% more likely to experience anxiety disorder than individuals without the disease. The development of anxiety is linked mainly to the worries that come with being diagnosed with the disease. A majority of people diagnosed with diabetes tend to become worried of developing hypocalcaemia-related complications while driving or working. Depression is another psychological disorder that patients diagnosed with diabetes tend to experience. In fact, anxiety and depression go hand in hand. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, about 15% of patients diagnosed with diabetes experience a manic disorder (Bower, Gask, and Macdonald, 2011). Health experts note that most people tend to suffer from depression upon being told that they are suffering from a life-threatening disease such as diabetes. This is attributable to the fact that a majority of them tend to become upset as they try to figure out how they will cope with such a condition. In addition, diabetic patients tend to develop eating disorders. Bower, Gask and Macdonald (2011) observe that most diabetic patients develop anorexia and bulimia. At the same time, women diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes have a high risk of experiencing eating problems. Based on the psychological effects of diabetes on patients, it is highly recommended that any treatment method adopted take into consideration the psychological and psychotherapeutic aspects. Hermanns, Lloyd, and Pouwer (2012) advise that emphasis should be placed on offering more holistic treatments, such as offering talk-based psychotherapies especially when a patient has developed depressive disorders. This paper discusses the case of Adrian who has been diagnosed with type two diabetes. The paper will link diabetes and psychological health problems such as anxiety, depression, grief, denial, and social isolation in light of Adrian’s statement. The relationship established will be used to examine how counselling psychologists might use their expertise to mitigate the psychological problems experienced by diabetic patients like Adrian. Case Analysis 1. Grief Adrian who is currently 46 years old and married with three children reveals how his life has been full of happiness for the past 46 years. He currently works as an accountant and has three children. He also reveals that he has been living healthy for the last 25 years without seeing a doctor. However, his major problem concerned his being overweight. As a result, he occasionally went to a gym for a workout to cut some extra pounds. However, he was surprised one day after visiting his wife’s doctor who examined him and diagnosed him with type 2 diabetes. He reveals that he was very surprised and did not believe what the doctor had told him. Being diagnosed with diabetes was the last thing he expected to hear from the doctor. As a result, he became very sad, knowing the complications that come with diabetes. For instance, he became very sad after learning that diabetes might result in blindness, heart attack, amputation, strokes and even kidney disease. At the same time, he became worried that he may be forced not to work as hard as he used to because of his health condition. In this regard, we see Adrian wondering about who will be the family’s breadwinner once he is confined to the strict diet and medication. In fact, he even went to the extent of asking himself what he had done to deserve what he was going through. 2. Denial Adrian tells us that, he strongly believed that he has been living a healthy life in spite of having a problem with his weight. Nevertheless, the least he expected to hear from the doctor was that he is suffering from diabetes. This became apparent when he says that he thought the doctor had mistaken him for another patient. In this regard, Adrian tried to deny the reality of being diabetic. Skinne and Snoek (2007) note that this is a normal reaction to a chronic disease. Even after accepting his new health situation, Adrian pretends that the illness is not that serious. He argues at one point that he relies much on how he feels noting that not having to take tablets everyday makes him feel that he does not suffer from a chronic condition. At the same time, Adrian appears to deny suffering from the disease by acting as if the disease will disappear shortly. 3. Anxiety Adrian admits to having experienced anxiety immediately after the doctor informed him of his poor health condition, which he did not expect. Adrian developed anxiety in anticipation of the change in lifestyle that he was to be subject to after being diagnosed with the disease. For instance, after being diagnosed with the disease, the doctor immediately informed him that he would have to take insulin every day. In addition, he has to be subject to a strict, special diet, which implies that he has to stop eating some foods, including some of his favourites. Instead, he would have to consume between 240 and 300 grams of carbohydrates every day. Such an abrupt change in lifestyle made Adrian to feel very anxious. Adrian also developed the feelings of anxiety after learning of the possible long-term effects that may result from the disease. For instance, after learning of his poor health condition, he immediately thought of himself being amputated, and developing other health complications such as kidney disease, heart attack, stroke, and blindness. Such thoughs made him become extremely anxious. In addition, he also became anxious for the fear of the future of wife and children. 4. Depression Adrian states explicitly that he developed depression and anger immediately after being informed of his chronic health condition. As earlier stated, being diagnosed of diabetes was the worst news he expected to hear from the doctor. He attributed this to the health complications that normally accompany diabetes. In this regard, he reveals that he became extremely stressed up and developed manic disorders because of his new health condition. According to Adrian, being diagnosed with diabetes meant that he would suffer from other chronic health conditions such as heart problems, kidney disease, blindness and stroke. In addition, he also became extremely worried about the present and future of his wife and children might suffer because he is the family’s breadwinner. These thoughts stressed up Adrian resulting in anger and depression. 5. Encountering challenges in relationships with self, family, and others After being diagnosed with diabetes, Adrian underwent the challenge of dealing with relationships with the self, family, and friends. He reveals that being diagnosed with the disease confined him to a different lifestyle he has never been used to living in the past. For instance, he had to stop eating some foods, which he has been accustomed to eating only carbohydrates as advised by the doctor. However, his most worry is that this would imply that he would no longer be able to eat with his friends. This is because he had to stop eating fast foods and some of his favourite cuisines that he used to eat with his friends. Summary of findings and intervention The analysis of Adrian’s account regarding his condition as a diabetic patient showed that being diabetic results in the development of certain psychological consequences. It became apparent from Adrian’s account that being diabetic resulted in the development of psychological disorders, including grief, anxiety, depression, and denial, as well as isolation. The fact that Adrian attested to the fact that he developed depressive disorders, anxiety, denial, grief and isolation confirmed the purpose of the research. It became apparent from Adrian’s personal confession that he developed these psychological symptoms due to the challenges he expected to face now and in the future as he struggles with the disease. Immediately he was diagnosed with the disease, he developed the feelings that his life will never be the same again. In fact, he immediately thought of the negative consequences such as amputation, hear and kidney ailments, stoke, as well as blindness. It also appears as if Adrian took the news of the diagnosis as a death sentence and wondered why him and not someone else. Self-regulation theory is helpful in explaining the feelings that a diabetic patient like Adrian is likely to feel upon diagnosis with a chronic disease like diabetes. This theory is also helpful in guiding counselling psychologists in their work. This theory focuses on a person’s representation of diabetes as a fundamental determinant of their emotional response and behaviour to illness (Carver and Scheier, 2001). In this regard, the theory focuses on four key elements of sicknesses. These include what diabetes are, its causes, the time it is likely to last, the consequences and the effectiveness of the treatment methods adopted. The humanistic approach can also be used to intervene is such situations (Al Romaithi, 2013). Humanistic approach can involve providing diabetic patients with vital conditions of empathy, warmth, and unconditional positive acknowledgment. In this regard, Adrian’s wife can be applauded for demonstrating humanistic approach to diabetes by showing his husband love and sympathy for his situation. Instead, of stigmatising him as some people would do, she kept encouraging his husband to stay strong and fight the disease since it was now a reality. Intervening in Adrian’s situation will also require adopting a holistic approach. This might include offering talk-based psychotherapies. This will help in providing hope and encouragement to the patients (Carver and Scheier, 2001). In addition, the talk-based psychotherapies will help them understand the benefit of living positively despite the chronic health condition. References Al Romaithi, M. (2013, March 13). Diabetes: psychological effects. The Nation. Retrieved November 25, 2013 from, www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper.../mariam-al-romaithi‎ Bower, P., Gask, L. & Macdonald, W. (2011). What is the relationship between diabetes and depression? A qualitative meta-synthesis of patient experience of co-morbidity. Chronic Illness, 7(3): 239-252. Carver, ‎ C. S. & Scheier, M. F. (2001). On the self-regulation of behaviour. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press. Hawthorne, G. (2011). Diabetes care for the older patient: A practical handbook. London: Springer. Skinner, T. C. & Snoek, F. J. (2007). Psychology in diabetes care. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Hermanns, N., Lloyd, C. E. & Pouwer, F. (2012). Screening for depression and other psychological problems in diabetes: A practical guide. London: Springer. Read More