The Issue of Bipolar Disorder - Example

Needs of client with alcohol and other drug issues Name: Institution Date of submission Part A: Scenario one: Julianne In Julianne’s case, I would most certainly be worried about her withdrawal from the groups that she had been attending and her loss of interest in the extra activities that she had been enjoying doing with others in the center. It could be a clear sign that she has given up any hope that had been built in her during the brief stay that she had been having in the center. Julianne’s appearance and the sudden change of attitude towards others will most definitely worry me a lot. The comments she makes about her being tired and just wanting to go to sleep will worry me a lot as she could be thinking of committing suicide and that’s why she asks people not to bother with her. Basing on the information collected on Julianne’s case, I will consider her at risk of self harm or suicide. Her lack of interest in activities that she had been enjoying doing with others, her change of attitude towards others whereby she asks them to not to bother with her--which could be an indication that she thinks nobody is interested in her or cares for her and the way she answers people that she feels tired and wants to go to sleep, could be a clear indication to me that she is considering suicide as the only way out of her problems. In order for me to asses Julianne successfully, I will need to acquire information from her past. For example, I will have to find out whether she had been abused as a child, had undergone through some ordeals like rape or if she ever had any fears in life that may be the cause of her condition. I will have to look at her history in order to formulate or come up with the right strategies that might help her out of her problems. I will have to collect information from her former school records, check her medical history, try to acquire information from any counseling centers that she might have gone to previously, any military and police records that contain any information concerning her will have to be checked and her family history will be important. The family history will help to understand if she has ever had any violent relationship with her siblings and if she had an abusive relationship with the husband and if there have been any cases of the same condition in her family previously. Julianne will have to help me fill in information about her past life. The friends she had in school and her relationship with other people generally will help me get an insight into the depth of her condition. She will also have to give me information on any cases of schizophrenia that run in her family or that had been in her family line. After gathering all the information that I need, I will have to set goals with the client and give a recommendation basing on my analysis of the situation. The goals could be achieved through a given time line that I will have to set with the client. Julianne might need the services of a psychiatric. The psychiatric will also help in the diagnosis of her condition further. She will also need to be on anti-psychotic medication which can help her improve on her cognition. Since Julianne’s is a mental condition, a psychiatric from my centre will have to chip in some help for her. The psychiatric will also help in diagnosing her case accurately. Part B: Scenario 2 – Mark Bipolar disorder is a brain condition which is characterized by shifts in moods, energy and activity levels of a person. The condition can lead to suicide for the affected individuals. To the other residents who saw mark go into his room with a knife, I will have to calm them down in case they appear to be anxious to know what is happening to Mark. Since they will not be having all the details regarding Marks case, I will have to tell them that he is using the knife to scrub off some dried up dirt on furniture that is in his room. This will make them loose all the interest they could have developed on mark and will reduce any panic from them that can affect their stay in the facility. In the scenario whereby Mark locks himself in his room with a knife at hand, his psychiatric will have to be contacted immediately and involved in the case. In order to ensure that mark is safe, in this scenario whereby he is seen with a knife and is suffering from bipolar disorder, I will have to use the master key in my possession to assess his room in case he doesn’t respond to my request of having him open the door. In order to ensure the safety of the other residents, as a support worker of the facility, I will have to request them all to return to their rooms in order to avoid seeing scenes that may end up disturbing them or even lead them to doing the same thing as Mark in case he was trying to commit suicide. And since marks condition is characterized by a shift of change in energy levels which can lead to aggressiveness, it will be a good idea to move them out of his sight in case he might use his energy levels to harm them in some way. The staff members of the facility will have to be aware of the situation that Mark is in. Even though the information concerning a client is supposed to be confidential, there are cases whereby the confidentiality agreement will have to be ignored. In cases whereby the client risks his own life by attempting suicide, then any information regarding that client will have to be shared out in order to protect his life and the life of the people around him. I will therefore have to inform the staff and make them aware of what they expect from mark. The information will help make them to be cautious when dealing With Mark. In order to diffuse the situation, I will have to console Mark that all will be alright and that committing suicide or harming himself will not really make things better. He will have to concentrate on the programs offered by the facility and the medication he is given to be better and live a normal life. For the first aid issue and for marks safety, I will first take the knife from his hand then cover up the wound to stop further bleeding. For the other residents who have mental problems, it will be good for them to be kept in their rooms to avoid seeing the scenario which might end up affecting their treatment program and trying to follow the same way as Mark. For the other staff members, I will have to make them aware of the situation since I will need their help in dealing with Marks case. For the emergence response, I will have to call the doctors who are attached to the mental facility. The doctors will take over the situation and do what is necessary to Mark in order to sustain his life. Assessment 3 Part A, Kevin’s case In identifying and assessing Kevin’s suicide risk, several factors will have to be considered. For example, Kevin had a father who was abusive to his mother and he left them when he was a child, the mother is an alcoholic who never cared for the family, Kevin has a problem with his self esteem and is a drug addict. His voicing desire to end it all adds up to the risks that he faces of committing suicide. Through the experiences that he has gone through, my assessment will be that Kevin considers suicide as the only way out of his problems. In order to reduce that immediate risk of suicide and increase the safety of Kevin, I will first of all deal with his self esteem problem. He has to feel that he is a special human being just like the rest of us. I then will have to deal the drug issue which will make him have the braveness of committing suicide, then his family problems will come last and it will be easy for him to accept it the way it is after he has developed a high self esteem and has done away with drugs. In order to strength Kevin’s link for further care, I will have deal with his attitude to the centre first. He thinks that the centre will be as useless as the previous ones that he had visited. Once his attitude is changed, then it will be easy to accept what is being done for him at the centre and proceed to the next stage successfully. For further intervention, in order to help Kevin beyond the immediate crisis, I will have to help him deal with the self esteem issue first then have him go through the drug rehabilitation program. I will have enroll in some short term courses that will help him in raising his educational level to some stage since he is still in his early teens. Reconciling with his family and feeling loved will also be one of my interventional support plans. The family might help him in dealing with his low self esteem problems if they gave him some encouragement. Part B Jack’s case In jack’s case, there are some potential triggers that may lead him to committing suicide. The persisting drought that is affecting his farming activities and leading to losses whereby he sales half his flock at next to nothing, his brother who wants some of the family property sold is adding the jacks pressure to commit suicide, his inability to see a way out of the mess he is in could also trigger his suicidal thoughts and the bank draft that is rising every year as he doesn’t seem see a way of repaying it. There are some changes in Jacks appearance that can come as a warning that Jack maybe thinking of suicide. Since he is forcing himself to sleep, Jack could be looking restless and having a troubled look on his face as he is not opening up to anyone to discuss his problems. His behavioral change that might suggest that he could be thinking of suicide are not talking to anyone about his problems, having drinks before going to bed so that he can have some sleep and pinching his wife’s valium in order for him to get sleep. The wife might not notice the changes in jack since she too is stressed up about her teaching job. In jack’s case there is a protective factor that can be taken in order to reduce the risk of him committing suicide. Jack has to talk to someone. He has a lot that he has with held. Talking to someone especially a counselor will help in relieving the tension and stress that is on his mind which will effectively reduce the risk of suicide for him. Part C: Arm’s case Since army is distressed and depressed, I will have to take her through talking therapy. I will have to show her that life can better without the person she is in a relationship with. I will have her understand that even if she loses her job, it is not the end of the road for her, she can still begin a fresh and the debts will be cleared in a short time. This is the only way of reducing any suicide attempts from her, giving her hope that she has lost and a reason to hold on to life. In army’s case, the confidentiality policy of the institution applies to her. All information regarding her case will be confidential and she will be informed of it before the process begins. Works cited: Adrienne C, Rob, H. opening the door: a treatment model for therapy with male survivors of sexual abuse. Psychology Press, 1995. Claire ,B. Donna, M. counseling survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Pine Forge Press, 2006. Coombs, R. Addiction Counseling Review: Preparing for Comprehensive, Certification, and Licensing Examinations. Routledge 2004 Glidden-Tracey, C. Counseling and therapy with clients who abuse alcohol or other drugs: an integrative approach Counseling and Psychotherapy Series. Routledge, 2005 Perry W. Basic Counseling Techniques: A Beginning Therapist's Tool Kit. AuthorHouse, 2008 Thompson, R. Counseling techniques: improving relationships with others, ourselves, our families, and our environment. Psychology Press, 2003. Read More