Psy 270 Week 9 Final - Psychological Disorder Analysis

Psychological disorder analysis

Marla Hernandez is a 42-year-old Hispanic female and has presented to the mental health clinic with concerns of symptoms that have started to affect her quality of life. The first meeting with Marla revealed the following symptoms: trouble concentrating, difficulties sleeping, and feeling jumpy. Marla's symptoms have started to have to affect her daily life particularly when at work. To provide a proper diagnosis a clinical interview that Marla participated in uncovered various underlying causal factors.

Clinical Interview: Marla Hernandez

"Good morning Marla. I will be asking you a few questions which will help determine what is at the root of your symptoms. This information is important, so provide as many details as you can. "

"Okay, that sounds fine"

"Great, let's get started. What brought you to the mental health clinic?

"Well, I have not been sleeping well lately and I cannot stay focused at work. I also feel jumpy; this feeling is uncomfortable and happens all of the time. I want to be me again, you know, normal."

"What do you mean by jumpy and how long have you been feeling jumpy? Is there anything else going on like headaches, stomach aches, any physical issues that should be addressed?"

"By jumpy I mean that I cannot seem to sit still...I am irritable and restless. This has been going on for about four years maybe a little longer. I did not think anything about it when the symptoms first began and figured they would go away over time. I am starting to feel hopeless as the jumpy feeling has not decreased over the years. I do get migraines at work quite often and because I have not been sleeping well I am tired throughout the day. I cannot think of any other recurring physical symptoms right now."

"Have you suffered any traumatic experiences within the past four to five years?"

"No, the only traumatic experience that I can think of is when the symptoms began. "

"What about your family, have any family members ever had these types of symptoms before?"

"I don't know, I did not think to ask. My parents never discussed their relatives."

"Can you tell me about your childhood and teen years?"

"I think I had a normal childhood. My parents separated when I was around 11 then divorced about one year later, but I saw both of them on a regular basis. My mother could be judgmental and I felt like I never did things right for her. Outside of home I did not have a lot of friends I guess I was kind of a loner, but I felt like I did not belong. As a teenager and into adulthood I have had issues with low self-esteem. Although I graduated school and had good grades throughout, I felt like I was not good enough. In some ways I still feel like I am not good enough, even though my manager at work tells me that I am one of the top employees."

"How is the relationship between you and your parents currently?"

"For the most part we get along fine, although I do not talk to them daily I do call them about once every month, but I do not see them very often. One of the reasons that I have not seen my parents for a while is that I have gained some weight and especially over the past few years, I am concerned that they will be ashamed of me. Since I started having symptoms I have not wanted to be around anyone, I will even go to the point of avoiding social situations as I am concerned that people will think that I am abnormal, maybe even strange."

"I appreciate your honesty Marla and I know this must be difficult for you to talk about and you are doing a great job answering the questions, it is important that we determine the cause of the symptoms. How about you tell me about what is going on in your life right now, I mean are you happy with your job? Are you married? Do you have children?

"I have never been married and I do not have any children, when I was 25 I was in a relationship that was pretty serious we were even engaged, but I found out that he was cheating on me and so I broke off the engagement. I don't know maybe I was not pretty enough for him. I do date every now and then and I do have a few close friends, but like me they are all busy with their jobs and we do not have much time to spend together. Except for my symptoms making it difficult to focus, my job is fine."

"So tell me, are your symptoms consistent or do they vary during the day?"

"Some months the symptoms seem very mild and then the next month increase to severe. I feel like I am on a roller coaster one month I feel as though things are not so bad, and then the next month there is no hope."

"That sounds very frustrating, and coming here for help is the right choice as I am confident that we can help you. I have a few more questions. Are you taking any medications, or have you taken any medications within the past five years?"

"Other than my vitamins I do not and have not taken anything over the past five years. Well, maybe an aspirin sometimes when I get headaches, but