Major Depressive Disorder Case Studies

Patient is a 31-year-old male. The patient is single and has no children or family in the area. He was at admitted over the weekend for stress and superficial cutting on his right arm. The patient’s hygiene appeared slightly disheveled. A gauze pad covered the patient’s superficial cuts on his right arm. The patient was fully oriented with memory intact. Patient reported some difficulty sleeping. Patient’s affect was congruent to mood and mood seemed depressed. Speech was soft and eye contact was indirect. No presence of hallucinations or delusions. The patient’s insight and judgment are guarded. Patient denied thoughts of suicide or homicidal ideation.
At the age of 11, the patient fell and received a traumatic frontal lobe injury. After doctors found the problem, the patient underwent surgery. Since the incident, the patient has had a long history of risky, destructive, and impulsive behavior. He has been seen in seven different psychiatric hospitals. The patient has overdosed on …show more content…
According to Halter (2013), Major depressive disorder is characterized by a depressed mood that lasts longer than two weeks (p. 250). The main clinical manifestations of the disorder are anhedonia, fatigue, problems sleeping, appetite changes, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, thoughts of suicide or death, inability to concentrate, and changes in physical activity (Halter, 2013). Patients need to have at least five of the eight symptoms listed above in order to be diagnosed (Halter, 2013). As stated above, the patient felt “worthless” following the break up with his girlfriend. He also reports feeling irritable and having appetite and weight fluctuations depending on his mood. The patient does have problems with sleep, as evidenced by the previous overdose and wanting to sleep. The patient’s recent episode of superficial cutting and stay the crisis care center may have been related to suicidal thoughts as