This paper is a case study on a client who I have diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after witnessing a gruesome murder. A narrative case description that supports the diagnosis as well asempirically supported treatment is will be included. The treatment plan has included the necessary identifying information. The client wasreferred from the Veteran’s Administrative (VA) hospital in La Jolla, California. As part of thetreatment plan the presenting problems will be identified and correlated to the criteria set forth in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition text revision (DSM-IV-TR) multi-axial diagnosis. This case study will cover a holistic approach that addresses: presenting problems,long-term
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For Elisabeth, every day after that traumatic event was a chance for her to see something and trigger flashbacks. A trigger is an act or event that initiates a reaction or set of reactions. There are trigger words and objects that can bring up those emotions, the mental state and even the visual Elisabeth was in during that distressing event. Her triggers were a baby doll and numbers. The doll is the last gift her father gave her before he died, so whenever she sees a baby doll she has thoughts of that day. There was a secret code number that Elisabeth and her dad only knew, so whenever numbers were said around her she would recite their secret code numbers. Nightmares of the event are what make it hard for Elizabeth to sleep at night. She would wake up in cold sweats and fear which caused her to have a lot of sleepless nights. Elisabeth also lashed out at many people. She would direct all of her anger from that day and inflict it on the people that surrounded her by physically or verbally attacking them. She had exaggerated startled responses which means the very little interaction she had with people made her very timid and jumpy. These symptoms are why I diagnosed Elisabeth Burrows with post-traumatic stress disorder. I chose not diagnosis her with any other disorder because her symptoms did not completely match any other disorder. PTSD fit her symptoms perfectly and also explained why she was acting the way she
For Elisabeth, every day after that traumatic event was a chance for her to see something and trigger flashbacks. A trigger is an act or event that initiates a reaction or set of reactions. There are trigger words and objects that can bring up those emotions, the mental state and even the visual Elisabeth was in during that distressing event. Her triggers were a baby doll and numbers. The doll is the last gift her father gave her before he died, so whenever she sees a baby doll she has thoughts of that day. There was a secret code number that Elisabeth and her dad only knew, so whenever numbers were said around her she would recite their secret code numbers. Nightmares of the event are what make it hard for Elizabeth to sleep at night. She would wake up in cold sweats and fear which caused her to have a lot of sleepless nights. Elisabeth also lashed out at many people. She would direct all of her anger from that day and inflict it on the people that surrounded her by physically or verbally attacking them. She had exaggerated startled responses which means the very little interaction she had with people made her very timid and jumpy. These symptoms are why I diagnosed Elisabeth Burrows with post-traumatic stress disorder. I chose not diagnosis her with any other disorder because her symptoms did not completely match any other disorder. PTSD fit her symptoms perfectly and also explained why she was acting the way she