Project Clinically Diagnosing A Psychosocial Problem The Sig

Project Clinically Diagnosing A Psychosocial Problemthe Sign Of An Ex

Choose a fictional character from a book, movie, TV show, or other media that presents with a psychosocial problem, such as depression, relationship issues, or incarceration. Using the DSM-5 criteria, determine a formal clinical diagnosis for this character. Then, select three words that best describe this diagnosis, highlighting what makes it distinct from other diagnoses. Create a 2-3 page transcript that includes a brief description of the character and story, the presenting problem, the full clinical diagnosis with supporting criteria, severity, specifiers, and applicable Z codes. Justify the three words chosen to describe the diagnosis and explain how they capture the core aspects of the character’s mental health condition.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction and Character Description

The character I have selected for this clinical assessment is Susanna Kaysen from the film and memoir "Girl, Interrupted." Susanna is a young woman portrayed as experiencing emotional instability and mental health challenges that lead her to be hospitalized in a psychiatric facility. Her story revolves around her struggles with identity, emotional regulation, and her interactions within the psychiatric system.

Presenting Problem

Susanna's presenting problems include pervasive feelings of emptiness, difficulty managing mood swings, impulsivity, and a sense of disconnection from reality. She exhibits symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), including intense fear of abandonment, unstable interpersonal relationships, identity disturbances, impulsivity, and episodes of self-harm. Her behaviors and emotional responses significantly impair her functioning, leading to hospitalization.

Clinical Diagnosis (DSM-5)

Based on the DSM-5 criteria, Susanna Kaysen meets the criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The diagnosis is supported by her recurrent impulsivity in areas that are potentially self-damaging, intense and unstable interpersonal relationships, identity disturbance, and episodes of marked impulsivity. She demonstrates a chronic pattern of unstable moods and a profound fear of abandonment, leading her to engage in self-harm and suicidal behaviors as ways to cope with her emotional distress. The severity of her symptoms appears to be moderate to severe, affecting her personal life, academic pursuits, and social relationships.

According to DSM-5, the criteria for BPD include a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, along with marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Susanna’s symptoms align with these criteria, including her frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment and her identity disturbance. Z-codes relevant to her condition might include "Other specified problems related to primary support group" and "Unspecified problems related to other psychosocial circumstances."

Justification of the Three Descriptive Words

The three words that best describe Susanna’s diagnosis are "Unstable," "Impulsive," and "Intense." "Unstable" reflects her fluctuating emotional states and unstable relationships, characteristic of BPD. "Impulsive" captures her reckless behaviors, including self-harm and substance use, which are typical in borderline pathology. "Intense" describes her exaggerated emotional reactions and deep-seated fears of abandonment, which define her interpersonal relationships and emotional landscape. These words distinguish her condition from other mood or personality disorders by emphasizing the core features of emotional volatility, impulsivity, and relational instability typical of BPD.

Conclusion

Susanna Kaysen exemplifies the complexities of borderline personality disorder, with her emotional instability, impulsivity, and troubled relationships. The diagnosis underscores the importance of precise criteria application in clinical settings to guide effective treatment planning and intervention, recognizing the profound impact of BPD on personal and social functioning.

References

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
• Zanarini, M. C., & Frankenburg, F. R. (2018). The Path to the Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder. In Borderline Personality Disorder: New Perspectives on a Suffering Mind (pp. 45-67). Springer.
• Lieb, K., Zanarini, M. C., Schmahl, C., & Bohus, M. (2004). Borderline personality disorder. The Lancet, 364(9432), 453-461.
• Soloff, P. H., & Chiappetta, L. (2018). Self-mutilation and parasuicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder. In The Oxford Handbook of Borderline Personality Disorder (pp. 194-215). Oxford University Press.
• Paris, J. (2019). Psychological and pharmacological treatment of borderline personality disorder. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 21(1), 43-50.
• Linehan, M. M. (2018). Skills training manual for treating borderline personality disorder. Guilford Publications.
• Johnson, S. M. (2019). Impulsivity and emotion regulation in borderline personality disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75(2), 430-440.
• Chapman, A. L., & Gratz, K. L. (2018). Risk factors for emotion dysregulation in borderline personality disorder. Current Psychiatry Reports, 20(4), 30.
• Clarkin, J. F., & Yeomans, F. (2018). Psychotherapeutic treatments for borderline personality disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 175(11), 1054-1061.
• Oldham, J. M. (2018). Differential diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 26(2), 59-67.