Case Study 6: A 28-year-old woman was walking through her local shopping mall when she began to feel intensely anxious. The anxiety was accompanied by sensations of choking, smothering, and a sudden sense that the people and stores around her were unreal. She began to fear that she was going crazy and the more she worried about this the more anxious she became. A guard, seeing that she was in distress, brought her to the mall office where she was able to lie down. A few minutes later the symptoms began to subside. She went home after leaving the mall but she did not tell her husband what happened. A week later she had a similar attack while she was walking down the street. She was able to reach her house where she lay down until the attack ended. In the following three weeks she had two or more attacks. Between attacks she was constantly worried about having another attack. The patient was finally forced to tell her husband about the problem because she was so fearful of not being able to get help if an attack occurred that she would not leave her house alone or travel on public transportation.
This patient would be diagnosed with Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia.
The patient suffers from recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, whose symptoms include sensations of choking, shortness of breath, and derealization. She also suffers from agoraphobia, where the patient fears being outside her home alone and several modes of public transportation. Her persistant concern about having additional attacks has led to a significant change in behavior. Moreover, these panic attacks are not the result of substance abuse or a mental disorder. Because of all of these symptoms, the patient can be diagnosed with Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia.
A recommended mode of therapy for the patient would be the behavioral therapy of gradual systematic desensitization. In this process, the patient would be taught relaxation skills in order to help her control her fear and anxiety. Once these skills are learned, the patient would use them in order to cope with her panic attacks. With enough practice, the patient would hopefully have created a resistance to her panic disorder.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: A Look into ADHD
Mozart is most famously known for his exquisite and unique music compositions; Taking inspiration from numerous sources, Mozart created innovative classical styles for writing music. However, one of his sources of inspiration could possibly result from a psychological disorder known as ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Some characteristics of ADHD include impulsiveness, inattention, and hyperactivity. Letters that Mozart wrote to his friends and family show these prominent signs of ADHD. His music can also be looked at as a canvas of spontaneous yet creative energy, possibly resulting from his ADHD. Thus, this ADHD has impacted his career through his compositions; his creative and impulsive writings could be defined as both genius and a psychological disorder.
ADHD affects about 3-5% of the world's population today. Although this psychological disorder can create benefits, as in the case of Mozart, I feel that those who suffer from ADHD are generally worse off; they may be picked on as children or be categorizes as "stupid." This is why psychological help centers are important in our society today, as they help in diagnosing and treating patients who have these illnesses.
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