Therapeutic Treatments for a Manic Depressive

Case Study: Therapeutic Treatments for Susan

Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder is characterized by periodic Major Depressive Episodes that manifest in the form of a depressed or irritable mood, or a loss of interest or pleasure in all, or almost all activities that is relatively persistent, occurring most of nearly every day within a two-week period (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). In SusanÆs case, the depression is concurrent with cocaine and alcohol dependence, with Susan using an increasing amount of cocaine to achieve numbness ôso that nothing mattersö. Comorbidity of other disorders such as mood and substance-related disorders are typical with Borderline Personality Disorder, SusanÆs Axis II classification (APA, 2004). The increased drug usage was precipitated by an investigation by Child Protective Services following charges of sexual molestation against SusanÆs live-in boyfriend. During her recent hospitalization, Susan admitted having flashbacks of sexual abuse by her father that began when she was age 7 and continued until she was age 12, when she began menstruating. The association between the investigation by Child Protective Services and her own molestation is likely the key to her unresolved depression and the myriad symptoms she has complained of, since she has only recently begun remembering her molestation. This, in additio

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s appropriate as others. Online therapy, for example, would meet her need for a less expensive type of treatment but would be unlikely to effect the transference that comes about as a result of face-to-face therapy sessions where the patient can see the therapistÆs responses, hear his warm tone of voice, and experience his empathic relating toward her (Emmelkamp, 386). Another treatment option for Susan is cognitive behavior theory (CBT). CBT ôfor anxiety and depressive disorders is well established as a promising and frequently effective treatmentö (Brewin, 33). CBT has developed ôpragmatically to deal with often difficult and refractory problems,ö which makes it an appropriate treatment method for Susan, since she has recurrent substance abuse and depression problems (Brewin, 33). CBT is also considered an effective suicide prevention treatment strategy, a significant factor given SusanÆs past suicide attempts (Laux, 380). Now that Susan remembers her sexual molestation as a child, these memories coupled with the molestation of her own daughter create a situation where her unpleasant memories of the past can be continually reactivated by ôsituationally accessible memoriesö (Brewin, 33). BrewinÆs CBT approach empowers the
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Engaging Susan, APA SusanÆs, BrewinÆs CBT, Retrieved December, CBT CBT, Protective Services, Axis IV, Taylor Roche, Association APA, Eifert Forsyth, retrieved december, object relations, psychoanalytic therapy, borderline personality, 2005 http//wwwproquestcom, borderline personality disorder, personality disorder, retrieved december 13, mcginn 193, 10 2005, december 13, 13 2005, december 13 2005, december 10 2005, retrieved december 10,
Approximate Word count = 2180
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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