Mental Health Treatment Essay Assignment Paper

Posted: December 19th, 2022

Mental Health Treatment Essay Assignment Paper

The PMHNP function encompasses the theoretical approach, educational qualifications, and scope necessary to be a successful provider of mental health treatment to children and adolescents. The American Psychiatric Nurses Association holds the opinion, from a policy standpoint, that mental health nurses need to be regarded as part of the primary care personnel. This contrasts with the standard medical approach, which views mental health treatment as a subspecialty within the medical profession. The nursing process and the therapeutic interaction serve as the basis for the obligations of the PMHNP function, which include educating both the patients and their families; diagnosing, treating, and managing acute illnesses; providing care coordination; offering psychotherapy services; making referrals; placing orders for, carrying out, and analyzing diagnostic investigations and laboratory testing; offering preventive care. This paper seeks to provide a response to a peer’s case study presentation and provide a comprehensive response to two questions posed Mental Health Treatment Essay Assignment Paper.

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Comments upon History

Since the history of the patient is described in a way that is both clear and concise, I have no reason to dispute it. The case being discussed is that of patient V.D, a 14-year-old boy who is enrolled in an outpatient treatment program for substance abuse and who visits a PMHNP for medical management. Exhaustively presented are all of the important aspects of the patient’s subjective information, such as the patient identification, chief complaints, history of the presenting complaints, medications, history of psychiatric conditions, family history, psychosocial history, substance use history, and developmental history of the patient. Additionally, the objective information provided is complete since it presents the patient’s vital signs and general survey, including his appearance, dressing, and hygiene. The patient’s mental status exam is also complete, covering all essential components, including appearance and behavior, sensorium and cognition, speech, mood and affect, thought process, thought content, perceptual disturbances, and insight and judgment.

Psychiatric and Mental Health Diagnosis

I concur with the assessment that V.D suffers from Major Depressive Disorder as their predominant condition. This is a disorder that is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness or a loss of interest in getting involved in usual activities. It may significantly impede one’s ability to function in day-to-day life. V.D has a history of recurrent depressive episodes, and it looks like he is now experiencing one as a result of the breakup he had with his girlfriend. ADHD is noted as a possible diagnosis for V.D; however, there are no mentioned patient’s symptoms that would point to this diagnosis. I think it’s reasonable to consider V.D. also having social anxiety as another potential diagnosis. This is a correct diagnosis for him at this time since, based on what was gathered from talking to him, he suffers from the anxiety that seems to be triggered by being in social situations Mental Health Treatment Essay Assignment Paper.

The patient V.D. also meets the criteria for the diagnosis of substance abuse disorder. This is due to the fact that he is currently participating in an intensive outpatient therapy program for substance abuse, and his mother claims that she found him drinking and smoking again ten days before he broke up with his girlfriend, despite the fact that he had recently ended his relationship with his girlfriend. It was reportedly after the death of his father that he began using substances, including alcohol and marijuana. The diagnosis of chronic motor dysfunction in V.D. may not be appropriate at this time, given that no signs of this condition have been seen, and he is not currently being treated for it. I agree with PTSD as a differential diagnosis for V.D because the death of his father may have been a traumatic event for him that caused him to experience mood changes and avoidance of social settings. Another possible diagnosis that was brought up in the case study was disruptive mood dysregulation disorder; however, I do not believe that this should be considered at this time since the patient did not present any symptoms such as severe irritability, anger, or frequent, intense outbursts of temper. The symptoms of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder extend farther than only a child having “mood swings.”

Treatment Plan

The treatment plan presented is appropriate for this particular case. I agree that it may be necessary to take into consideration the possibility of V.D. requiring inpatient treatment due to the fact that he may continue to have access to drugs at home even while he is participating in intensive outpatient therapy. Teens who are struggling with severe depression benefit greatly from receiving therapy in an inpatient setting because it allows them to concentrate less on their symptoms and more on getting well. Teenagers who are battling severe depression and substance abuse may benefit from receiving treatment in an inpatient facility because it allows them the opportunity to concentrate on their major problems without the interruptions that come from being at home, attending school, or spending time with friends. They are assisted in stabilizing their moods, coping with their feelings, and arriving to a point where they are ready, able, and, the majority of the time, ready to go back to their homes, schools, and normal adolescent lives by therapists and peers who are also in recovery. V.D. will have access to an interdisciplinary team of health care providers who are on call 24 hours a day throughout his stay in an inpatient treatment facility. These providers are equipped to meet any and all of V.D.’s potential mental health needs.

The increase in the daily dosage of Lexapro to 20 milligrams is reasonable since studies have shown that doing so in patients who do not react satisfactorily to the 10-milligram dose of Lexapro results in more favorable therapeutic outcomes and greater tolerability in comparison to alternative treatment options. I agree that V.D should continue taking his Wellbutrin 150mg has been found to be effective and generally tolerable in children and adolescents with depression. Because there have been neither acknowledged nor observed issues with concentration, it is possible that continuing to give the patient Focalin XR 10mg on a daily basis is not the best decision at this time. Adding Hydroxyzine 25mg PO PRN is a good choice because it will help V.D control his anxiety and stress Mental Health Treatment Essay Assignment Paper

Health Promotion and Patient Education

I agree that V.D. and his mother need to be educated on the importance of abstaining from any illicit substances at this time. V.D has a history of abusing both cannabis and alcohol, so making sure he does not have access to these things is crucial. I support the idea of educating V.D and his mother on complying with the outpatient intense therapy treatment plan. This will help V.D in recovering from his depression and substance use disorder. In this particular case, I also believe that patient education on drug regimen adherence is something that should be prioritized. When patients adhere to their treatment plans and take their medicines as directed, the relapse rate is considerably reduced. It is true that V.D should be encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle. V.D. will have a greater overall sense of wellness and experience less anxiety and stress if he consumes healthy food that is rich in essential nutrients. The release of the feel-good hormones dopamine and serotonin is a direct result of physical activity, which is why it is so important to combine healthy food with physical activity. Not only can this help an individual’s general mood, but it may also combat feelings of anxiety and despair.

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Peer Question #1

I believe that intensive outpatient therapy is beneficial and safe for V.D. The aim of intensive outpatient programs includes teaching the client early-stage relapse management and adaptation skills, ensuring that the individual has access to psychological support, and addressing the individual’s particular side effects and requirements. These forms of programs not only offer extra therapy but also allow him the opportunity to socialize with peers, create community connections, and have a place to go and spend his time rather than staying at home alone(Shafferet al.,2019). The intensive outpatient programs ensure that V.D has access to psychological support and addresses his particular side effects and requirements. The findings reflecting substance use and depression at follow-ups reveal reductions in substance use and improvements in abstinence, and there is no fundamental difference in the outcomes between inpatient and intensive outpatient care settings. On the other hand, a number of studies suggest that patients with severe depression such as V.D may have better outcomes if they are treated in inpatient settings rather than intensive outpatient settings (Watkins et al., 2022)Mental Health Treatment Essay Assignment Paper. The program will provide an opportunity for V.D to gain communication skills as well as partake in socialization encounters. This is particularly valuable for him because his socializing revolves around substance abuse.

Peer Question #2

If V.D does not want to involve his mother in the treatment plan anymore, I will encourage him by educating him on the role of his family in the recovery process. Research indicates that family plays a part in the development of depressive symptoms in patients, and prior patients who have been diagnosed with the disease often remember their mothers as being overbearing and pushy (Svendsen et al., 2021). Concerning his treatment of substance abuse, I believe that it is important for V.D to engage somebody who is close to him. Participation of V.D’s mother in therapy will assist the patient in overcoming his substance abuse, as well as in the subsequent recovery. Group therapy will be highly beneficial for the patient because it will help him feel like he is not alone. It also provides him with the opportunity to meet others who are going through problems that are related to what he is going through (Svendsen et al., 2021). The benefit of having treatment that incorporates the family is that the members of the family may gather together to discuss their issues without judgment from the therapist (Novalis et al., 2019)Mental Health Treatment Essay Assignment Paper. Also, when the family is engaged, there is a decreased risk of relapse, and there is an overall improvement in the performance of the family.

References

Novalis, P. N., Virginia Singer, D. N. P., & Peele, R. (2019). Clinical manual of supportive psychotherapy. American Psychiatric Pub.

Shaffer, R. C., Wink, L. K., Ruberg, J., Pittenger, A., Adams, R., Sorter, M., … & Erickson, C. A. (2019). Emotion regulation intensive outpatient programming: Development, feasibility, and acceptability. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(2), 495-508.

Svendsen, M. L., Ellegaard, T., Jeppesen, K. A., Riiskjær, E., & Nielsen, B. K. (2021). Family involvement and patient-experienced improvement and satisfaction with care: a nationwide cross-sectional study in Danish psychiatric hospitals. BMC Psychiatry, 21(1), 1-9.

Watkins, L. E., Patton, S. C., Drexler, K., Rauch, S. A., & Rothbaum, B. O. (2022). Clinical Effectiveness of an Intensive Outpatient Program for Integrated Treatment of Comorbid Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. Mental Health Treatment Essay Assignment Paper