Abnormal Psychology Diagnosis Paper (Case Study Sample)

University Name Abnormal Psychology Diagnosis Paper Student Name Course Name and Number Professor Name Date Abnormal Psychology Diagnosis Paper Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an inability to recuperate properly after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. The syndrome may last for several months or even years, and certain triggers may resurrect memories of the horrific incident, along with intense emotional and physical responses. Patients avoid situations that reactivate unpleasant memories, both psychotherapies in their many forms and medication for symptom management are components of the treatment. This diagnostic paper on abnormal psychology will analyze Meredith Grey's behavior to establish a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis, propose a treatment strategy, and predict her prognosis. Part 1 Grey's Anatomy, a medical drama show produced by Shonda Rhimes, has been chosen for this diagnostic paper. It depicts various medical characters confronted with difficult situations that affect them psychologically, making it an excellent source for this diagnostic paper. Meredith Grey, a fictional character from the television series, serves as the case study for the paper. She is the Director of General Surgery and Chief of Surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (Rhimes). She previously served as the Director of the Residency Program at the hospital. Primary Diagnosis and Evidence My primary diagnosis of Meredith is that she has post-traumatic stress disorder. She is a convoluted and twisted woman who has been through a great deal of anguish in her life and sees the world through a jaded lens. According to Piester, Meredith's most traumatic experiences on the show have included witnessing her husband's shooting and miscarrying due to the realization that her husband could be dead. She suffers from severe COVID-19 and is on a ventilator when she sees her deceased friends. Meredith drowns while assisting a patient on a ferryboat, according to Piester. He further sympathizes with Meredith for putting her hand on a bomb that had been inside a man for hours, only for it to go off a few minutes after the bomb squad arrived and blew up a few yards away from her. These experiences played a role in the formation of Meredith's convoluted and twisted personality. As a result of these experiences, she portrays the following behaviors hence my primary diagnosis of suffering from PTSD: 1.She is not morbidly afraid of dying. 2.Meredith works for long hours. 3.She seldom sleeps and hence is unable to make sound judgments. 4.Meredith occasionally experiences suicidal thoughts. 5.She finds it difficult to open up to new people and establish friendships. 6.She has persistent low moods. The attributes she demonstrates above are consistent with the DMS5 behavioral characteristics to look for in a person with PTSD. DMS5 states that PTSD alters human behavior and impairs a person's ability to work, carry out daily responsibilities, and maintain relationships with family and friends (Bartels et al. 549). Meredith has persevered in the face of adversity, preparing her to face the world's challenges. She is emotional and empathetic with others, even during difficult times, and is sensitive to the people in her immediate surroundings (Engels and Becker 13). Meredith had a difficult childhood and witnessed her mother have Alzheimer's disease despite being detached from her father (Engels and Becker 7). Since they match the DSM5 diagnosis for PTSD, the emotions she portrays help solidify my primary diagnosis. Meredith's mother has Alzheimer's and resides in a nursing home, and she tries at first to keep this information from her coworkers to avoid emotional stress. Meredith's utterances show her troubled feelings by showing her frustration with different situations. In the fourth season episode of Losing My Mind, she says, "Not everyone has too always be happy. Not good mental health. That is rubbish" (Rhimes). Due to what is happening around her, it seems that she has lost interest and the ability to be happy. They illustrate that she is hopeless and has become emotionally distant. Meredith's PTSD symptoms include flashbacks, evasion, negative mood, cognitive changes, and hyperarousal. During her anguish with COVID-19, Meredith has flashbacks and premonitions with her deceased friends. She is moody, fearless, a workaholic, and socially isolates herself, not to mention suicidal, which leads her to drown rather than fight for her life. She, therefore, meets the PTSD diagnostic criteria; these symptoms impair her ability to perform daily tasks and are grounds for further diagnosing her with PTSD. Meredith suffers from several traumatic symptoms and meets the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. She has post-traumatic stress disorder after drowning while responding to an emergency at sea, witnessing her husband's death, and being shot (Rhimes). As a result, her case further meets the DSM5 PTSD criteria (intrusion, avoidance, negative thinking, and changes in arousal and reactivity). Her demeanor suggests that she is uninterested in social interactions, her job, and daily activities. Her actions and words suggest that she is depressed and irritable throughout the day. Her activity levels have noticeably decreased, and she is rarely active but spends time staring into space and appears to lack the desire to get up and move around. The DSM-5 symptoms that Meredith has displayed throughout the show are consistent with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. She is in a constant state of melancholy, to the point where she hardly ever, if ever, engages in any of her typical pursuits or derives any pleasure from doing so. Consequently, Meredith struggles with cognitive issues, such as an irrational sense of guilt or the belief of being worthless. She has difficulty concentrating and making sound choices due to her obsession with suicidal thoughts and the spiritual world. Significant challenges for her include establishing a regular sleep routine and overcoming her lack of confidence. Part 2 Treatment Plan for Meredith Grey I plan to engage Meredith in exposure therapy that will entail group therapy sessions. The group therapy sessions will be vital in discovering that she is not alone and will help her relationship with others, providing her with a safety net to air her grievances. Currently, recommending psychiatric hospitalization is not a priority since she has not posed a danger to those around her or herself despite not wanting to save her life while drowning. She did not intentionally let herself get thrown from the boat, but it was an unfortunate event that made her realize her desire to die. Her ability to deal with adversity will depend on her following the plan and facing her distressing experiences and thoughts. DMS-5 highlights, as seen throughout the show with Meredith, that the traumatic event replays in the minds of people with PTSD. Therefore, she will need group therapy to help her overcome the terrifying memories and dreams. In addition to therapy, I plan to give her antidepressants to help alleviate her PTSD. I plan on giving her paroxetine, which will help elevate serotonin levels in her brain and alleviate her symptoms. Treatment with medication and psychotherapy is beneficial; thus, it is critical to devise a strategy that will work for Meredith (Mayo Clinic). Sleeping problems, eating problems, and a lack of interest in activities that usually bring a person joy occur, albeit only temporarily (Byrne et al. 267). Medication and trauma-focused therapy are the most effective treatments for PTSD and will aid Meredith's recovery. Giving her medication stimulates the body's production of molecules acting as stress and emotion regulators. Part 3 Prognosis Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms usually go away on their own. PTSD symptoms may worsen over...