Case Study 4: Joanne, age 32, is involved with the first man that really counts in her life. As the couple has become more intimate, Joanne has started to have flashbacks about an uncle who touched her sexually when she was only eight years old. She is distressed to find out that she is shutting down feelings about her boyfriend and distancing herself from him. Although she has been sexual with other men, she says she can’t stand to let herself be sexual with someone she loves and trusts. She startles easily and reports a general increase in anxiety. She is very angry that she has to deal with the feelings about the incidents with her uncle that happened so long ago. She says that she thought she had gotten beyond all that.
Joanne's fear of intimacy with her significant other, due to being abused sexually by her uncle when she was young, is a clear indication of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD). The patient was a victim of an event which now causes her to detatch emotional responsiveness with the one she loves as she begins to close off her feelings and distance "herself from him". She does not want to become intimate with him because it stimulates her memories of her past experience which she wishes to bury in back of her mind. When she does, flashback of her traumatic experience occur. She has been found to have an amplified startle response and an anxiety increase. All of these symtoms indicate the presence of Acute Stress Disorder.
Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder can usually be accomplished through psychotherapy. Psychotherapists involve the patient into a wide array of activities designed to increase the mental health of the patient. If needed, anti-depressant medication may be used in combination with this treatment. The two most prescribed types of psychotherapy for people diagnosed with Acute Stress Disorder are exposure therapy and trauma-focused cognitive restructuring. Exposure therapy is when the patient learns relaxation and imagery techniques and are gradually "exposed" to factors dealing with the original trauma until they are able to deal with it. Cognitive restructuring is when the patient tries to assess and slowly eliminate their negetive thoughts and feelings about the specific traumatic experience. Treatment prevents Acute Stress Disorder from becoming worse into Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
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6 comments:
This is a really interesting blog with good information! It's sad how people cannot live a fully satisfying life with their companion because of their past experiences. I like how you described the disorder and how she can get help. Good job!
good explanation and treatment :)
i think the reason why she treats her loved ones that way is because of her relationship with her uncle, who was a family member.
good post =)
wow that is really sad. its sad how because of past events peeople cant live thier lives fully in the presentt. you went into great detail about her therapyy good job :)
Oh, I feel sorry for the patient for having ASD. I like how you explain with details about ASD.
You did a great job in going into detail as to why it was ASD and why she should take what you suggested. It is sad how bad things happen to innocent children and how that affects their lives for a long time.
I liked your therapy analysis. It went into great detail and I thought it applied perfectly for this patient
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