Running Head Depressive Disorder ✓ Solved

Depression is a mood condition that affects approximately 30% of individuals globally at some stage of their lifestyle. The disorder occurs in people irrespective of their age, class, and daily activities; thus defined as the most disease affecting individuals psychologically (World Health Organization, 2017). Generally, different patients display distinct symptoms associated with the disease. However, the most perceived symptoms include sleeping issues, low mood, chronic back pain, feelings of guilt, low energy, lack hopes, anger, and appetite or weight changes (American Psychiatric Association, 2015).

This paper will reflect on the determination of principle and management of depression by describing a treatment program for a patient who is critically suffering from the disease.

History of Present Illness and Clinical Impression for the Client

Jane is a 32-year-old Caucasian who works in one of the retail industries in the city. The client came to the clinic after encountering signs and symptoms associated with depression. The patient stated that she always had sad feelings, trouble sleeping at night, low appetite, overeating, and feelings of helplessness. Jane admitted that she had disturbed sleep associated with taking several hours before falling asleep, and some nights she lacked sleep or took 2-3 hours while sleeping.

Significantly, the worries she encountered reflected on thoughts of not being a good woman and not giving the best care to her daughter (American Psychiatric Association, 2015). The daughter complained of being neglected by her mother and threatened to move away from the family. More so, the husband associated her busy schedule at work with ineffective care perceived by the daughter. The assessment confirmed that the patient was suffering from depression. Therefore, she acknowledges the idea of attending therapies as a mechanism to limit the condition.

Recommend Psychopharmacologic Treatments

During the evaluation, the patient dismissed being on medication or using drugs. Jane cited the absence of allergic responses to any medicine she had in the past. However, the nature of therapy depends on the level of depression perceived by the clients. Types of depression include mild, mild to moderate, or moderate to severe depression. According to the history of the present illness, the patient suffers from moderate to severe depression.

I will recommend the application of antidepressant medicines such as 10 mg of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor daily until the symptoms of moderate to severe depression cease (Cleare et al., 2015). Additionally, I will suggest the use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy to direct magnetic energy pulses to the part of the brain engaged in mood regulation. TMS therapy will end when the patient acknowledges having positive feelings and enough sleep. Furthermore, I will suggest the application of vitamin supplements for two weeks to manage the changed appetite.

Recommend Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is an essential medication approach to depression in individuals. This method helps in advancing feelings and providing psychological practices that enable Jane to have a positive attitude toward life and surrounding issues. I recommend individual therapy to enhance the management of feelings and other symptoms. Vital psychotherapies include cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

Cognitive therapy focuses on changing the patient’s thought patterns, thereby reducing her negative feelings regarding family issues. Medication will assist the patient in determining mechanisms of negative thinking and diverting them into positive thoughts. Behavioral therapy entails advancing the behaviors portrayed by the patient by eliminating unwanted characteristics (Cuijpers et al., 2014). CBT can be particularly useful in addressing negative thoughts and attributes portrayed by the patient suffering from depression.

Medical Management Needs

The medical management of depression requires systematic, population-based mechanisms. Jane encounters moderate to severe type depression which necessitates effective primary care to limit chances of other disorders associated with the condition. Essential primary care needs for my patient include systematic case finding, education, patient engagement, diagnosis, and evidence-based therapies (Cleare et al., 2015). Furthermore, medical management requires psychotherapies and close follow-ups to ensure practical improvements.

The patient will need a commitment from nurse practitioners to facilitate medication adjustments and consultations with a psychiatrist until full recovery from depression is achieved.

Community Support Resources and Agencies

The management of depression also requires support from the community and organizations. For instance, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America focuses on identifying mechanisms to improve the life standards of individuals with depression and anxiety-linked disorders. The organization is non-profitable and provides education, resources, and support for patients to bolster medication (American Psychiatric Association, 2015).

Community efforts such as research and group formation play essential roles in assisting patients with depression. Social activities like sports and schools also reduce the effects of the condition by motivating individuals to have positive feelings towards life aspects.

Recommend a Plan for Follow-up Intensity and Frequency

Jane will report to the medical facilities once every week for the first three months. These visits will help assess her improvement using a baseline electrocardiogram and determine how she responds to the prescribed SSRIs and recommended psychotherapies. The patient will attend treatments twice a week with nurse practitioners to analyze suicidal thoughts and monitor side effects such as headaches, itching, and fatigue associated with prescribed medications.

Additionally, the patient will receive a suicide hotline number and will be allowed to conduct follow-ups with primary care providers for any medical issues (American Psychiatric Association, 2015). All medication processes attended by the patient will be documented, emailed to the psychiatrist, and provided to the patient to enhance personal assessment.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2015). Depressive Disorders: DSM-5® Selections. American Psychiatric Pub.

  • Cleare, A., Pariante, C. M., Young, A. H., Anderson, I. M., Christmas, D., Cowen, P. J., & Haddad, P. M. (2015). Evidence-based guidelines for treating depressive disorders with antidepressants: a revision of the 2008 British Association for Psychopharmacology guidelines. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 29(5).

  • Cuijpers, P., Sijbrandij, M., Koole, S. L., Andersson, G., Beekman, A. T., & Reynolds III, C. F. (2014). Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis. Focus, 12(3).

  • Devries, K. M., Mak, J. Y., Bacchus, L. J., Child, J. C., Falder, G., Petzold, M., & Watts, C. H. (2013). Intimate partner violence and incident depressive symptoms and suicide attempts: a systematic review of longitudinal studies. PLoS medicine, 10(5), e.

  • World Health Organization. (2017). Depression and other common mental disorders: global health estimates (No. WHO/MSD/MER/2017.2).

  • Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2014). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry: Behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

  • Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

  • Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (5th ed.). New York, NY: Basic Books.