Diagnosis Of Black Swan

In Darren Aronofsky’s (2010) film, Black Swan, a ballet dancer experiences significant difficulty in adjusting to fulfill the dual role of the white swan. In order to achieve this role, Nina must traverse the dual relationship between the innocence of the white swan and the seductive black swan. In Nina’s desire to reach this goal, she experiences a major transformation in herself that reflects the transition from the white and black swan in the ballet. This paper in particular will focus Nina’s diagnosis in the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), the criterion that matches the diagnosis, psychosocial and environmental stressors, portrayal of treatment, recommended therapy, and possible improvement over the course of the film. According
Specifically, Nina would fulfill the specifier of purging type because she routinely vomited in the toilet over the course of 3 months. This specifier is a little more difficult and ambiguous to diagnose Nina with because the film isn’t clear whether her vomiting was a result of anxiety or pressure to monitor weight. According to the research done by Toro et al. (2009), there is the increased likelihood of Nina having anorexia nervosa, which may also increase the likelihood of fulfilling the specifier of the purging type. Again, it can only be inferred that Nina has this specifier. More research and interviews would need to occur for a more informed
Medication/hospitalization involves getting immediate help for the client in relation to the current severity of symptoms present. For Nina, this first phase of treatment should occur immediately considering the severity of her shizophreniform symptoms. This process involves admitting the client into a hospital to protect, calm, and alleviate the acute symptoms of the disorder (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 420). During this period of hospitalization, the client should also be exposed to antipsychotic medication because like immediate hospitalization, it protects the client from harm (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 420). The rationale behind using antipsychotic medications is that around 75% of clients with schizophreniform respond to the medication within eight days (Sadock, 2007). The focus on the first stage is reducing the acute symptoms of shizophreniform disorder and grounding the client in reality. According to Seligman and Reichenberg (2014), “brief treatment strategies with clear goals seem best and long-term medication or extended inpatient treatment are unusual” (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 420). This form of immediate therapy should then be followed up with intervention strategies and family therapy once the psychotic symptoms have been