Case Study
Stefanie Lewis
Case Study
Psych 101
Professor G. Rizor
My chosen case study of a person with psychosis is called tears of a clown. In this case study the subject name is Melanie Stokes. She was a pregnant mother whom was awaiting the arrival of a new baby girl named Sommer Sky. Melanie delivered her baby girl on February 23, 2001. Melanie mother Carol begins to notice a change in her daughter’s behavior and mood shortly after given birth. In the beginning her mother just thought that her action were due to a lack of exhaustion. And once she received some rest she would return and function normally. However this process never happened and it only became worst.
Melanie mother witness her daughter became more withdrawn and depressed. At this time Carol became concern about her daughter’s health. “When Sommer was only a month old, Melanie’s depression had grown so server that she had stopped eating and drinking and could no longer swallow” (Tears of a clown, 2001). Melanie begins to have paranoid delusions, gaunt, hallow-eyed behavior as well as withdrawn. Her mother noticed that she became a shell of her former self. Melanie was at a point of no return and begins to think of ways to end her life to find a way out of her troubles.
During this time Melanie had been hospitalized three times and put on medication. She was diagnosis with postpartum psychosis. She was receiving treatment for her illness. “She was given four combinations of anti-psychotic, anti-anxiety, and anti-depressant medications. She also underwent electroconvulsive therapy” (Tears of a clown, 2001). With this treatment and all of her family support, there was hope that things would become better.
Although she was under direct medical care and had the support of her family, nothing seemed to help her. “Melanie had been hospitalized three times in seven weeks” (Tears of a clown, 2001). As a result of this failed treatment and no change in her progress, Melanie ended her own life by jumping to
Case Study
Psych 101
Professor G. Rizor
My chosen case study of a person with psychosis is called tears of a clown. In this case study the subject name is Melanie Stokes. She was a pregnant mother whom was awaiting the arrival of a new baby girl named Sommer Sky. Melanie delivered her baby girl on February 23, 2001. Melanie mother Carol begins to notice a change in her daughter’s behavior and mood shortly after given birth. In the beginning her mother just thought that her action were due to a lack of exhaustion. And once she received some rest she would return and function normally. However this process never happened and it only became worst.
Melanie mother witness her daughter became more withdrawn and depressed. At this time Carol became concern about her daughter’s health. “When Sommer was only a month old, Melanie’s depression had grown so server that she had stopped eating and drinking and could no longer swallow” (Tears of a clown, 2001). Melanie begins to have paranoid delusions, gaunt, hallow-eyed behavior as well as withdrawn. Her mother noticed that she became a shell of her former self. Melanie was at a point of no return and begins to think of ways to end her life to find a way out of her troubles.
During this time Melanie had been hospitalized three times and put on medication. She was diagnosis with postpartum psychosis. She was receiving treatment for her illness. “She was given four combinations of anti-psychotic, anti-anxiety, and anti-depressant medications. She also underwent electroconvulsive therapy” (Tears of a clown, 2001). With this treatment and all of her family support, there was hope that things would become better.
Although she was under direct medical care and had the support of her family, nothing seemed to help her. “Melanie had been hospitalized three times in seven weeks” (Tears of a clown, 2001). As a result of this failed treatment and no change in her progress, Melanie ended her own life by jumping to