Allison Case Study

1. Refer to the DSM-5 checklist for generalized anxiety disorder (see file on Moodle). For each of the criteria listed in the DSM-5, provide an explanation of ALL of Allison’s symptoms that meet each diagnostic criterion. Be sure to describe the specific symptoms Allison has, matching them with their respective DSM criteria.
A. Allison worries day in and day out about what will happen to her next. She worries so much some days that she will call in sick to work and sleep the rest of the day. Allison is worried that she will get cancer, she won’t go on planes, and she is also worried that someone will rob her of everything she owns some day. This has been going since she was a child.
B. Allison cannot control how often she worries. She cannot fall asleep at night because all she can do is worry. She says sleep temporarily stops it but it comes back right away in the morning.
C. Allison is always worrying and this puts a toll on her physically and emotionally, exhausting her of energy. She cannot fall asleep very easily at night. She is also always on edge, waiting for something bad to happen.
D. Allison does not have any friends because she worries that the new people she meets will hurt her. Because of her being sexually abused in the past and left by her boyfriend in Seattle, she will not date anyone because she doesn’t trust anyone else.
E. She does not abuse any drugs or medications. The only drug she has is Xanax which she uses only when she really needs it.
F. She does not worry about traumatic events in the past and doesn’t worry about having panic attacks, she just has them when things to be too much for her.
2. Describe several of the characteristics that Allison experiences by linking them to 1) biological, 2) psychological, and 3) social explanations. Please clearly explain why each of the characteristics fit into the category mentioned.
1) Allison worries about a lot of things, including being on planes, because it is a natural response for people to be scared of these situations. Allison’s brain is wired to get away from scary or stressful situations. It is a natural biological response from the fight or flight system each of us has in our brains.
2) Allison believes that she will be hurt by people and get cancer from second hand smoke. These unrealistic fears are always in her mind and she cannot stop thinking about them. her disorder has taken control of her mind and she doesn’t know how to get rid of it.
3) Because she was never close with any of her family members she doesn’t have anyone to go to with her problems. None of them really cared for her and always thought she was over exaggerating everything. She was also molested as a child and it has made her very untrusting of anyone she meets. Her mother was always “sick” and she never really knew what was going on with her. All of this has added up to create a lot of anxiety for her.
3. What is the behavioral perspective? Describe specifically how the behavioral perspective would explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder using examples from the case study.
The behavioral perspective states that abnormal behavior is caused from poor learning. When someone is taught to do something because of their past and causes them to behave in a way that is not right, like abusing a child because they were abused as a child.
Allison’s disorder can be described by the behavioral perspective by the way she mistrusts people. Her mother always told her to stay away from strangers and that bad things happen to people who do things with people they don’t know very well. She stays away from all new people and doesn’t let them come into her life because she fears that she could be hurt by them.
4. What is today’s current psychodynamic perspective? Describe specifically how the current psychodynamic perspective would explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder using examples from the case study.
The psychodynamic perspective states that psychological disorders arise from unresolved conflicts within the mind. These are things that people have no control over, but have a huge control over them.
Because Allison never really found out what was wrong with her mother and also was never close to her family, she thinks she is lesser than everyone else around her. This feeling makes her worry about everything he does and puts a lot of stress on her. She has many unrealistic fears and doesn’t know how to get rid of them. 5. What is the cognitive perspective? Describe specifically how the cognitive perspective would explain Allison’s generalized anxiety disorder using examples from the case study.
This perspective states that people behave abnormally because of the thoughts they have which are based on assumptions that are unrealistic in nature.
Her disorder can be described by the cognitive perspective by the way she believes that every situation she is/will be in is dangerous or could embarrass her in an extreme way. She won’t fly on plans often because of her fear of 9/11 and she is also afraid of being alone and being attacked by someone.
6. Describe 1 non-drug (i.e., non-pharmacologic or not using medication) biological treatments used to treat generalized anxiety disorder, including how you would implement it with Allison. Why did you select this specific approach?
I would have Allison remove all caffeine and alcohol from her diet and reduce the amount of sugar she is eating to very minimal amounts. Shw will be required to take time to relax every night and practice breathing exercises. She should replace her caffeinated beverages with calming teas and other drinks which will make her drowsier. Exercise would be a must. I would have Allison slowly start doing these things so she doesn’t feel rushed and panic more.
I chose this because exercise and low amounts of caffeine/sugar is good for everyone and it should help her sleep better which will make her better to control these problems she is having.