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Today, the DSM-5 contains ten distinct personality disorder…
Today, the DSM-5 contains ten distinct personality disorder diagnoses, grouped into three clusters. The first cluster, cluster A, which includes what are often labeled simply as “odd” or “eccentric,” personality characteristics. This defines paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders. For example, someone with paranoid personality disorder may feel a pervasive distrust of others and be constantly guarded and suspicious, while a person with schizoid personality disorder would seem overly aloof and indifferent, showing no interest in relationships and few emotional responses.
The second cluster, cluster B, which includes antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders, encompasses dramatic emotional or impulsive personality characteristics. For example, a narcissistic personality can display a selfish sense grandiose sense of self-importance and entitlement. Meanwhile, a histrionic personality might seem like they’re acting a part to get attention, even putting themselves at risk with dramatic, dangerous, and even suicidal gestures. The behavior of cluster B can be truly self-destructive and frightening, and these disorders are often associated with frequent hospitalization.
Finally, the third cluster, cluster C, includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. Cluster C encompasses anxious, fearful, or avoidant personality traits. For example, those with avoidant and dependent personality disorders often avoid meeting new people or taking risks and show a lack of confidence, an excessive need to be taken care of, and a tremendous fear of being abandoned.
In the past, and, to a great extent, today, some of these categories have been controversial. Many researchers argue that some of these conditions overlap with each other so much that it can be impossible to tease them apart. For example, narcissistic personality disorder has many traits that resemble histrionic personality disorder. And because of this, the most commonly diagnosed personality disorder is actually personality disorder not otherwise specified or PDNOS. The prevalence of this diagnosis suggests that while clinicians can identify a personality disorder in a patient, figuring out the details of the condition can be messy and difficult.
INSTRUCTIONS: Now, it’s your turn! You are a trained psychologist/psychiatrist and you are assessing a patient, within a case study. Based on the information below: complete the following, properly diagnosing the patient, using scholarly sources to back up your response:
Patient: A 35-year-old male who is married and has two school-aged children (8 and 10 years old).
Job History: Patient joined the military upon graduating from high school. He was unsure of a profession/career to pursue and has been is constantly worried, looking over his shoulder, because he is weary of others. Patient was in the United States Marines for 8 years. He reports two tours of duty overseas; one of those tours being spent in Iraq where he was constantly viglent of enemy combantents. While in the military, patient earned his bachelor’s degree in business, but had trouble concentrating on his studies. Patient currently works as a manager in a bank. He reports moderate levels of stress in his job, which sometimes results in him staying home from work to avoid the stress. The patient reports that while he does not dislike his job, it is not a career he can see remaining in until retirement, and lacks interest or enthusiasm.
Medical Background: Patient reports that he was healthy for the majority of his life. He is active and physically fit. He eats well and does not abuse drugs or alcohol. In his early 20s, he smoked but he “cleaned up his act” when he learned he and his wife were expecting their first child. Recently, he has been experiencing a variety of unexplained physical symptoms including back pain, headaches, and chest pain. He has sought medical help for these problems several times. He reports that he often goes to the ER due to experiencing chest pain, but after numerous tests are run, he is discharged upon finding nothing wrong.
Complaint: In addition to the physical symptoms and characteristics listed above, the patient also states he feels scared and anxious. He has difficulty sleeping. He reports difficulty in controlling his anger and that outbursts are often directed at loved ones (wife and children).
Based on the above information, complete the following:
(Make sure to use scholarly sources to back up your responses)
Record important factors to consider in making a diagnosis from the case study.
What additional information is needed?
Based upon the factors listed, what is your diagnosis?
What would you recommend to this patient based upon the factors you have to consider?
Ensure you have cited tools that you used in your assessment and diagnosis, including the current version of the
