Overcoming Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Graduate Students Journey

Abstract

Institutional Affiliation 26th April 2021 [Name] [Name] Fictional Name: Jane Washington Age at Admission: 26 Race: American Sex: Female Status: Second year Graduate Student Employment: Unemployed Referral Source: Natty Counselling centre Admission Date: 2/4/2019 Discharge Date: 5/4/2020 Treatment Setting and Modality: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Physical therapy, Clinical Psychologist GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER HISTORY Jane reported incidents of joint pains and irregular low back pain without ever experiencing any kind of physical injury. At the age of 19, she began having problems falling asleep and incapable of resting well at night. She has been feeling extremely agitated due to lack of sleep for more than five years now. Jane states she always worry about her performance in graduate school, mother’s health condition and taking care of her siblings. The mother is struggling with obesity and can only survive with physical support from others. During the day, Jane feels anxious causing her to be inflexible. Every night, she is woken from her sleep with serious episodes of headache that stays for two hours. These episodes affect her level of concentration in class and the ability to do assignments. According to the information obtained from this anxiety history, Jane was diagnosed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder. PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING The reports regarding psychological functioning of Jane was derived from the psychiatric evaluation and bio/social/psychological interviews. Jane was late to the interview and she seemed extremely exhausted. She described her mood as always characterised with nervousness. Her thoughts were disorganized since she had problem concentrating during the interview. She was physically present but her thoughts were aligned to the sense of impending worry. This is the reason she began trembling, sweating and breathing heavily in the middle of the interview. She denied any claims of suicidal thoughts but accepted her harsh experience with constant pain, worries and anxiety attacks. EDUCATION/FINANCE Jane reported good performance in school until her graduate studies when she began to experience intense effects of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. She stated the difficulties such as lack of sleep, limited concentration during lectures and unfinished essays resulting to poor performance that could hinder her graduation. Jane also reported the financial support she receives from her father and well-wishers since she does not have a job. SOCIAL HISTORY Jane is an American female. She has spent her childhood and adulthood in New York City with her family. The family consist of her parents and two younger siblings who are still in high school. She clarified the absence of domestic violence, physical or sexual abuse history while growing up. The only family member with mental health history is the mother who has been battling obesity for many years. She reported how her mother has been in and out of counselling every month due to her constant suicide attempts. Jane has two younger siblings whom she has to care for and protect since her mother is sick and father is working every day. She stated how the lack of parental influence in their lives resulted to the rebellious nature of the siblings. The siblings always skip school and experiment on drugs when Jane and their father are not around. She wanted to show the difficulties of being a sister, acting as a mother and being a student at the same time. She reported that she does not have a social life. The friendship she developed throughout the years faded as a result of cancelling plans to take care of her siblings, mother and focus on studying. She has never been in a romantic relationship. Over the years, this lifestyle has slowly pushed her to serious level of anxiety and sleepless nights. PHYSICAL HISTORY Jane reported no mechanism of physical injury despite the anxiety episodes. She stated that apart from exhaustion from the sleepless nights, she only visits the hospital when taking...