Analysing Mental Health Status of Client in Case Study

This article analyses the mental health status of a client in a case study, identifying contributing factors and suggesting approaches for speedy recovery. It includes references to DSM V standards and the stress-vulnerability model.

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Analysing the mental health status of the client in the case study:
On critically evaluating the patient history as revealed by the case study a substantial
correlation can be found to exist between the subject of the case study Chung and the
prevalence of mental health disturbance factors as mentioned by the guidelines of MSE. The
MSE is a physical behaviour scrutinising tool that provides an insight to the development of
any mental disturbance in the subject under examination (APA,2013). During the midwifery
visit, Chung was evidently found to be in a gloomy and depressive mood with tearful eyes.
He was seen slumped on his chair with rounded shoulders. He was also seen staring blankly
at the floor for abnormally long period of time. Chung is seen to avoid eye-contact at the
maximum and any question that requires his response have to be reported several times. On
probing the subject with detailed questions about his feelings, he answered that he had been
feeling extremely anxious for quite some time and has also been having suicidal thoughts in
his mind. All the above said observed traits of Chung can be directly linked to the MSE
guidelines. Typically, the prevalence of suicidal thoughts, continued anxiety, lack of attention
in being able to perceive the theme of questions and delayed responses can be correlated with
the characteristics of depression and anxiety in the subject (Oommen,2013). The behavioural
pattern of the subject significantly pinpoints to elevated stress level which must be attended
on immediate basis.
The subject is also found to present certain specific behavioural characteristics that
can be related to the diagnostic criteria of mental health assessment as per the DSM V
standards that serve as a revision of the DSM IV standard of psychological wellbeing. The
subject complains of severe anxiety attacks that lead to palpitations and also complains of
breathing problems and acute chest pain. Further, it has been also accessed that Chung has
been facing disrupted sleep and acute insomnia. He has constantly felt depressed and has
been feeling extremely unenthusiastic. Chung has also been reported to develop an aversion

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towards his dietary intake and his appetite has reduced drastically. These traits can be
correlated with the development of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, feeding and
impaired sleep disorder all of which have been listed as mental health disorders according to
the DSM V standards (Drake et al.,2014). The criticality of the subject in the case study can
be examined by the fact that the subject has developed suicidal thoughts and has become
extremely pessimistic. These factors contribute to the serious and worsening condition of the
patient which must not be ignored and steps must be undertaken to address the concern
spontaneously so as to prevent the condition to degrade to a limit beyond repair. The
symptoms also suggest that the current professional and personal environment that Chung is
exposed to has led to the development of a huge amount of psychological and mental stress
that is disrupting the emotional equilibrium of Chung’s mental state.
Factors to contribute current mental health status of client:
As identified on the thorough evaluation of the psychological factors affecting the
mental behaviour of the subject concerned in the case study, it can be associated with the
stress-vulnerability model. The stress-vulnerability model was propounded by Zubin and
Spring in the year 1977 (Zannas & West,2014). It states that the psychological behaviour in
human beings is broadly dependent on two important characteristics that include the genetic
trait to develop a mental disorder and the psychological and the social elements that form a
part of the immediate environment of an individual (Bolier et al.,2013). On examining the
case study closely, two contributing characteristics that can be identified with the
development of psychological imbalance in Chung can be summarized as the persistent
‘home-sickness’ that he has felt on being constantly away from his family members. Some of
the most important life events of Chung took place in the absence of his dear ones that
includes his parents, his elder brother and his younger sister. He had only been to his home
town once after moving to Australia. He got married to his beloved wife Harriett in their

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absence and the event lacked his traditional Chinese grandeur that evoked in him the feeling
of home-sickness all the more. In addition to this, quite recently he had been blessed with a
beautiful baby girl Charlotte but he could not share the joy with his family members, which
resulted in making him feel isolated from the essence of family and his cultural roots. Home
sickness has been defined as the emotional disturbance caused because of being distant from
the family members. Hence, Chung on not having his family by his side for the most
important events of his life feels extremely secluded and helpless in a foreign land away from
his home-town.
Another contributing factor that can be identified on the basis of the case study that
has been provided includes the long shift hours and the occupational stress that does not
allow him to rest sufficiently (Vijendren et al.,2014). The stress generated on account of work
pressure and the over involvement of Harriett’s family members in his family members
seems to disturb his mental peace. The involvement of Harriett’s family members is broadly
based on the continuous absence of Chung because of his strenuous duty hours. His wife
needs special care to recover from the post operation infection on delivering the baby through
caesarean section and a new born in itself requires a lot of care and comfort. All these factors
have triggered emotional stress in Chung by making him feel unworthy both at his
professional and personal life. Chung is unable to share his emotional burden with his family
members due to the distance factor and at the same time he is unable to confide completely in
his wife because of the over-involvement of her family members. Gradually, the stress is seen
to pile up which is not allowing him perform well at work. A stressed mind is always
exhausted and fatigued physically as revealed by scientific studies (Thibeault,2017).
Contributing factors to client’s speedy recovery:
In order to assist Chung for a rapid recovery the three most important approaches that
would be kept in mind while continuing with the process of intervention would include,

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inclusion of the essence of respect, empowerment and hope. It is important to make Chung
feel respected by his wife and her immediate family members. Through one to one
counselling Harriett can be made aware of the serious condition that Chung has developed.
The counselling session should pin point the massive behavioural changes that have been
detected in Chung and intervention would include Harriett making him feel at ease when he
is off-duty (Dickens et al.,2013). Familial conflicts in the form of misunderstanding and
blaming for negligence can be avoided by Harriett so as to make the subject feel wanted and
loved (Giacco et al.,2014). Counselling session with Chung based on personal interview can
help in developing a deeper understanding to the determinants of the issues that he has been
facing. On being able to recognise the issues, educating Chung about the adverse effects of
his upset mental health and involving him in tasks that are based on making ‘real-choices’
can help in empowering him to a great extent. The recovery oriented mental health suggests
that empowering a subject involves making the subject aware of his lost strengths and
devising small activities to emancipate the subject thereby bringing back the self-confidence
in the individual and empowering him to be able to do perform regular activities without
hassle. The concept of hope can be implied successfully on the subject by one to one
counselling of Chung and his dear wife and intervention in the form of spending quality time
with dear ones can be suggested (Reivich et al.,2013). Considering the familial cravings and
home sickness of Chung, it is a must for him to go on a holiday with his wife to his home-
town China and spend some time so that he is able to get back his family support. Also, the
involvement of his in-laws can be curtailed so that Chung gets to spend ample amount of
quality time with his new born daughter and his wife after returning home from his strenuous
duty hours. Spiritual counselling can also be undertaken by the subject that would help in
emancipation of faith and instilling an optimistic perspective towards life (Fried &
Nesse,2015). Socialising more with family or to relieve himself from work pressure and

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mental stress, Chung could also take up a hobby like cooking a meal and sitting together with
his family to have it can work wonders to evoke positivity in Chung. Spending time with the
baby can work wonders, like the subject could be encouraged to read a bed time story or sing
a lullaby to his new born. Hence, to summarise in this way the subject can gradually come to
terms with life by finding joy in the little aspects that help in keeping the physical health
intact and also promotes mental wellbeing.

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