Mental Health Report: Case Study of Joe's Depression and Treatment

This report presents a comprehensive case study on Joe, a patient suffering from depression triggered by traumatic experiences during his military service. The report meticulously examines Joe's condition, including his impaired social interaction, disturbed thought processes, and heavy drinking habits. It outlines a detailed assessment process, considering risk factors and utilizing diagnostic tools such as depression scales. Furthermore, the report proposes a nursing care plan that addresses Joe's specific issues through interventions like encouraging social activities, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication, including SSRIs and anxiolytics. The implementation and evaluation of the care plan are also discussed, emphasizing the importance of tailored interventions and therapies to help Joe overcome his depression and improve his mental well-being. The report concludes that a well-structured nursing care plan based on the patient's symptoms, combined with appropriate therapies and medications, is essential for effective treatment and recovery.

Mental Health

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Mental health refers to a situation in which an individual is psychologically, emotionally
and socially well being. It consist of certain factors which are responsible for mental problems
including life experiences, family history of mental disorder and biological factors. Moreover, it
is necessary for people to remain aware from early symptoms of psychological problems in order
to consult specialist at right time to get medication (Caplan, 2013). The present report is based on
given case study about depression due to an incident happened with patient named Mr. Joe who
faced certain horrifying incidents, in particular had never left his mind. This essay will focus on
assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation regarding depression in the
above mentioned case scenario.
MAIN BODY
According to the case study, Mr Joe was a good deal of active combat during his time in
military but few of horrible incidents never left his mind which leads him towards depression.
However, one of such incident is like horrifying sight of Gary who was his close comrade and
friend, being blown up by land mine. In addition to this, when he return back to civilian life then
also previous images haunted him and these scenes disrupt his focus on work. Moreover, the
smell of diesel quickly make him remember few of horrific memories and he found himself
avoiding socialisation with old military friends. His girlfriend complaint that he remain lost and
he himself feel difficulty in relaxing as well as falling asleep. After listening loud voice, he
jumped as he were readying himself for combat and started drink heavily.
The state of depression can be described as situation of mental disorder in which an
individual loss interest in activities and cause significant impairment in daily life. It requires an
effective nursing care plan with proper assessment of situation of patient with the help accurate
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diagnosis to provide correct medication for making them disease free (Trower, Bryant and
Argyle, 2013). As per case study, it has been assessed that Joe has problem of impaired social
interaction and disturbed thought processes which create issue in his life due to which he started
heavy drink habit. However, he avoid interaction with old military buddies, get ready for combat
after listening loud voice and face problems in falling asleep. Moreover, he has memory
problems and get haunted by remembering horrible scene of his friend's death due to land mine.
In context of depression, there are several risk factors assessed including stroke, heart attack,
Parkinson's disease and hormonal disorders which may responsible for increasing severity of
depression. From the assessment, it is found that Joe is suffering from depression. In addition to
this, the diagnosis should be done by utilising reliable depression scale or questionnaires
including Zung Self Rating Depression Scale, Beck Depression Inventory or Geriatric
Depression Scale. Psychiatrist can easily determine the symptoms of depression which provide
support to conduct appropriate treatment process for welfare of Joe.
The Nursing care plan of depression is based on specific problems of patient that is
determine as impaired social interaction and disturbed thought process. Initially, it is essential to
render simple activities which requires less concentration which helps to reduce chances of
feeling down by patient (Thoits, 2013). Secondly, sick individual should involve in activities like
walking, that needs little focus which facilitate to aid reliving tensions and may support in
elevating the mood. Thirdly, it is beneficial to involve patient in one-to-one activity when they
feel depressed in order to increase potential interactions and minimize levels of anxiety
accordingly. However, it is significant to engage depressed person into group activities like art
therapy, dance therapy and group discussions which helps to improve socialisation to reduce
feeling of isolation with increase feel of self- worth. Moreover, nurse must try to maximise
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interaction of patient with other people for distracting him from self- preoccupation. Meanwhile,
it is beneficial for Joe to refer him to self-help groups which is supportive for him to overcome
with depression by listening experience of another individuals.
In context of disturbed thought process of Joe, it is important to focus on that problem
and make interventions for the same as it impacts negatively on their mental state which cause
major depression. Firstly, it is important to identify previous level of cognitive functioning of
patient with help of their family members and past medical history data to establish baseline
information in order to evaluate progress in his situation. Secondly, it is required to utilise simple
& concrete words to make them think slow and difficult concentrating impair comprehension.
Thirdly, provide proper time to client and allow him think in respect of framing responses as
slowed thinking necessitates some duration of time to formulate their response (Reiss, 2013).
Meanwhile, provide more time than normal to client for daily routine activities like eating,
dressing etc. to reduce chance of anxiety because feel of hurry increase the same with reducing
ability of thinking. However, it consist provide support to postpone important decision of life
because it requires optimal psychophysiological functioning. In addition to this, it is necessary to
decrease responsibilities of client while he is critically depressed which facilitate to reduce
feelings if guilt, anxiety and pressure. Finally, it is important to help client and his family to
structure a positive environment with schedules & routines during depression which is easy to
follow and remember (Lawrence and et. al., 2015).
The above nursing plan is favourable for Joe in order to make him capable to overcome
with his mental problem very soon. It is necessary to implement these interventions by
analysing related rationale which provide support to conduct proper medication process for
patient in respect of attaining better outcomes. The interventional principles consist use of
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explicit treatment plans, reorganising practices to meet actual needs of patients, systematic
attention to information, ready access to necessary expertise and supportive information systems.
However, several therapies can utilised during plan of action such as cognitive behavioural
therapy, psychotherapy and behaviour therapy (Aneshensel, Phelan and Bierman, 2013). The
cognitive behavioural therapy is helpful to modify negative thoughts, behaviours and emotional
responses of patient. Meanwhile, the psychotherapy should be applied as it provide support to
treat depression with the help of talk therapy. The behaviour therapy render help to modify
harmful behaviours like get ready for combat while listening loud or high pitch voice in case of
Joe can be reduced accordingly. At the other hand, along with following set interventions, it is
necessary to provide suitable medicines like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
which are helpful to ease signs of depressed mood & anxiety. It also include antidepressants
which facilitate the prevention and relief from depression and elevates mood. Furthermore,
anxiolytic medicines can be provided because they relieves anxiety & tension along with
promoting sleep. At the other hand, the implementation of nursing care plan is required to
followed by taking care of several factors including reassurance of safety and decrease in
maladaptive symptoms. It also involve demonstration of more adaptive strategies and adaptive
progression through the grieving procedures.
The care plan is required to be evaluate in terms of different therapies and activities to
analyse their effectiveness regarding patient outcomes. The activity of involving patient in group
activities is more helpful for Joe as it helps him to avoid isolation and increase his self- worth.
Moreover, the technique of maximising contact of client is suitable for him to distract from self-
preoccupation which help him to overcome with depression easily (Morgan, 2013). In addition to
this, it has been analysed that the cognitive behavioural therapy is most beneficial for Joe and
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facilitate him to reduce problem of disturbed thought process that make him feeling relieved
from depression. It is mandatory to follow intervention of reducing anxiety & pressure when
patient is severely depressed because avoiding this situation may create crucial complications in
mental health condition of him. Consequently, the problem of become ready for combat by
listening loud voice was not solved properly and requires more effective therapy or medication to
make him overcome with the same.
According to my point of view, the nursing care plan is required to be prepared on the
basis of symptoms of patient which is appropriately done here. I have analysed that behavioural
therapy is much effective to reduce harmful activities of patient like readying himself for combat
by listening high pitch volume (Blackwell, Lucas and Clarke, 2014). The utilisation of
intervention with make him involve in group discussions and increasing contact with new people
is helpful for Joe to overcome with his isolation from old military buddies. Additionally, it has
been recommended that appropriate medications are very important which are suitable for him
along with conducting activities regarding interventions to make him healthy very soon. Most
beneficial intervention was to give opportunity to him for analysing experience other people that
how were they face severe depression and overcome the same through proper treatment. It is
supportive for Joe to overcome with his problem of depression and become healthy.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it is concluded that mental health can be described as a condition
of an individual with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being. It consist to
conduct proper assessment of symptoms and diagnosis of mental problem like depression
through certain methods like reliable depression scale or questionnaires including Zung Self
Rating Depression Scale, Beck Depression Inventory or Geriatric Depression Scale. Moreover,
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it is necessary to make effective interventions like increase socialisation, use simple words and
reduce their anxiety in severe situations. Moreover, effective treatment should be provided by
following appropriate interventions by underlying principles to make depressed patient healthy.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Caplan, G. (2013). An approach to community mental health. Routledge.
Trower, P., Bryant, B., & Argyle, M. (2013). Social skills and mental health (psychology
revivals). Routledge.
Thoits, P. A. (2013). Self, identity, stress, and mental health. In Handbook of the sociology of
mental health (pp. 357-377). Springer, Dordrecht.
Reiss, F. (2013). Socioeconomic inequalities and mental health problems in children and
adolescents: a systematic review. Social science & medicine. 90. 24-31.
Aneshensel, C. S., Phelan, J. C., & Bierman, A. (2013). The sociology of mental health:
Surveying the field. In Handbook of the sociology of mental health (pp. 1-19). Springer,
Dordrecht.
Morgan, W. P. (2013). Physical activity and mental health. Taylor & Francis.
Blackwell, D. L., Lucas, J. W., & Clarke, T. C. (2014). Summary health statistics for US adults:
national health interview survey, 2012. Vital and health statistics. Series 10, Data from
the National Health Survey, (260), 1-161.
Lawrence, D. & et. al., (2015). The mental health of children and adolescents: report on the
second Australian child and adolescent survey of mental health and wellbeing.
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