Western Sydney University: Mental Health Case Study Analysis, 401013

This case study analysis focuses on a patient, Munny, whose job-related stress is identified as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The analysis highlights the physiological impact of long-term stress, including the elevation of cortisol, triglycerides, and cholesterol, leading to potential blood clots and heart attacks. The recommended intervention involves advising Munny to seek a break from his stressful job by resigning, prioritizing his health. The ethical issue of informed consent is discussed, emphasizing the importance of patient permission and self-determination. Furthermore, the case study explores Munny's traumatic experiences in his youth, including displacement and witnessing violence, which are recognized as risk factors for mental health problems. Psychotherapy is proposed as a suitable intervention to address these mental health concerns, helping Munny understand, manage, and cope with stress and trauma. The analysis emphasizes the importance of early intervention and includes relevant references supporting the arguments.

Based on the case study, I find Munny’s job to be the urgent risk. This is so because
Munny has confessed that his job is stressing especially after meeting with his employer who
told him that he is not satisfied with his work in the bakery. Stress is a major risk factor of
cardiovascular diseases (Alisic et al., 2014). This is so because long term stress results in high
levels of cortisol which increases the triglycerides and cholesterol in the body. The excess
cholesterol and triglycerides in the body will form a clot in the blood vessel which blocks the
transfer of blood causing a heart attack (An et al., 2016).
Taking a break from the stressor is the most ideal intervention I will take with my client.
Since the job is affecting Munny’s health by stressing him, the best way to avoid that stress is to
take a break from the stressor. This is important because the health of a person takes precedence
of anything else especially given that the productivity of an unhealthy person is always low
compared to healthy people (Cook et al., 2017). I will make this happen by advising Munny to
seek approval of his employer to resign in writing citing health issues as the reason for the same.
The issue of informed consent is the primary ethical issue that a nurse needs to take into
consideration while working with Munny. The concept of informed concept dictates that a nurse
should only carry a medical procedure on the patient when the patient has granted him the
permission with full knowledge of the consequences of that procedure (DeHart et al., 2014).
Also, the patient’s right to self-determination should be considered. The patient’s right to self-
determination stipulates that the decision on whether to accept or refuse treatment solely lies
with the patient and a nurse should not coerce the patient to do the same (Cervantes Gracia et al.,
2017).

The mental health concern that comes out clearly in the case study is a traumatizing
experience that Munny was subjected to while young when his family was displaced from their
home country and he had to undergo the horrible experience of living in refugee camps. Also,
Munny witnessed his father being shot by Khmer Rouge. Adversities such as traumatizing
trauma are known to be the major risk factor of the development of behavioral and psychological
problems later in life (An et al., 2016). Therefore, by going through the traumatizing experience
in his early life as mentioned in the case study, Munny is likely to be experiencing mental
problems.
Psychotherapy is the appropriate intervention that I prefer for my client to address the
mental concern of trauma. Psychotherapy will involve seeking help from a mental health
professional by discussing with him the mental health-related issues my client is going through
(Yehuda et al, 2015). Psychotherapy is of great significance because a person can understand his
moods, feelings, and behavior. The knowledge that somebody gets through psychotherapy will
help him control, cope and manage stress (DeHart et al., 2014). In most cases, successful
psychotherapy takes months to be completed and the earlier the client starts the better. Therefore,
I will book an appointment with the mental professional as soon as my client tells me he is
stressed.

Reference
Alisic, E., Zalta, A. K., Van Wesel, F., Larsen, S. E., Hafstad, G. S., Hassanpour, K., & Smid, G.
E. (2014). Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder in trauma-exposed children and
adolescents: meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 204(5), 335-340.
An, K., Salyer, J., Brown, R. E., Kao, H. F. S., Starkweather, A., & Shim, I. (2016). Salivary
biomarkers of chronic psychosocial stress and CVD risks: a systematic
review. Biological research for nursing, 18(3), 241-263.
Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., ... & Mallah, K.
(2017). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric annals, 35(5), 390-398.
Cervantes Gracia, K., Llanas-Cornejo, D., & Husi, H. (2017). CVD and oxidative stress. Journal
of Clinical Medicine, 6(2), 22.
DeHart, D., Lynch, S., Belknap, J., Dass-Brailsford, P., & Green, B. (2014). Life history models
of female offending: The roles of serious mental illness and trauma in women’s pathways
to jail. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 38(1), 138-151.
Yehuda, R., Hoge, C. W., McFarlane, A. C., Vermetten, E., Lanius, R. A., Nievergelt, C. M., ...
& Hyman, S. E. (2015). Post-traumatic stress disorder. Nature Reviews Disease
Primers, 1, 15057.