Patient Care: A Case Study on Complex Needs, Self-Harm, and Trauma

This case study examines the complex needs of a 30-year-old patient named Matthew, who has a history of self-harm stemming from childhood sexual abuse and has been diagnosed with borderline disorder. The solution emphasizes the importance of specialized care, including therapy focused on addressing the root trauma. It suggests that while alcohol may be used as a coping mechanism, the focus should be on resolving the underlying issues rather than solely addressing alcohol use. The case study also discusses the potential need for a mental health facility if the patient's condition does not improve, highlighting the importance of ensuring the safety of both the patient and others. The approach underscores the need for tailored attention and a willingness from the patient to receive help, despite potential resistance due to the long-standing nature of the problem.

Complex Needs Patients
Name
Institution

Patients with special cases which require special attention should be given specialized attention
especially those with history of self-harm. Such cases requires nurses with the urge to help him
and have the knowledge on how to help this special cases. Mental care is a medical field that also
involves nurses and the knowledge of dealing with such issues despite the kind of patient or the
specific kind of problem which may be very challenging.
Matthew being a 30 year old who has suffered from child abuse in his childhood and has a
history of self-harm, is a kind of patient despite his complex issues, requires specific and well
defined treatment to help him. Upon his arrival to the health center all the proper documentation
should be done and his history checked and verified. After finding out he had suffered from
childhood abuse a red flag should be raised to indicate it’s a special case. All his current
problems seems to have originated from the traumas suffered from his childhood. Being 30 there
is a huge possibility he tried various means to solve his issues which seems not to work but a
nurse with the proper knowledge or with experience should be assigned to him. (Easton, Leon,
Sophis and Willis, 2015, pp.152-173).
Therapy is a field that involves helping solve mental issues where an expert listens and offers
advice to a patient. Matthew require such an expert with great experience of dealing with
complex issues and who is ready to help him. The greatest topic of discussion to Matthew should
be mainly focused on helping him overcome his childhood trauma caused by sexual abuse. The
trauma seems to be affecting him a great deal to the extent of not finding a reason to live that
leads to self-harm (Edmondson, Brennan and House, 2016, 117 pp.109). The therapist should
focus much on explaining to Matthew that what happened in his childhood was unforgettable but
he still has to focus much on his current life and avoid harming himself. Finding a solution

should be the main goal by making him open up and face his fears and trauma since is the only
way that Matthew is able to move on from the trauma.
Matthew seems to have switched to alcohol to prevent him from facing his childhood trauma
caused by sexual abuse. Advice on how to deal with the real problem should be given to him and
not dwell mainly on telling him the dangers of alcohol. (Le, Johnson, Seale, Parish and Miller,
2015, pp.790-796). Alcohol seems to be the best choice for Matthew to help his problem having
survived thirty years with a huge mental challenge. Advice quitting alcohol would take a while if
especially it was his best way that kept him going. This advice should be used after a period of
time if he would be making progress from the care offered by the healthcare.
Borderline disorder having been diagnosed in Matthew would require the health facility to keep
him for a while and if they can’t provide the necessary resources to help him he should be
assigned to a facility which can help him. The disorder seems it can be solved but requires a
special kind of help therefore a mental facility should be considered the very last option if he
doesn’t improve. The self-harm may result to harming others therefore holding him and giving
him the necessary care is important. (Lindgren and Hällgren, 2015, pp.371-378).
Matthew who has a special kind of case which comes from a historic problem can be helped if
the right attention is given to him and he is also willing to receive the help despite being stubborn
having survived for thirty years with the problem. Such patients if not cared from can inflict pain
to others and if they are beyond repair they should be locked up and a slow process to help him
should be used to try to help him.

References.
Easton, S.D., Leone-Sheehan, D.M., Sophis, E.J. and Willis, D.G., 2015. “From that Moment on
My Life Changed”: Turning Points in the Healing Process for Men Recovering from Child
Sexual Abuse. Journal of child sexual abuse, 24(2), pp.152-173.
Edmondson, A.J., Brennan, C.A. and House, A.O., 2016. Non-suicidal reasons for self-harm: a
systematic review of self-reported accounts. Journal of Affective Disorders, 191, 117 pp.109-.
Le, K.B., Johnson, J.A., Seale, J.P., Woodall, H., Clark, D.C., Parish, D.C. and Miller, D.P.,
2015. Primary care residents lack comfort and experience with alcohol screening and brief
intervention: A multi-site survey. Journal of general internal medicine, 30(6), pp.790-796.
Lindgren, B.M. and Hällgren Graneheim, U., 2015. Meanings of caring for people who self‐harm
as disclosed in narratives of dialectical behaviour therapy professionals. Journal of psychiatric
and mental health nursing, 22(6), pp.371-378.