Case Study On Behavioural And Physiological Related Concerns

Family Case Study
Outline
The paper presents about a family case study relating with behavioral and physiological related concerns. In this case, assessment is provided along with the comprehensive rehabilitation is given to the identified patient. In this case, the demographical information, background details, and prognosis during the treatment process are needed to be applied towards the patient. Upon taking the background information of the patient, both past and present medical history of illness is collected to ensure all factors that impact the patient’s current health care condition. Intervention and mitigation is expected to be applied as a way for the health care professionals to establish a comprehensive plan to decrease patient’s distress.
PCN-531 Smith Family Case Study
* Demographic Information
The patient name is John Smith, 42-years-old white male who is currently working as insurance salesman. He has not been in any trouble at his job, but the nature of his job is quite stressful. He has been married for 17 years with two children (son of 15 years old and daughter of 12 years old). Relatively closer with the son compared to anyone else in the family.
Note : In this paper, John Smith will mostly referred as “Patient”
* Background Information
Patient has a long history of drinking, but it get worsen recently (nearly everyday with increasing intensity on weekend). He had experienced several blackouts as well as mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms. To stabilize the withdrawal symptoms, Patient occasionally drink in the morning. Despite suffering from severe alcohol abuse for a long time, he had been reluctant to seek treatment. He agree to seek treatment only after got arrested for driving under influence. Late father was an alcoholic, while father in law used to drink but stopped for a long time.
Patient's wife, Margaret, is currently handling double role as career woman and primary parent for their children. Due to Patient's bad habit, Wife is getting constantly angry and experiences both depression and anxiety. Wife is currently on Zoloft under counselor supervision. Patient's son, Robert (15), is very close with Patient but tends to rationalize Patient's bad habits due to lack of comprehensive understanding of the issue. Patient's daughter, Tina (12), tends to antagonize Wife and Son and acts oppositional, feeling that she is unwanted and not treated fairly due to her struggle in school. Family situation is separated and segregated due to constant tense atmosphere between its members. Patient prefers to do things together with Son, meanwhile Wife with Daughter albeit with frequent fight.
* Progress made during treatment
Patient understand the seriousness of his problem and agree to commit on alcohol abstinence to recover. He already took initiative to attend Alcoholic Anonymous meeting, but didn't find sponsor to guide during treatment. He showed willingness to change some bad social habit to avoid social trigger to drink. The Ongoing Outpatient Program comes to end and Patient is ready to be discharged.
Critical influencer for recovery
Potential High-Risk Situations
* Negative Emotions Slate : Potential stress from day-to-day environment, both work and family
Patient's job is quite stressful as an insurance salesman. On top of that, the family also isn't conducive for recovery with the constant tense and negative atmosphere. The family most likely will add pressure to Patient instead of being acommodative. The depressed and anxious Wife will potentially give pressure to Patient to recover as quick as possible, considering that she assume that the recovery is fully Patient's responsibility. The Daughter, despite doesn't directly create interpersonal conflict, will potentially add pressure to Wife, before finally release the frustration to the husband.
Stress aroused from both work and family can heavily affect the progress of recovery post-treatment program. According to Sinha (2012), any stress, mainly those associated with multiple emotions of anger and sadness, can significantly increase of relapse. Stress aroused from the continuous nag from Wife as well as from seeing fight between Wife and Daughter will increase the pressure and negative feeling felt by Patient.
* Social Pressure: Potential upcoming social interaction that encourage drinking, considering he used to do that with his spouse.
* Interpersonal Conflicts: Fight with his spouse due to expectation mismatch of his wife that he is supposed to just keep sober and any slip is considered as fault.
Potential Cognitive Risk Factors
* Rationalizing due to constant justification by his son Robert – as the closest member in family
Son who is close to Patient, tend to make excuse and rationalize Patient's bad habit, which despite provide nice atmosphere for recovery, but potentially trigger Patient to rationalize his habit and trigger relapse.
ii. Self-gratification for being “good guy” during the treatment
Intervention to Mitigate Relapse
1 Systemic Intervention Model
Patient's family atmosphere in general doesn't provide enough support for optimum recovery. There is constant pressure from the spouse as well as lack of respect from the daughter. To support optimum recovery from alcohol addiction, the whole family should cooperate altogether to create conducive atmosphere, and make Patient feel respected, valued, and acknowledged for any recovery effort. The whole family should systemically conduct the intervention and rebuild bonds of trust to prevent suspicions or mistrust to each other. The family also should maintain the objectivity on the recovery progress, and make clear on wha...