Concordia College Anxiety Disorders Essay

Anxiety disorders

Instructions

• Read the case study below:

Gustavo, a 30-year-old registered nurse, is referred for evaluation and treatment by the employee assistance program at his hospital because he washes his hands to the point of being unable to perform clinically. She tells the nurse therapist, “I know my hands are clean and I’m taking precautions to avoid exposure to germs. I simply feel a pressure that leads me to wash my hands. I can’t help myself, let alone someone else.” The nurse notices that Gustavo’s hands are severely cracked and appear painful. As he speaks, Gustavo occasionally wrings his hands and, during pauses, straightens the paperweight and files on the nurse’s desk.

Gustavo agrees to receive cognitive-behavioral therapy and treatment with psychoactive medications. The initial prescription for Gustavo will be 20 mg fluoxetine (Prozac) once daily for 7 days and then increased to 20 mg each week until symptoms subside or a maximum dose of 80 mg is reached.

• Then, answer the following in the discussion forum:
  • Identify what type of anxiety disorder the patient suffers from according to its manifestations.
  • Define in three (3) sentences the type of anxiety disorder identified.
  • What is the main reason for the behaviors manifested by the patient?
  • Explain, in your own words, why in this case it is appropriate to provide cognitive behavioral therapy.
  • It offers the relevant guidance to the patient in relation to the pharmacotherapy used.