Jack Case Study || Maddy Wood

For this assignment, I have chosen to use the cognitive-behavioral therapy psychological approach to attempt to formulate a formulation of Jack’s difficulties.

Using One of The Examples Provided, Clearly Summarise The Service User’s Experience of Distress :

Over his lifetime Jack has experienced several traumatic and abusive events that have caused him to have many distressing experiences over the years. One of the first experiences of distress reported by Jack’s anger and anxiety, which then developed into jack experiencing periods of mania which is often followed by low moods, which have been recorded and noted during his multiple stays at mental health facilities over the years. These “mood swings” experienced by Jack have contributed to his continuing habit of substance use and abuse, which started at the young age of just fifteen.

Provide A Plausible Explanation of The Development & Maintenance of the Service User’s Difficulties, & How They May Relate To One Another :

Over his lifetime Jack has experienced several traumatic and abusive events that have caused him to have many distressing experiences over the years. It was stated that in his early childhood years, Jack was brought up in a reasonably well off family structure that was composed of his mother, father, and two sisters. Shortly this family structure began to crumble once his father’s business began to decline to cause him to turn to alcoholism, which created a person who was field by anger and abuse. A separation soon followed this negative behavior his father began to exhibit, causing Jack to not only lose a role model and a supporter but to force Jack, due to societal constructs, to step up and be the head of the household.

Sexual abuse at the hands of his authority figure in the workplace caused shame, guilt, anxiety, and anger, which manifested themselves into depressive episodes along with manic episodes that were “handled’ through the misuse and abuse of varying substances, specifically alcohol. This misuse and abuse of alcohol could be due to seeing his father, an authority figure in his life, use the same substance as a coping mechanism during his childhood.

After the divorce, Jack, his mother, and his two younger sisters were forced to pick up the life they once knew and move it to a location of lower socioeconomic standing. Jack and his mother were unable to provide the lifestyle they once had to the family, which caused Jack to feel an immense amount of pressure on his shoulders. This pressure could be fueled both by wanting to protect his family and the societal norms of his culture on what a “man of the house” is supposed to be able to do for one’s family. Not only financially did Jack struggle to provide for his family but safety-wise due to the location in which they moved, Jack struggled to protect his family. They were stricken by burglaries, which may have lent a hand into Jack’s feeling of insecurity and continually looking over one’s shoulder.

Lastly, after being kicked out of his house, which he lived with his mother and sisters in, due to his substance use and abuse along with his petty crime habit, Jack was now faced with isolation. This was not the first time Jack felt isolated in his life. The sexual abuse which he was unable to discuss in his childhood, along with his father leaving them during his childhood, isolation, and abandonment were not new feelings. Yet, they were merely heightened now that he was living on the streets. Due to the increase in severity of his distressing experiences, Jack only advanced the severity and occurrence of these symptoms/experiences when his self-care began to decline, which is another common thing that is present among those battling mental health struggles.

Effectively Outline The Benefits & Limitations of Diagnosis – For Explaining Service User’s Difficulties & Devising Interventions :

The benefits of formal psychological diagnosis in Jack’s case is that the diagnosis in which he is given can allow him to visit/continue to see a psychiatrist who can extend or change the medication he is already taking. Jack was quoted as being “compliant” with taking medication for his distressing symptoms and, in fact, found the medication to be “helpful.” With a diagnosis of psychosis, depression, and PTSD medication can be helpful to calm or control some of the distressing symptoms so that therapeutic work can continue alongside the medication. Another benefit of formal psychological diagnosis is that since Jack has a history of positive engagement mental health service, this diagnosis can allow him to travel between different facilities where he can be placed in treatment programs and groups which are specified for his specific diagnoses.

Although a formal psychological diagnosis may, in fact, be beneficial to Jack, there are also some limitations (aka difficulties) that could arise due to his diagnosis. For example, although medication can help dull the “side effects” of psychosis, psychosis is fueled through precursory thoughts and beliefs so therefore without properly working through changing those negative thoughts into more rational thoughts the delusions are unlikely to fade completely, continuing the pattern making, it difficult for Jack to live his daily life.  None of the diagnoses that Jack will most likely be given, depression, psychosis, and PTSD can simply be treated with medication. Therapy visits and outside work on Jack’s part will be necessary to move forward in every aspect of his life, not just maintaining and improving overall mental well-being. Therefore a diagnosis in Jack’s case should be looked at more as a starting point or point of reference for what steps should be taken now and in the future.

Briefly Outline  An Intervention Plan Clearly Related To The Service User’s Experience of Distress & Your Explanation of The Development & Maintenance of The Service User’s Difficulties :

To create the most effective treatment plan for anyone, in this case, Jack specifically, it is vital that we work collaboratively to highlight his strengths while continually working on the areas in which improvement will help tremendously. Mapping is a positive and proven to be a helpful way for individuals and their therapists to see just where all this began and what should be addressed first and foremost. Starting at the most basic level, Jack was found to once have a strong familial relationship with both his parents and his younger siblings. Due to the fact, that Jack is having psychosis in regards to his sisters being raped, it would be in the best interest of Jack to rebuild and reconnect with his younger sisters not only to reopen communication that may have been lost due to years of distress but to reconnect with his loved ones who will be able to support him through the journey which lies ahead.

Along with familial relationships, music is a component of Jack’s life that once brought so much joy that should be established as an outlet as well as be used as a way to push one’s self to face the challenges of psychosis and paranoia. For example, having Jack listen to music could help him through his depressive episodes being that is something that he knows brings him joy and entertainment. It may also serve as a distraction to the negative thoughts and feelings he may be experiencing at the moment. Once the music has been established as something that helps Jack cope, it can be used as a therapeutic tool for when jack pushes himself in other ways through his therapeutic journey. For example, listening to music while he ventures outdoors could provide him a sense of comfort while working through his thoughts of being jumped or judged. Venturing outdoors could as well allow Jack to be faced head-on with Robbie Willson’s merchandise, which could become less threatening through the comfort of listening to music.

Reference(s) :

To Be Filled In Later