Vee is a 26-year-old African-American woman who presents with a history of non-suicidal self-injury, specifically cutting her arms and legs, since she was a te

Purpose:

Analyze and apply critical thinking skills in the psychopathology of mental health patients and provide treatment and health promotion while applying evidence-based research.

Scenario:

Vee is a 26-year-old African-American woman who presents with a history of non-suicidal self-injury, specifically cutting her arms and legs, since she was a teenager. She has made two suicide attempts by overdosing on prescribed medications, one as a teenager and one six months ago; she also reports chronic suicidal ideation, explaining that it gives her relief to think about suicide as a “way out.”

When she is stressed, Vee says that she often “zones out,” even in the middle of conversations or while at work. She states, “I don’t know who Vee really is,” and describes a longstanding pattern of changing her hobbies, style of clothing, and sometimes even her job based on who is in her social group. At times, she thinks that her partner is “the best thing that’s ever happened to me” and will impulsively buy him lavish gifts, send caring text messages, and the like; however, at other times she admits to thinking “I can’t stand him,” and will ignore or lash out at him, including yelling or throwing things. Immediately after doing so, she reports feeling regret and panic at the thought of him leaving her. Vee reports that, before she began dating her current partner, she sometimes engaged in sexual activity with multiple people per week, often with partners whom she did not know.

Questions:

Remember to answer these questions from your textbooks and NP guidelines. At all times, explain your answers. 

1. Describe the presenting problems.

2. Generate a primary and differential diagnosis using the DSM5 and ICD 10 codes.

3. Discuss which cluster the primary diagnosis belongs to.

4. Formulate and prioritize a treatment plan.