Impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction are challenging disorders for patients across the life span. Impulsivity is the incl
Impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction are challenging disorders for patients across the life span. Impulsivity is the inclination to act upon sudden urges or desires without considering potential consequences; patients often describe impulsivity as living in the present moment without regard to the future (MentalHelp.net, n.d.). Thus, these disorders often manifest as negative behaviors, resulting in adverse outcomes for patients. For example, compulsivity represents a behavior that an individual feels driven to perform to relieve anxiety (MentalHelp.net, n.d.). The presence of these behaviors often results in addiction, which represents the process of the transition from impulsive to compulsive behavior.
Assignment 1: Assessing and Treating Patients With Impulsivity, Compulsivity, and Addiction
Impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction are challenging disorders for patients across the life span. Impulsivity is the inclination to act upon sudden urges or desires without considering potential consequences; patients often describe impulsivity as living in the present moment without regard to the future (MentalHelp.net, n.d.). Thus, these disorders often manifest as negative behaviors, resulting in adverse outcomes for patients. For example, compulsivity represents a behavior that an individual feels driven to perform to relieve anxiety (MentalHelp.net, n.d.). The presence of these behaviors often results in addiction, which represents the process of the transition from impulsive to compulsive behavior.
In your role as the psychiatric nurse practitioner (PNP), you have the opportunity to help patients address underlying causes of the disorders and overcome these behaviors. For this Assignment, as you examine the client case study in this week’s Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat clients presenting with impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction.
Reference: MentalHelp.net. (n.d.). Impaired decision-making, impulsivity, and compulsivity: Addictions’ effect on the cerebral cortex. https://www.mentalhelp.net/addiction/impulsivity-and-compulsivity-addictions-effect-on-the-cerebral-cortex/
To prepare for this Assignment:
Review this week’s Learning Resources, including the Medication Resources indicated for this week.
Reflect on the psychopharmacologic treatments you might recommend for the assessment and treatment of patients requiring therapy for impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction.
The Assignment: 5 pages
Examine Case Study: A Puerto Rican Woman With Comorbid Addiction. You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to this client. Be sure to consider factors that might impact the client’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.
At each decision point, you should evaluate all options before selecting your decision and moving throughout the exercise. Before you make your decision, make sure that you have researched each option and that you evaluate the decision that you will select. Be sure to research each option using the primary literature.
Introduction to the case (1 page)
Briefly explain and summarize the case for this Assignment. Be sure to include the specific patient factors that may impact your decision making when prescribing medication for this patient.
Decision #1 (1 page)
Which decision did you select?
Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature).
Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples.
Decision #2 (1 page)
Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature).
Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples.
Decision #3 (1 page)
Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature).
Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples.
Conclusion (1 page)
Summarize your recommendations on the treatment options you selected for this patient. Be sure to justify your recommendations and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
Note: Support your rationale with a minimum of five academic resources. While you may use the course text to support your rationale, it will not count toward the resource requirement. You should be utilizing the primary and secondary literature.
PLEASE I HAVE ATTACHED THE CASE STUDY AND THE DECISIONS YOURS IS JUSTIFICATION.
DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE REFERENCES
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Comorbid Addiction (ETOH and Gambling) 53-year-old Puerto Rican Female
BACKGROUND Mrs. Maria Perez is a 53 year old Puerto Rican female who presents today due to a rather
“embarrassing problem.”
SUBJECTIVE Mrs. Perez admits that she has had “problems” with alcohol since her father died in her
late teens. She reports that she has struggled with alcohol since her 20’s and has been
involved with Alcoholics Anonymous “on and o�” for the past 25 years. She states that for
the past 2 years, she has been having more and more di�culty maintaining her sobriety
since the opening of the new “Rising Sun” casino near her home. Mrs. Perez states that
she and a friend went to visit the new casino during its grand opening at which point she
was “hooked.” She states that she gets “such a high” when she is gambling. While
gambling, she “enjoys a drink or two” to help calm her during high-stakes games. She
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states that this often gives way to more drinking and more reckless gambling. She also
reports that her cigarette smoking has increased over the past 2 years and she is
concerned about the negative e�ects of the cigarette smoking on her health.
She states that she attempts to abstain from drinking but she gets such a “high” from the
act of gambling that she needs a few drinks to “even out.” She also notices that when she
drinks, she doesn’t smoke “as much,” but she enjoys smoking when she is playing at the
slot machines. She also reports that she has gained weight from drinking so much. She
currently weights 122 lbs., which represents a 7 lb. weight gain from her usual 115 lb.
weight.
Mrs. Perez is quite concerned today because she borrowed over $50,000 from her
retirement account to pay o� her gambling debts, and her husband does not know.
MENTAL STATUS EXAM The client is a 53 year old Puerto Rican female who is alert and oriented to person, place,
time, and event. She is dressed appropriately for the weather and time of year. Her
speech is clear, coherent, and goal directed. Her eye contact is somewhat avoidant
during the clinical interview. When you make eye contact with her, she looks away or
looks down. She demonstrates no noteworthy mannerisms, gestures, or tics. Her self-
reported mood is “sad.” A�ect is appropriate to content of conversation and self-
reported mood. She denies visual or auditory hallucinations, and no delusional or
paranoid thought processes are readily appreciated. Insight and judgment are grossly
intact; however, impulse control is impaired. She is currently denying suicidal or
homicidal ideation.
Diagnosis: Gambling disorder, alcohol use disorder
Decision Point One Select what you should do:
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Comorbid Addiction (ETOH and Gambling) 53-year-old Puerto Rican Female
Decision Point One
Vivitrol (naltrexone) injection, 380 mg intramuscularly in the
gluteal region every 4 weeks
RESULTS OF DECISION POINT ONE � Client returns to clinic in four weeks
� Mrs. Perez says she feels “wonderful” as she has not “touched a drop” of alcohol since receiving the injection
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� Client reports that she has not been going to the casino, as frequently, but when she does go she “drops a bundle” (meaning, spends a lot of money gambling)
� Client She is also still smoking, which has her concerned. She is also reporting some problems with anxiety, which also has her concerned
Decision Point Two
Refer to a counselor to address gambling issues
RESULTS OF DECISION POINT TWO � Mrs. Perez returns in 4 weeks and reports that the anxiety
that she had been experiencing is gone.
� She reports that she has met with the counselor, but she did not really like her.
� She also started going to a local meeting of Gamblers Anonymous. She states that last week, for the �rst time, she spoke during the meeting. She reports feeling supported in this group.
Decision Point Three
Explore the issue that Mrs. Perez is having with her counselor,
and encourage her to continue attending the Gamblers Anonymous
meetings
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Guidance to Student
Although controversy exists in the literature regarding how long to
maintain a client on Vivitrol, 8 weeks is probably too soon to
consider discontinuation. The psychiatric mental health nurse
practitioner should explore the issues that Mrs. Perez is having
with her counselor. As will be covered in more depth in future
courses, ruptures in the therapeutic alliance can result in clients
stopping therapy. Clearly, if the client does not continue with
therapy, the likelihood of the gambling problem spontaneously
remitting is lower (than had the client continued to receive
therapy). Recall that there are no FDA-approved treatments for
gambling addiction. The mainstay of treatment for this disorder is
counseling. Since Mrs. Perez reports good perceived support from
the Gamblers Anonymous meetings, she should be encouraged to
continue her participation with this group.
You need to discuss smoking cessation options with Mrs. Perez in
order to address the totality of addictions, and to enhance her
overall health.
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