DEFENSE MECHANISMS
A client becomes angry with their supervisor after being criticized, but later yells at their spouse instead.
What is displacement?
A client reports excessive worry occurring most days for over 6 months about finances, health, and work.
What is generalized anxiety disorder?
Symptoms begin 2 days after a traumatic event and include dissociation and intrusive thoughts.
What is acute stress disorder?
A client has depressed mood for 2 years with no symptom-free period longer than 2 months.
What is persistent depressive disorder?
A client experiences hallucinations and delusions for 2 weeks following a severe stressor, then fully returns to baseline.
What is brief psychotic disorder?
After receiving a cancer diagnosis, a client spends the entire session discussing medical statistics, treatment percentages, and research studies while avoiding any discussion of feelings about the diagnosis.
What is intellectualization?
A child displays inattentiveness in multiple settings, interrupts others, and struggles to stay seated.
What is ADHD?
A child repeatedly reenacts traumatic experiences through play after witnessing domestic violence.
What is PTSD in children?
A client has elevated mood, decreased need for sleep, impulsive spending, and symptoms lasting 1 week with hospitalization.
What is bipolar I disorder?
A client has psychotic symptoms for 2 months with impaired functioning but duration is under 6 months.
What is schizophreniform disorder?
A teenager who is anxious about failing school begins wetting the bed again.
What is regression?
A client has unstable relationships, fear of abandonment, chronic emptiness, and self-harming behavior.
What is borderline personality disorder?
A client develops emotional symptoms within 3 months of losing their job but does not meet criteria for major depression.
What is adjustment disorder?
A client reports recurrent panic attacks and now avoids stores due to fear of having another attack.
What is panic disorder with agoraphobia?
A 22-year-old client has become socially withdrawn over the past year and reports hearing voices commenting on their behavior. Family members state the client has stopped attending classes, rarely bathes, and speaks in a disorganized manner. Symptoms have persisted for more than 6 months.
What is schizophrenia?
A client insists they are not angry about a breakup while clenching their fists and crying.
What is denial?
A client experiences intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, and avoidance 2 months after a serious car accident.
What is PTSD?
A client reports chronic emotional dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, and prolonged trauma exposure beginning in childhood.
What is complex PTSD?
A client experiences hypomanic episodes and major depressive episodes, but no full manic episodes.
What is bipolar II disorder?
A client experiences periods of severe depression along with hallucinations and paranoid delusions. Family members report that the client has also continued hearing voices for several weeks even when depressive symptoms were no longer present.
What is schizoaffective disorder?
A client who unconsciously resents their sibling becomes excessively protective and affectionate toward them.
What is reaction formation?
A client reports feeling sad and hopeless nearly every day for the past month. They have lost interest in activities they once enjoyed, struggle with insomnia, experience fatigue, and have difficulty concentrating at work.
What is major depressive disorder?
A client cannot recall important autobiographical information following severe trauma, without neurological cause.
What is dissociative amnesia?
A client presents with irritability, pressured speech, grandiosity, decreased sleep, and hallucinations occurring only during manic episodes.
What is bipolar I disorder with psychotic features?
A client believes neighbors are spying on them for over 1 month, but functioning is otherwise relatively intact and no other psychotic symptoms are present.
What is delusional disorder?