Please read the paragraphs below and state how the specific DSM criteria for you

Question

Please read the paragraphs below and state how the specific DSM criteria for your primary diagnosis align with behaviors/cognitions described in the excerpt from Anthony’s life. Each criterion should be linked with a specific example from the case. Please provide at least one alternative diagnosis. State one reason for why you would consider the diagnosis (relate specifically to each disorder’s respective DSM criteria) and why you would not ultimately give that diagnosis (i.e., how Anthony’s symptoms do not align with the alternative/why the alternative would not be appropriate). Please write in full sentences with correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and organization of your ideas.

Anthony was a 34 year-old male with an extensive medical history. Although he was 6 foot 3 inches, he only weighed 131 pounds. He had trouble eating large quantities of food and complained of extensive and persistent stomach pain, which had been present for 6 months. He also experienced debilitating migraines for which he was seeking consultation. Anthony had visited 17 doctors in the past 4 months. He had gone to multiple gastrointestinal doctors and tried countless changes to his diet without success. Throughout his life, he sought assistance for many complications related to his health--chest pains, difficulty urinating, headaches, and knee pain--starting at age 17. Doctors had performed more surgeries than would be considered typical for his age, and his medication regime consisted of 5-10 pills taken throughout different times of the day. He had undergone two knee replacements and intensive physical therapy with little change in his symptoms. Despite many attempts by doctors to assure him that his health examine results were almost entirely normal, he was convinced that his pains were real and the doctors were wrong. When one doctor would refuse to keep seeing him, he would simply go to another doctor. He was constantly worrying about his health and the physical symptoms he reported that he was experiencing and often thought that he only had “a few years to go.”

Anthony’s life was significantly impacted by his apparent ailments. He was on disability because he had not been able to work in 5 years because of his many medical appointments, surgeries, and frequent sick leave. Anthony had never been able to achieve his dream of being a veterinarian because of his sickness and inability to attend fully to class. He had to drop out of his four-year college. He had two friends from elementary school who still lived in his hometown that he kept up with periodically, but they were not as close ever since his health worries and health anxiety began consuming his life. Anthony was rarely able to make new friends as he infrequently left the house or participated in social events or hobbies with other people.

Thank you.

Explanation / Answer

Making a Primary diagnosis:

Anthony elicits indications of the Somatic Symptom Disorder( Hypochondriasis). His symptoms confirm to the DSM -V criteria for the disorder as he fits the following diagnostic criteria:

Alternative Diagnosis: Anthony can be diagnosed as suffering from Somatization ( Pain) disorder as he meets the criteria of persistently experiencing somatic distress that cannot be fully explained by a medical diagnosis. Additionally, he shows four pain symptoms- In his case, he has been complaining of having gastrointestinal pain, knee pain, chest pain and frequent migraines.

While these symptoms may make somatization disorder a possible diagnosis, this diagnosis gets eliminated as he shows the additional asymptoms of persistent and excessive preoccupation with seeking treatments and unnecessary surgeries for his pain which is often shifting in localization on the body. Moroever, when doctors try to convince him that there is no medical evidence for his pain and that he is fine, he is disbelieving of the doctors and he changes them and seeks consultation of another doctor. Thus, the alternative diagnosis will not be considered in this case as his overall symptoms support the criteria for the primary diagnosis of Somatic Symptom disorder.

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