Assessment of Presenting Problems
Assessing the patient’s situation to identify the presenting problem is done by collecting patient history. In the sessions with the psychologist, Catherine revealed how she experienced symptoms that reduced her interest in life, more so living with her mother and son. In many situations, Catherine feels irritated about minor issues in the workplace, for example, when assigned a new floor to clean. These angry outbursts when speaking to colleagues and her supervisor make her interpersonal relationships not be efficient in the past few years. It is her irritability and frustration over small matters that indicate Catherine is depressed. While attending to shoppers in the retail store, Catherine states that she forces a smile on her face and tries her best to be productive when interacting with them. Such a measure shows how she’s struggling to maintain a happy life but she cannot afford it due to depression. Another symptom that shows Catherine suffers from depression is her lack of interest in social relationships.
Of late, she has been feeling that her son is a nuisance and only a cause for problems in her life. Catherine is worried about her son’s behavior in school, his financial status while seeking education, and his future. All these pile pressure on Catherine to make sure that she has her son’s figured out despite the poor financial conditions she’s suffering from. Catherine works as a cleaner at night and a retail store attendant during the day. The two jobs make Catherine struggle and not have enough sleep. The lack of sufficient sleep also contributes to her stress levels and mood changes. During the day, Catherine feels that she is always tired and does not have the energy to go on dealing with different customers who have irritating requests. She has been less productive at work because even small tasks that she is assigned take a relatively longer time than before.