clar697
Forum Guru
Topics: 190
Posts: 199
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A 62-year-old man comes to the physician with a 3-month history of fatigue and depression. He lives alone and has been drinking more (up to 6 mixed alcoholic drinks daily) since his wife of 40 years died 6 months ago. He says, “Yeah, I know I’ve been drinking a lot lately, but I’m so down in the dumps there’s nothing else I want to do. I miss her so much.” Which of the following responses by the physician is most appropriate?
A) “Anybody in your circumstance would be depressed. Time will help overcome the loss of your wife.”
B) “Drinking isn’t going to bring back your wife. You need to get on with your life and put this sad experience behind you.”
C) “I know you have been through a lot recently. Have things been so bad recently that you have thought about killing yourself?”
D) “I’d like to start you on some medication for depression. It sometimes takes a few weeks to work.”
E) “You seem to be developing an alcohol problem. You need to quit drinking. I can refer you to the local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous.”
I chose C because the patient’s safety is foremost. Medication (choice D) seems most practical considering the circumstances, but treatment for depression would only be appropriate if the patient had feelings of sadness for more than 12 months (<12 months is mourning, >12 months is depression). Choice E is strong and puts the patient on the defense. Choices A and B are practical, but do not tell the patient anything that he does not know already.
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| maoudoody
Forum Guru
Topics: 32
Posts: 589
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C is right for 2 reasons:
1-patient safety first
2- a rule is take ur time to talk with ur patient
i know he suffers from alcoholism but y jump on treatment of alcoholism before figuring out the whole pic first maybe it is not only that
and remember it is better to listen to ur patient than talk to him
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| ittop
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 12
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is it not A
its normal upto 1 yr
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| threewalkers
Forum Senior
Topics: 47
Posts: 92
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don't know which one.
do fatigue and depression belong to moderate or severe symptoms of grief? If moderate, then a, If severe, then C.
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