Leah Gaus and Izzy Parks

Psychology Period 4
12/10/15
Psychological Disorders Project
CASE STUDY #30
Brian appears to be a mild-mannered 20-something, but he sometimes believes he is a teenage
female named Suzy who is a member of a high school dance team. At these times, he dresses
in various matching outfits, carries pom-poms, and practices various dance routines. Brian is
confused about why he sometimes awakens dressed in strange clothing.
Diagnosis and Explanation
Brian could possibly have Dissociative Personality Disorder, which is where a person has
two or more personalities. People with this disorder typically do not realize they have it, simply
because only one personality takes over at a time. This disorder is known as the hidden
disorder for self-explanatory reasons; the person does not know they have it, and it doesnt
present itself in any other way except for complete personality changes. Brian wakes up
completely confused with no memory of his previous actions. He is himself some days, and not
himself other days.
Behavioral Therapies
In course of treatment, most therapists will try to get rid of a certain personality the
patient has. However, this is not at all a good source of treatment, mainly because they need the
personality. The personality, violent or kind, has become a true part of them. This form of
therapy is typically frowned upon when used by itself; instead, CBT or cognitive-behavioral
therapy should be used, as described below.
Cognitive Therapies

Therapists use exercises to calm patients down so they dont switch personalities, as
well as suggesting breaks and modeling good relationships with others and with themselves. The
most popular approach is a cognitive behavioral technique, an approach that incorporates
communicating effectively with the alters and helping the patient find more adaptive coping
strategies than switching when distressed (Gillig).
Group Therapies
Group therapy is a terrible idea because patients with this disorder need to work with one
person at a time. It can only help if the group is exclusively for people with dissociative
disorders, but it can be incredibly dangerous; as the article entitled Dissociative Identity
Disorder states, persons with DID can sometimes have setbacks in mixed therapy groups
because others may be bothered or disturbed by the personality switches.
Biological Treatments
There is no medication to help with DID because it is not a chemical imbalance.
Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can help with the mood switches.

CASE STUDY #34

Driving back from a concert, Gerri fell asleep at the wheel and crashed her Jaguar convertible.
Her best friend perished in the crash. Ever since, although doctors can find nothing physically
wrong, Gerri has been paralyzed in the arm with which she was steering.
Diagnosis and Explanation
Gerri most likely has conversion disorder, a type of somatoform disorder that has no
apparent physical causes. Conversion disorder, or La Belle Indifference, is when a person loses
bodily function of a part of their body or action for no apparent reason. It can be temporary or
become permanent, as it has in Gerris case. She fell asleep at the wheel, losing the ability to

steer. The emotional trauma of losing her best friend may have contributed to her issues, as it
typically does in conversion disorder. The arm is paralyzed, and she can no longer use it.
Behavioral Therapies
Therapists typically avoid using behavioral therapies alone with patients suffering from a
conversion disorder. Other therapies, explored in the sections below, were utilized for positive
reinforcement of normal function (Result Filters).
Cognitive Therapies
Because behavioral therapies dont work by themselves, cognitive-behavioral therapy has
become the most widely studied alternative treatment for these disorders (Robert L. Woolfolk).
Researchers have performed a plethora of studies regarding somatoform disorders, with the
results showing moderate progress.
Group Therapies
For younger patients with conversion disorders, group therapy is typically the most
helpful source of treatment. Being in an open environment with others who have similar issues,
children and adolescents are able to deal with the coming years much better. They are able to
develop coping mechanisms and have much more secure family support. Depending on the
severity of the conversion disorder, it may affect family members as well; this type of therapy
provides an open forum for the patient and his or her loved ones to voice their feelings and
concerns.
Biological Treatments
Medication can be used to help with this disorder, but not much luck has occurred, with
the clinical evidence for pharmaco-therapy in conversion disorder [being] extremely limited and
[consisting] of case reports (Allin, Matthew, Anna Streeruwitz, and Vivienne Curtis).

CASE STUDY #38

While she was on a visit to the Midwest, Samanthas residence was demolished by a tornado.
Ever since, she has been plagued by terrible nightmares and occasional flashbacks.
Diagnosis and Explanation
Samantha has PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This occurs when a person goes
through an incredibly traumatic event, like a mass murder or a tour in Iraq, and has trouble
coping with the events. Everything Samantha knew was demolished in a tornado, which is
clearly a traumatic event. Her mind doesnt know how to handle this disorder, and it reacts by
replaying the events in order to try to make sense of what happened.
Behavioral Therapies
According to Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, this approach may have
important implications for the treatment of PTSD. Two decades of brain research suggests that
severe psychological stress causes atrophy of some of the fine connections in the brain and
reductions in the volume of brain regions involved in emotion and memory (Behavioral
Therapy New Drug Therapy Helps Severe PTSD).
Cognitive Therapies
People with PTSD can benefit a lot from cognitive therapies, helping them accept their
traumatic events and help them move on. It is extremely important with PTSD patients that the
person undergoing this type of therapy [understands] that the traumatic event [they] lived
through was not [their] fault (National Center of PTSD).
Group Therapies
Group therapies have been shown to be extremely beneficial to those with PTSD. This
type of therapy allows patients to [share their] story with others [and] may help [them] feel

more comfortable talking about [their] trauma, eventually leading to better coping mechanisms
(National Center of PTSD).
Biological Treatments
Medications can help those with this disease, especially because of the anxiety that can
develop. A class of medications called SSRIs appear to be extremely helpful. This class of
medications includes citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (such as Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and
sertraline (Zoloft) (National Center of PTSD).

References:
Case Study #30:
1) Gillig, Paulette. "Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Controversial Diagnosis."
Psychiatry (Edgmont). Matrix Medical Communications. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.
2) "Dissociative Identity Disorder ." Dissociative Identity Disorder. Web. 10 Dec.
2015.
Case Study #34:
1) "Result Filters." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National
Library of Medicine. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
2) Robert L. Woolfolk and Lesley A. Allen (2012). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for
Somatoform Disorders, Standard and Innovative Strategies in Cognitive Behavior
Therapy, Dr. Irismar Reis De Oliveira (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0312-7, InTech.
3) Allin, Matthew, Anna Streeruwitz, and Vivienne Curtis. "Progress in
Understanding Conversion Disorder." Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. Dove
Medical Press. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
4) "Conversion Disorder." - Children, Causes, DSM, Functioning, Therapy, Adults,
Person, People. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.

Case Study #38:

1) "PTSD: National Center for PTSD." Treatment of PTSD -. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
2) "Behavioral Therapy New Drug Therapy Helps Severe PTSD." Psych Central News.
Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
3) Psych Central News. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.