What’s Your Diagnosis?
Scenario 1
Tony sometimes seems very “wound up.” At those times, he seems full of energy, talks very rapidly, and makes very grandiose plans. (One time, he gave away all of his belongings and was planning to move to Washington, D.C., so he could advise the President.) At these times, he also seems to need almost no sleep. During other periods of time Tony seems very “down.” During these times he does not take care of himself. He seems to want to sleep all the time, and he often makes thinly veiled references to wanting to commit suicide.
Diagnosis
Scenario 2
Emily often drinks too much, especially at parties. She has gotten two DUI tickets after leaving parties. She is also in danger of losing her job because she often misses work on Monday due to a hangover after partying on the weekend.
Diagnosis
Scenario 3
Paula has not left her house for several months. When she tries to go out, she experiences great anxiety. She says she is afraid that if she leaves her house to go somewhere, she will not be able to get back. Before all this started, Paula seemed fairly normal except for having several episodes where, for no apparent reason, her heart started pounding, she started to sweat profusely, and she experienced all the symptoms of fear and terror. One of the reasons she is afraid to leave the house is because she is afraid she will have one of these episodes again. (Hint: there are two specific diagnoses here.)
Diagnosis
Scenario 4
Horace sleeps a lot, has great difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, and generally does not want to do anything. He has stopped seeing friends whom he used to see often, and declines all invitations to do things socially. His most common response is “I just don’t feel like it.” He looks sad all the time and does not seem to take pleasure in everyday activities. This has been going on for the past two months.
Diagnosis
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