Psychiatry, self harm risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychiatry, self harm risk - Essay Example ose to slit their wrists or do something similar to ease their pain or even to feel alive by sensing the pain, or they choose to ultimate and fatal option- to commit suicide. One of so many examples of self harm people cause to themselves is of a 26 year old person, Mr. A, who has Downs syndrome and whose functioning indicated intelligence in the range of mild retardation. He lived with a supportive family and attended a vocational program. He had not history of smoking, nor did he receive any unusual medications. Similarly, he hasnt been through any unusual medical procedures or any surgeries, and his medical history was very ordinary. In the early stages of his adolescence, he approached non-disabled young women for dates and was continually rejected. In response, he made suicidal statements and gestures, one of which was to burn himself with a cigarette lighter he took from his mother without her knowledge. At the age of 26, after being rejected once again, he jumped from a second story window, but wasnt injured badly. His family reported that he had been agitated and having troubles to sleep in the months previous to the incident, and staff at the vo cational program reported agitation and unproductiveness at work. He was sent to a psychological evaluation. In his apperception test, he described feelings of sadness, tiredness, frustration and hopelessness, with thoughts of suicide. He was referred to psychiatric evaluation, and started psychotherapy sessions, in which he articulated his belief that he wouldnt be able to have a relationship with a woman of his choice due to his having Downs syndrome. He enrolled in social programs for people with mental retardation and hasnt made anymore suicide attempts since. 1 Ive seen him about four months ago, in December 24th at a vocational program to which he still goes. Hes been going to it for nearly a decade now, and reports that hes very happy with it since it gives him tools on how to handle his life and function