Assignment:
I have the following prompt to diagnose (5 Axis). I am thinking it is Major Depressive Disorder but it may also be a Major Depressive Episode. Also, what do you think about the last paragraph? Could it be that from a cultural standpoint that the husband reacted that way because the man is the provider in the home while the wife's role is to be a mother and homemaker? I don't want to read anything in that is not there. Our professor says not to make leaps when the facts are lacking. What do you think? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
Maria, a 30-year-old woman from Puerto Rico and the mother of two boys, was hospitalized following a suicide attempt. She took an overdose of sleeping medication. For two months prior to the attempt, she had been seeking therapy for tiredness, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbances. Her therapist noted that she exhibited extreme helplessness and hopelessness. Additionally, Maria was low-keyed, restrained in behavior, avoided eye contact, and found it difficult to verbalize her thoughts and feelings.
The suicide attempt occurred after Maria's husband, Esteban, her high school sweetheart, refused to allow her to attend night school. Maria had registered for night school at her therapist's recommendation. She had signed up for a course and had even bought her books. In response, Esteban had gone into a rage, tearing up her registration papers and destroying her books. He refused to go to therapy with Maria.