Assignment :
Application: Considering Alternative Treatment Options for Anxiety Disorders
Imagine that you have been seeing a client for 4 months. During treatment, you learn that he has been 5 years sober but lately has felt an intense sense of anxiety and has requested a referral to a psychiatrist.
Upon returning to his counseling sessions, you learn that the psychiatrist has prescribed diazepam, a benzodiazepine. You are aware of the fact that the benzodiazepine functions similarly to alcohol in the body. You are concerned about a relapse because of this newly prescribed medication for the anxiety disorder.
Sometimes the medication a doctor chooses to treat a client's symptoms is ineffective or inappropriate, or it may not create the desired effect without intolerable side effects. Under what circumstances does it become necessary for a mental health professional to advocate for an alternative treatment for a client?
What ethical issues associated with client treatment would mental health professionals need to address? Why would a release of information be needed?
For this Assignment, view the media case study titled "Anxiety Disorder Case Study: Mary." Assume the role of a mental health professional to respond to the client call. Review the medication that the psychiatrist prescribed and explain the expected effects and side effects of its use.
Plan a treatment strategy.
In a 2- to 3-page, APA-formatted paper, include the following:
o An explanation of any concerns, ethical or otherwise, you may have regarding the client's generalized anxiety disorder treatment
o An explanation of the factors you would take into consideration in developing a strategy to treat the client's generalized anxiety disorder
o An explanation of a treatment strategy for the client's generalized anxiety disorder along with a justification for your strategy
o An explanation of how you would advocate for your treatment strategy