Reference no: EM133978671

Assessment Essay

Part 1: Scenario

I am currently working with a 28yearold African American male client named Darius, who was referred to counseling by his primary care physician after reporting increased anxiety, irritability, and difficulty managing stress. During our first session, Darius presented as guarded but cooperative. He maintained minimal eye contact and appeared physically tense, frequently tapping his foot and clenching his jaw. He shared that he works fulltime as a warehouse supervisor and is the primary financial provider for his mother and younger sister. Over the past two months, he has been experiencing escalating work stress due to mandatory overtime, staff shortages, and pressure from upper management.

As the session progressed, Darius disclosed that he has been "on edge all the time" and feels like he is "carrying everything alone." He described chronic sleep disturbances, including waking up multiple times throughout the night and experiencing nightmares related to past community violence he witnessed as a teenager. Although he denied a formal trauma diagnosis, he acknowledged that he has "never really dealt with" those experiences. Get Exceptional Assignment Help for all forms of Assignments.

When discussing his coping strategies, Darius admitted that he has been drinking more heavily on weekends-up to a fifth of liquor between Friday and Sunday-to "numb out" and "get a break from everything." He denied daily alcohol use but acknowledged that his drinking has increased significantly over the past month. He also reported withdrawing from friends, skipping church (which he previously attended weekly), and isolating in his room after work.

The turning point in the session occurred when Darius stated, "Sometimes I get so overwhelmed I just want to disappear." When I gently asked him to elaborate, he hesitated before saying, "I don't want to hurt myself, but I've been thinking that people would be better off without me." He then shared that last week, after an argument with his supervisor, he drove home "recklessly fast" and thought, "If something happened to me right now, maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing."

Although he denied having a specific plan or intent to harm himself, he admitted that these thoughts have been occurring more frequently. He also reported feeling increasingly angry and irritable, stating, "I'm scared I might snap on somebody at work one day." He clarified that he has not threatened anyone, but he worries that his temper is becoming harder to control.

Throughout the session, Darius's affect was constricted, and he appeared emotionally exhausted. He expressed deep feelings of failure, guilt about not being able to "hold everything together," and hopelessness about his future. He also described cultural pressures to appear strong and selfreliant, noting that "Black men don't get to break down."

Given the presence of passive suicidal ideation, increased alcohol use, emotional dysregulation, and concerns about potential aggression, a formal risk assessment is necessary. As the counselor, it is my responsibility to evaluate both selfharm and potential harm to others, determine the level of risk, and implement appropriate interventions to ensure Darius's safety and wellbeing.