Reference no: EM133979761

Question

Part IV. Mental Disorders - Block 3

Based on the information provided, what diagnosis/diagnoses would you give the patient?

Identify the symptoms within the case that support your diagnosis/diagnoses. This should be specific to the case study; do not just list symptoms for the diagnosis from your text. Be sure to also include the duration, intensity, and/or frequency of the symptoms as appropriate.

Based on your assessment, describe the treatment you would implement with the patient. Please use your text and any other outside information you might need to answer this question.

Emily is a 21-year-old woman who was brought into your clinic by her mother, who complains that her daughter has been demonstrating unusual eating patterns since she moved back home 6 months ago. Her mother observes her to eat large amounts of food, such as desserts, when she is alone, often finding food wrappers hidden in her daughter's room. She is worried that her daughter may be engaging in vomiting after these episodes of heavy eating. She often isolates herself in the bathroom for 10-20 minutes after a large meal.

When the patient was asked about her eating habits, she admitted to a "loss of control." She reported episodes where she would consume nearly 2000 calories in one sitting, by eating entire boxes of cookies. Following these episodes, she described feeling deep remorse. Furthermore, she described feeling so laden with guilt about her eating binges that she purposefully induces vomiting at least once every other day. This act gives her tremendous relief. She admits that she is unhappy with her overall appearance, and feels that she is "fat" and "out of shape." She is preoccupied with her appearance and says that she compares herself to other women "all day long." She also admits to feeling sad most days. She endorses experiencing occasional missed menstrual periods, low libido, low energy, and intermittent sore throat.

Historically, the patient has memories of a chaotic childhood. She is an only child whose parents fought often and finally divorced when she was 9 years old. The patient remembers the first time she induced vomiting at 10 years old, after she felt "too full after a large meal." The mother describes her daughter as having few friends and as tending to isolate herself. However, the mother describes her as very bright; in fact, she was valedictorian of her high school.