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Case Study Robin

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Case Study

Robin Henderson is a 30-year-old married Caucasian woman with no children who lives in a middle-class urban area with her husband. Robin was referred to a clinical psychologist by her psychiatrist. The psychiatrist has been treating Robin for more than 18 months with primarily anti-depressant medication. During this time, Robin has been hospitalized at least 10 times (one hospitalization lasted 6 months) for treatment of suicidal ideation (and one near lethal attempt) and numerous instances of suicidal gestures, including at least 10 instances of drinking Clorox bleach and self-inflicting multiple cuts and burns. Robin was accompanied by her husband to the first meeting with the clinical psychologist. Her husband stated that …show more content…

Robin continued to display binge-drinking behavior at an intermittent frequency and often engaged in restricted food intake with consequent eating binges. Despite these behaviors, Robin was able to function well in work and school settings, until the age of 27. She had earned her college degree and completed 2 years of medical school. However, during her second year of medical school, a classmate that Robin barely knew committed suicide. Robin reported that when she heard of the suicide, she decided to kill herself as well. Robin displayed very little insight as to why the situation had provoked her inclination to kill herself. Within weeks, Robin dropped out of medical school and became severely depressed and actively suicidal. A certain chain of events seemed to precede Robin’s suicidal behavior. This chain began with an interpersonal encounter, usually with her husband, which caused Robin to feel threatened, criticized or unloved (usually with no clear or objective basis for this perception. These feelings were followed by urges to either self-mutilate or kill herself. Robin’s decision to self-mutilate or attempt suicide were often done out of spite accompanied by the thought, “I’ll show you.” Robin’s self- injurious behaviors appeared to be attention-seeking. Once Robin burned her leg very deeply and filled the area with dirt to convince the doctor that she needed medical attention- she required reconstructive surgery. Although she had been

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