Reference no: EM133535754

Case Study: Ashton is a 21-year-old single Caucasian male who is a college student at the local university. Ashton wore unmatched clothes and had a strong body odor, his shirts had armpit stains and looked like they had been worn several times without being washed. He came in due to several incidents in his dorm room and university. It started a little over two months ago. It started off with small accusations that Ashton's roommate was reading his emails and texts on his phone when he was out of the room. Then one day his roommate came home to Ashton taking apart their thermostat because he thought his roommate was hiding a camera in it. His affect started to become flat, with the lack of emotions scaring his roommate. Ashton became nervous and secluded in his room due to the fear that people were spying on him and would sometimes lock his roommate out. His grades have begun to slip because he is consumed with his thoughts.

Question 1: describe the patient's symptoms and the available demographic and historical data.

Question 2: Evaluate the plausibility of prescribing medication to a person who is vulnerable to schizophrenia, considering medication is often effective for most people who have psychotic symptoms. What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of this proactive approach to treatment?

Question 3: Given the broad range of symptoms and social deficits that are often associated with psychotic disorders, these patients often need a broad array of services and support systems. Evaluate the most important forms of mental health services that would be helpful, both to these patients and their families, in addition to medication.

Question 4: Analyze the political variables surrounding the cost of treatment. Who should pay for mental health services to patients with serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? Should they be included in standard health insurance programs? Should they be prioritized like other medical disorders, such as cancer and heart disease?