The Case of Anthony:
Anthony is a 16-year-old Caucasian male who is currently undergoing psychological treatment. He initially began treatment at age 14 due to his mothers rising concerns. Anthony's parents separated when he was very young. He resides with his biological mother and visits with father primarily on weekends.
Anthony had always been charismatic and outgoing as a child. Over time, his patterns of behavior led him to become more isolative and generally ‘closed off' to his family, friends, and peers. His mother reported noticing a significant decline in his schoolwork during his sophomore year of High School. Anthony attributed this decline to difficulty adjusting and focusing in class.
In addition to his isolative behaviors, Anthony's mother noticed that he was becoming more short-tempered and easily angered. He acknowledged this was true and attributed it to his underlying symptoms of anxiety. Physically, Anthony reported not sleeping well, moments of tension/inability to relax, as well as faintness (or dizzy spells).
As Anthony continued with treatment (both behavioral therapy and psychopharmacological), he reported feeling a slight relief. His mother even noticed that he was more interested in interacting with his friends. In fact, Anthony even began dating.
Anthony presented as more "stable" for approximately 6 months. However, during that time he was becoming more agitated, engaging in risky behaviors, and living on a sense of invincibility. After about 3 weeks of maintaining this "high," Anthony found himself falling back into previous patterns of withdrawal and isolation. The moments of withdrawal lasted approximately 4 weeks before Anthony found himself returning to a state marked by grandiosity.
Finally, mom discovered a message that Anthony had sent to his girlfriend. This message contained explicit details of how Anthony wished he could harm his mother during his fleeting moments of rage.
Assume you are Anthony's therapist:
1. What diagnosis would you give Anthony?
2. What type(s) of therapy would you use for Anthony and why? (Be specific).
Attachment:- Anthony Case Study (3).docx