Diagnosis of any disease and assessment of symptoms in conjunction with risk factors is the first step to successfully determining the condition. Evaluated factors should assess a patient’s life, including the environment, psychology, and human physiology. This essay aims to evaluate the situation provided and make a comprehensive diagnosis.
First of all, it is necessary to obtain as much information as possible about the patient. This requires creating a qualitative model of diagnostic assessment, which considers all the factors that may be relevant to the study. In that case, an analysis of behavioral and psychological symptoms and risk factors is necessary. Since Zoe has just gone through the birth process, her condition is most likely related to this event. It is essential to study the patient’s attitude toward the birth of the child as such. This fact may depend on the relationship with her boyfriend, as well as the family. Therefore, an analysis of the social interaction of the patient with her environment is required here. Strict rhetoric of the mother and the absent behavior of the boyfriend, in this case, could become the risk factors that provoked the disease. However, to fully assess the symptoms, this is necessary to increase the length of observation and investigation of these interactions. Among other things, it is crucial to conduct a study of potentially protective factors, which may be personal characteristics, such as the ability to cope well with problems.
However, based on the information provided, it can be concluded that Zoe is most likely to suffer from postpartum psychosis. Although this disease is somewhat rare, the condition begins quite suddenly during the first two weeks after childbirth, which coincides with the patient (“Postpartum psychosis,” n.d.). The most significant factor confirming this state is the desire to kill her child. Additionally, symptoms such as general confusion and delusional states speak in favor of the diagnosis. Based on a differential approach to diagnosis, postpartum psychosis is the most possible option. The second closest to this condition is postpartum depression, which could be explained by the lack of support. Most likely, such support was absent, and there was pressure on the patient before. However, although elements such as insomnia and anxiety coincide with depression, the most striking and significant factor is the desire to harm the child. This symptom is characteristic only for postpartum psychosis, and that is why the diagnosis is the most apparent.
Reference
Postpartum psychosis. (n.d.). Postpartum Support International. 2020, Web.