Cases That Test Your Skills

Cases That Test Your Skills

It’s not easy being emperor

I, Claudius, am paranoid, hypomanic, habitually drunk, and have severe abdominal pains. My family is dysfunctional, and my wife is trying to kill...

Cases That Test Your Skills

The boy who longed for a ‘dry spell’

Chronic enuresis has destroyed 12-year-old Jimmy’s emotional and social functioning. The challenge: restore his self-esteem and find out why can’t...

Cases That Test Your Skills

Conversion disorder? One patient’s ‘moving’ story

Lonely and grieving her daughter’s death, Ms. M confronts diminishing coordination and increasing involuntary limb movements. Doctors say she has...

Cases That Test Your Skills

The ‘date’ that changed her life

Once sociable and fun-loving, 12-year-old Julie suddenly has depressive episodes, fights with her mother, has trouble sleeping, and is suicidal....

Cases That Test Your Skills

For 8 years, she’s been ‘spellbound’

A longstanding seizure disorder has left Ms. A disabled, dependent, and depressed. Neurologists say she has epilepsy. Is this diagnosis correct?...

Cases That Test Your Skills

A ‘bad’ boy’s behavior problems

Two weeks after changing medications, a hyperactive 11-year-old becomes manic and attempts suicide. Is the new regimen or an undiagnosed mental...

Cases That Test Your Skills

The skinny on one patient’s psychosis

Diet pills purchased online appear to be making Ms. P paranoid, but routine urine screens are negative. What’s causing her delusional episodes?

Cases That Test Your Skills

The patient who got sick at sea

Well-controlled on lithium and fluoxetine, Ms. Q has a hypomanic episode while on a cruise. Is it a breakthrough relapse, SSRI-induced switch, or...

Cases That Test Your Skills

When depression treatment goes nowhere

Mr. D’s mood symptoms persist after 1 year of therapy. You suspect a medical cause but he can’t afford routine lab tests. How would you get this...

Cases That Test Your Skills

Nothing more than feelings?

A psychiatrist becomes morally outraged while hearing a convicted pedophile’s story. How can the therapist confront his emotions without...

Cases That Test Your Skills

A suicidal injection obsession

Mr. F’s uncontrollable urge to ingest poisons has caused neurotoxic depression and other symptoms. A death wish or impulse control disorder? You...

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