NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL

INDIRANAGAR, BANGALORE
PSYCHOLOGY
LESSON 4-5, WORKSHEET 1
Class: 12 No. of pages: 1

Read the following case studies and answer the questions that follow:
CASE 1
Soumya is a 32-year-old woman who works as a marketing executive in a fast-paced
company. She is married and has two children. Soumya has always been an overachiever,
excelling in academics and her career. Soumya constantly worries about various aspects of
her life, including work, her children's safety, her health, and her relationships. She finds it
challenging to control her worrying thoughts and often feels on edge. Soumya frequently
experiences muscle tension, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, and fatigue. She also complains
of frequent headaches and gastrointestinal problems. Soumya has high standards for herself
and is afraid of making mistakes. She often spends excessive time double-checking her work
and seeking reassurance from others. She is highly self-critical and feels guilty if she thinks
she hasn't met her own or others' expectations. Soumya tends to avoid situations or activities
that she perceives as potentially stressful. For example, she avoids social gatherings, public
speaking opportunities, and even making decisions for fear of failure or judgment. Soumya
finds it challenging to concentrate on tasks due to racing thoughts. This affects her
productivity and contributes to further anxiety. Soumya has strained relationships with her
family and friends. She often snaps at her family members and has difficulty expressing her
needs or emotions effectively. She also avoids conflict and tends to be overly
accommodating.
Q1. Based on the symptoms being exhibited, identify the disorder. Explain the other
symptoms that can be seen in this disorder.
2
Q2. Suggest a psychotherapy method with an appropriate reason for your suggestion. 1

CASE 2
Jay is a 27-year-old man who works as an accountant. He lives alone and leads an organized
and structured life. Over the past two years, Jay has been struggling with symptoms that
significantly impact his daily functioning and well-being. Jay experiences intrusive and
distressing thoughts that he cannot control. He has recurring thoughts about contamination
and germs. He constantly worries about getting sick or spreading illnesses to others. As a
result, he feels compelled to engage in certain behaviours. To alleviate his anxiety, Jay
engages in uncontrollable behaviours. He washes his hands excessively, often spending hours
each day cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. He follows a rigid routine, ensuring that
everything is in a specific order and arranged symmetrically. He also avoids touching objects
that he believes may be contaminated. Jay's symptoms significantly interfere with his daily
life. His excessive handwashing and cleaning rituals consume a significant amount of time,
causing him to be late for work and miss out on social activities. Jay experiences high levels
of anxiety and distress when he cannot perform his rituals. He feels a sense of impending
doom and believes that something terrible will happen. Jay has withdrawn from social
activities and avoids situations that he believes may expose him to germs or contamination.
He feels embarrassed and ashamed of his symptoms.
Q1. Based on the symptoms being exhibited, identify the disorder. Explain the other
symptoms that can be seen in this disorder.
2
Q2. Suggest a psychotherapy method, providing a rationale for your suggestion. 1
CASE 3
Sunidhi is a 40-year-old woman who works as a paramedic. Throughout her career, she has
witnessed and responded to numerous disturbing events, including accidents, violence, and
life-threatening emergencies. Over the past year, Sunidhi has been experiencing persistent
and distressing symptoms related to her distressing experiences. Sunidhi experiences
recurring and distressing memories of the events she has witnessed. She has vivid flashbacks,
nightmares, and intrusive thoughts that cause intense distress and interfere with her daily life.
To cope with her distressing memories, Sunidhi avoids situations, people, or activities that
remind her of the frightful events. She withdraws from social activities and isolates herself
from friends and family. Sunidhi experiences persistent negative emotions, such as guilt,
shame, anger, and sadness. She has a distorted perception of the world and herself, feeling
detached, emotionally numb, or disconnected from others. Sunidhi is constantly on high alert
and easily startled. She experiences difficulty concentrating, sleeping, and relaxing. She has
heightened irritability, and even minor triggers can evoke a strong emotional response or
outbursts of anger. Sunidhi experiences physical symptoms related to her distress, such as
headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and muscle tension. She may also have an increased
heart rate or difficulty breathing during moments of heightened anxiety. Sunidhi's symptoms
significantly impair her daily functioning, both at work and in her personal life. She struggles
to maintain healthy relationships and finds it challenging to focus on her work
responsibilities. Her overall quality of life is affected by persistent distress and avoidance
behaviours.
Q1. Based on the symptoms being exhibited, identify the disorder. Explain the other
symptoms that can be seen in this disorder.
2
Q2. Suggest a psychotherapy method with an appropriate reason for your suggestion. 1

CASE 4
Animesh is a 45-year-old man who works as a high-level executive in a demanding corporate
job. Over the past few years, he has been experiencing a range of physical symptoms that
have caused significant distress and disruption in his life. Animesh frequently complains of
various physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomach aches, muscle pain, fatigue, and
dizziness. Despite undergoing extensive medical evaluations, no underlying medical cause
can be found for his symptoms. Animesh excessively worries about his physical health,
interpreting even minor sensations as signs of serious illness. He is preoccupied with thoughts
of having a severe medical condition and constantly seeks reassurance from healthcare
professionals. Animesh experiences high levels of anxiety and distress related to his physical
symptoms. He often feels overwhelmed by fear and worry about his health, leading to
impaired daily functioning and decreased quality of life. Animesh's symptoms and
preoccupation with his health significantly interfere with his ability to engage in social
activities and perform his job effectively. He frequently misses work, appointments, or social
events due to his perceived physical symptoms. Animesh visits multiple healthcare providers
in an attempt to find a medical explanation for his symptoms. He often insists on further
medical tests, even when the results consistently show no significant abnormalities.
Q1. Based on the symptoms being exhibited, identify the disorder. Explain the other
symptoms that can be seen in this disorder. 2
Q2. Suggest a psychotherapy method with an appropriate reason for your suggestion. 1

CASE 5
Maya is a 30-year-old woman who has been struggling with significant memory gaps and
periods of feeling disconnected from herself and her surroundings. She has a history of
childhood trauma and abuse, which has had a profound impact on her psychological well-
being. Maya experiences the presence of different identities or personalities within herself.
These identities have distinct names, ages, genders, voices, and behaviours. They often take
control of her behaviours and memory during certain periods, which Maya cannot recall.
Maya experiences frequent episodes of memory loss, often related to events during which
other identities were in control. She may not recall conversations, actions, or significant parts
of her life. These memory gaps are typically accompanied by confusion and disorientation.
Maya often feels detached from her body, emotions, or sense of self. She may have an out-of-
body sensation or feel like she is watching herself from a distance. Maya experiences
intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, and intense emotional distress related to her
traumatic experiences. Some of Maya's identities may engage in self-harming behaviours or
have suicidal thoughts. They may engage in self-injurious acts without Maya's conscious
control or knowledge. Maya's symptoms significantly impair her ability to function in
various domains of life, including work, relationships, and self-care. The frequent switches
between identities and memory gaps disrupt her continuity and stability.
Q1. Based on the symptoms being exhibited, identify the disorder. Explain the other
symptoms that can be seen in this disorder.
2
Q2. Suggest a psychotherapy method with an appropriate reason for your suggestion. 1

CASE 6

Sundar, a college-going 20-year-old male, has moved from his hometown to live in a big city.
He has continuous fear of insecurity and feels that enemy soldiers are following him. He gets
very tense when he spots anyone in a uniform and feels that they are coming to catch him.
This intense anxiety is interfering with his work and relationship, and his friends are
extremely concerned as it does not make any sense to them. Sundar occasionally laughs
abruptly and inappropriately and sometimes stops speaking mid-sentence, scanning off in the
distance as though he sees or hears something. He expresses concern about the television and
radio in the room potentially being monitored by the enemies. His beliefs are fixed and if
they are challenged, his tone becomes hostile.
Q1. Based on the symptoms being exhibited, identify the disorder. Explain the other
symptoms that can be seen in this disorder.
2
Q2. Define delusion and inappropriate affect. Support it with the symptoms given in the
above case study.
2
Q3. Suggest a psychotherapy method with an appropriate reason for your suggestion. 1

CASE 7
Soumya is a 35-year-old architect. She comes to you for psychotherapy in great distress,
feeling that she is unable to work, and generally unable to function. She says that she feels
tired all the time, to the point of feeling completely exhausted. She says that she cries easily,
and almost every day. She is having difficulty sleeping and has lost 20 pounds in the last 2
months without trying. She says that things have been "real bad" for the last 2 months; she
doesn't enjoy doing anything and thinks frequently of suicide. However, she also says that
she has never been a very happy person. She says that things rarely go right for her, and she
has given up on expecting good things to happen for her.
Q1. Based on the symptoms being exhibited, identify the disorder. List out the other
symptoms that can be seen in this disorder.
2
Q2. What are the major factors responsible for this disorder? 2
Q3. Suggest a psychotherapy method with an appropriate reason for your suggestion. 1