A hospitalized client is told that he has terminal cancer. The client adamantly believes that the physician is wrong despite biopsy results and MRI findings. This is an example of which of the following?
Anger
Anxiety
Withdrawal
Denial
The Correct Answer is D
D. Denial is a defense mechanism where individuals refuse to acknowledge or accept a painful or distressing reality. In this case, despite objective medical evidence (biopsy results and MRI findings), the client persists in believing that the diagnosis of terminal cancer is incorrect. This refusal to accept the reality of the situation is characteristic of denial.
A. Anger typically involves feelings of frustration, resentment, or hostility towards others or the situation. While anger can be a reaction to receiving a terminal diagnosis, it is not reflective of refusing to accept the diagnosis itself.
B. Anxiety involves feelings of worry, fear, or unease about future events or uncertainties. While anxiety can accompany a terminal diagnosis, it does not manifest as outright refusal or disbelief in the diagnosis itself.
C. Withdrawal refers to a retreat or disengagement from social interactions or activities. It can be a coping mechanism in response to stress or difficult emotions. However, withdrawal does not specifically relate to refusing to accept a diagnosis like terminal cancer.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
D. Depersonalization disorder is a dissociative disorder where individuals feel detached from themselves, as if they are observing their own thoughts, feelings, sensations, or actions from outside their body. This can lead to a sense of unreality or detachment from the environment or one's own experiences. It is often triggered by stressful events or trauma, and it can occur in individuals experiencing grief or loss, such as the surviving husband in this scenario.
A. Dissociative fugue involves sudden, unexpected travel away from home or one's customary place of activities, accompanied by an inability to recall one's past. It is usually associated with amnesia for personal information and is not characterized by depersonalization symptoms.
B. DID involves the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities within an individual, which alternate and take control of behavior. Each identity may have its own unique way of perceiving and interacting with the environment, which differs from the symptoms described in the scenario.
C. Dissociative amnesia involves the inability to recall important personal information, usually related to stressful or traumatic events. While depersonalization symptoms can occur in dissociative amnesia, the hallmark feature is memory loss rather than the feeling of detachment from one's body.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
D. Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania or hypomania (elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, increased energy, racing thoughts) alternating with episodes of depression (sadness, loss of interest, low energy). The mood swings can be severe, and the transition between mood states can occur suddenly.
A. Major depressive disorder is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest or pleasure in activities. It does not involve manic or hypomanic episodes, which are essential for diagnosing bipolar disorder.
B. Dysthymic disorder involves chronic, low-grade depression that lasts for at least two years. It does not typically present with episodes of mania or hypomania.
C. Personality disorders involve enduring patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience that deviate markedly from the expectations of the individual's culture. While some personality disorders can present with mood instability, the description of severe and sudden mood swings from mania to depression is not characteristic of personality disorders in general.
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