An adult female whose fiancé recently called off the wedding attempts suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping medication. Immediately after taking the medication, she calls friends and family to tell them what she has done. Her friends and family activate the emergency response system, and she is taken the emergency department and is admitted to a mental health facility for monitoring. She is exhibiting signs and symptoms most evident of which suicide motivational category?

A. Projection involves attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings or thoughts onto another person. However, in this case, the patient’s tantrum and crying are more about their own inability to handle the refusal rather than projecting feelings onto others.
B. Repression is a defense mechanism where distressing thoughts or feelings are unconsciously blocked from entering awareness. For instance, if the patient were to push aside their feelings of disappointment about not receiving the diet pills without expressing them, that would be repression.
C. Denial involves refusing to accept reality or facts that are distressing or threatening. However, the primary behavior in this situation is the tantrum and crying, which are more indicative of another defense mechanism rather than outright denial.
D. Regression is a defense mechanism where an individual reverts to behaviors characteristic of an
earlier developmental stage in response to stress or conflict. The patient’s crying and tantrum can be seen as regressive behavior because it reflects a return to more childlike or immature ways of handling frustration, similar to how a child might react to not getting what they want.

A. Increasing rest and sleep can be beneficial for overall well-being and can help alleviate some symptoms of mood disturbances but it is not sufficient as the initial step in addressing possible postpartum depression.
B. Using a postpartum depression-screening tool is a crucial step in assessing the client’s mental health status. This tool can help determine the severity of the symptoms and whether they meet the criteria for postpartum depression. It provides a structured way to evaluate the client’s symptoms and guide further intervention. This should be the first step in addressing the client’s reported feelings.
C. While antidepressant medication may be appropriate for treating postpartum depression if diagnosed, it is not the first step. Before prescribing medication, it is essential to conduct a thorough assessment using a screening tool to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity of the condition.
D. Counseling can be a valuable part of treatment for postpartum depression, but it should follow an
initial assessment to confirm the presence of the condition. It is important to first evaluate the client’s symptoms using a screening tool to determine the appropriate level of intervention and to tailor the
counseling to the client’s specific needs.