Substance Abuse and Abuse Q 9
In planning activities for the depressed client, especially during the early stages of hospitalization, which of the following plans is best?
A. Provide an activity that is quiet and solitary to avoid increased fatigue, such as working on a puzzle or reading a book.
B. Plan nothing until the client asks to participate in milieu.
C. Offer the client a menu of daily activities and insist the client participate in all of them
D. Provide a structured daily program of activities and encourage the client to participate.
Correct Answer: D. Provide a structured daily program of activities and encourage the client to participate.
A depressed person experiences a depressed mood and is often withdrawn. The person also experiences difficulty concentrating, loss of interest or pleasure, low energy, fatigue, and feelings of worthlessness, and poor self-esteem. The plan of care needs to provide successful experiences in a stimulating yet structured environment. Involve the client in gross motor activities that call for very little concentration (e.g., walking). Such activities will aid in relieving tensions and might help in elevating the mood.
Option A: Initially, provide activities that require minimal concentration (e.g., drawing, playing simple board games). Depressed people lack concentration and memory. Activities that have no “right or wrong” or “winner or loser” minimizes opportunities for the client to put himself/herself down. When the client is in the most depressed state, Involve the client in a one-to-one activity. Maximizes the potential for interactions while minimizing anxiety levels.
Option B: Eventually involve the client in group activities (e.g., group discussions, art therapy, dance therapy). Socialization minimizes feelings of isolation. Genuine regard for others can increase feelings of self-worth. Eventually maximize the client’s contacts with others (first one other, then two others, etc.). Contact with others distracts the client from self-preoccupation.
Option C: This is a forceful and absolute approach. Allow the patient to engage in simple recreational activities, advancing to more complex activities in a group environment. The patient may feel overwhelmed at the start when participating in a group setting. Encourage the client to participate in group therapy where the members share the same situations/feelings that they have.