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JORDYN WALSH
GWEN CUMMINGS
APPROXIMATELY 28 YEARS OLD
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CASE STUDY
JORDYN WALSH
GWEN CUMMINGS
APPROXIMATELY 28 YEARS OLD
PRESENTING COMPLAINT:
Gwen has had out of body experiences when trying to escape rehab and jump
out of window to do so. Gwen tells counselor that she realizes that any normal
person would never risk their live to escape a place and she has seen herself in
the window saying, you know you are screwed. She suffered from withdrawals
on the very first day that include; throwing up, laying on the bathroom floor, and
flashbacks of her mother drunk when playing and raising her and her sister. Her
boyfriend at the time brought her pills and she was caught and almost kicked out
and forced to go to jail. Gwen states, She knows she needs help and to be able
to be a normal human being that can breathe and sit still without a cigarette or
alcohol. She realizes that she needs to get better. Gwens dependency on
alcohol is absolutely affecting her everyday life, she has admitted to using the
substance everyday in order to be a normal person. (Betty Thomas, (Director),
Susannah Grant, (Writer) 2000)
MEDICAL:
Prior to rehab Gwen has never seen a psychiatrist or counselor. She has never
been on any prescribed medications that a doctor has prescribed that to her.
When Gwen was in rehab she was caught getting pills from her boyfriend but it
unknown at this time what medications she was given. Today Gwen has been
clean and sober since the day she got back from her outing when Jasper came.
After getting in trouble with her counselor and almost getting kicked Gwen took
the pills almost once but actually spit them out and has been sober ever since to
the day. (Betty Thomas, (Director), Susannah Grant, (Writer) 2000)
PRESONAL HISTORY:
There is no information on Gwens birth or infancy. Her mother died when she
was a young girl. Her mother was also an alcoholic and on the day she died her
and her sister just thought she was passed out from drinking because that had
always happened. When Gwen and her sister, Lilly, were told the news of her
mothers death they said, dont worry just slap her, she will wake up, she always
does that. Gwen and her sister have a very shaky relationship; ever since Gwen
ruined her sisters wedding there relationship has been even worse. At the time
Gwen is still single since Jasper and is really focusing on her and getting better.
(Betty Thomas, (Director), Susannah Grant, (Writer) 2000)
FAMILY CONSTELLATION:
Prior and during rehab Jasper was Gwens only family; Lilly and Gwen did not
have good relationship at all. Her mother was dead and the mention of her father
was never brought up. Gwens father is unknown of and as I mentioned before
Gwens mother was an alcoholic herself; she was a thrill-seeking addict who died
of an overdose when Gwen was about six, leaving both Lilly and herself to be
raised by an aunt. When her sister came to a group therapy session she told
Gwen how she ruined her wedding. Gwen gave a very offending rambling
speech that she does not even remember; in Gwens speech she said to Lily
Her husband was not what she wanted and that she settled because he made a
lot of money. Gwen also due to intoxication knocked over the cake, which is
what led her to drive the limousine from the reception trying to locate a cake
store. This is when she lost control of the car and crashed into somebodies the
front yard and house. Lily then leaves abruptly saying, She doesnt need this,
that she has a life. However when Gwens roommate Andrea is found dead in
their bathroom from an overdose Gwen becomes devastated and possibly was
an eye opening experience to how an addicts behavior affects other. Gwen then
commits herself to restoring her relationship with her sister Lily. (Betty Thomas,
(Director), Susannah Grant, (Writer) 2000)
time and she proceeds to tell them to back the fuck off and that she is trying her
hardest, this is considered to be good sharing and good progress for Gwen.
When Gwen begins a friendship with a fellow addict Eddie, she is afraid to share
what she has done as a practicing alcoholic for fear for looking bad to him. This
shows to me that she no longer think her drinking problem is normal, that she
now knows that she cannot live that way and what she was doing was wrong.
This shows her first step to recovery; accepting and realizing that her alcoholism
is an actually issue that she now is ashamed of. (Betty Thomas, (Director),
Susannah Grant, (Writer) 2000)
TENTATIVE DIAGNOSIS:
I believe the Gwen Cummings suffers from alcoholism and being an alcoholic
(see section Identifying Information and Referral Statement for definition) they
are both classified as substance abuse and can be known as Alcohol- Related
Disorders. Alcohol has complex and often contradictory effect on the bran; at
higher levels alcohol depresses the brain functioning and at lower levels alcohol
stimulates certain brain cells and activates brain pleasure areas. The alcohol
related disorder could cause personality deterioration, impaired reasoning,
depression and chronic fatigue. This all become a factor to an alcoholic when it is
abused and depended on. I also have reason to believe that Gwen suffers from
alcoholism due to biological casual factors such as genetics and learning factors.
Gwens mom was a diagnosed alcoholic and with genetic factors is causes
sensitivity to addictive power of drugs like alcohol. Learning factors play an
important factor in the development of substance abuse, greatening the risk and
chance of those who parents were alcoholics. Gwen falls into this category and
gives me even more reason to believe that she does in fact surfer from
alcoholism. (Betty Thomas, (Director), Susannah Grant, (Writer) 2000)
INITIAL PROGNOSIS:
I predict that Gwens alcoholism will not forever hinder her life. I believe her
recovery will be need to be worked on daily and it will be difficult but as long as
she seeks the support she needs and continues to express her feelings talking
about all of her stress and possible desires to drink again. I do believe that due to
Gwen past, family history, and self history with alcohol abuse that she should
stay sober and away from drinking habit for the remainder of her life in order to
stay on track. A major factor to her prognosis is to continue to be a normal person
and keep control of herself and her sobriety. Gwen has worked hard to get this
fair and gain this control on her addiction. (Butcher, J., Hooley, J., & Mineka, S.,
2013) As long as she keeps this motivation and continues behavioral counseling
with myself and group therapy, Gwen should stay on track to being that normal
more controlled self she wants to be. (Betty Thomas, (Director), Susannah
Grant, (Writer) 2000)
Citation:
Betty Thomas (Director), Susannah Grant (Writer). (2000) 28 Days [Motion
picture on DVD]. United States of America.
Butcher, J., Hooley, J., & Mineka, S. (2013). Substance-Related Disorders. In
Abnormal Psychology (pp.368-403). New Jersey: Pearson Education.