Specific phobia in early period of puerperium.Case report and its legal aspects
Journal Title: Psychiatria Polska - Year 2010, Vol 44, Issue 4
Abstract
A 28 year old woman with a specific phobia of being in hospital, three hours after having given birth to her baby, demanded to be discharged from the hospital, in spite of having been informed by the obstetrician that her life was threatened because of an intrauterine infection that might cause sepsis. The patient decided to stay in hospital after several long-lasting psychiatric consultations including psychotherapeutic interventions. The patient did not recognise that her fear was excessive and unreasonable, i.e., did not meet one of the criteria of specific phobia. She gradually regained criticism toward her symptoms within approximately one day. This indicates that patients with specific phobia confronted with a phobic situation may temporarily loose awareness that their fears are unreasonable and/or too intensive and may express beliefs similar to psychotic delusions. This situation faced the team of doctors with potential legal problems that might appear if the patient had definitely refused to stay in the hospital. Polish law does not allow to treat such patients against their will on non-psychiatric hospital wards. However, in the case of a definite phobia diagnosis there is no legal way to hospitalise a patient against his or her will on a psychiatric ward.
Authors and Affiliations
Andrzej Kokoszka, Monika Jerominiak-Kobrzyńska, Adriana Kalicka-Owerska, Karol Wypych, Marian Filar
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP129274
- DOI -
- Views 86
- Downloads 0
Wybrane aspekty poznania społecznego u pacjenta z pełną agenezją ciała modzelowatego (ACC) i zespołem Arnolda-Chiari – studium przypadku
Cel. Celem przeprowadzonych badań była charakterystyka kompetencji emocjonalno-społecznych i umiejętności komunikacyjnych 16–letniego pacjenta z ACC i chorobą Arnolda-Chiari oraz inteligencją wyższą niż przeciętna. Meto...
Trazodon – the antidepressant: mechanism of action and its position in the treatment of depression
Summary The pharmacological properties and possible clinical use of trazodon in the treatment of depression are presented. Trazodon is the only antidepressant from the SARI (Serotonin Antagonists and Reuptake Inhibitors...
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the psychiatric practice – case reports of the ataxic and Heidenhain variant
Objectives. Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is a rare fatal neurodegenerative brain disorder of variable clinical manifestation. Making the right diagnosis still remains challenging. First symptoms are vague an...
Zastosowanie antagonisty receptorów NMDA (N-metylo-D-asparaginianu) – ketaminy w leczeniu depresji lekoopornej
Problem lekooporności dotyczy wedle różnych szacunków do 30% pacjentów chorujących na depresję. Znajduje to potwierdzenie zarówno w wynikach publikowanych badań jak i w praktyce klinicznej. W ostatnich latach coraz więks...
The need for professional debate about PAS
The author refers to the article of Namysłowska, Heitzman and Siewierska about the Parental Alienation Syndrome – PAS [1] pointing that it is worth to be discussed by professionals. Some important topics for this dispute...