Substance Use, Abuse, and the Adolescent
January 9, 2014
Walden University
Axis I
Axis I holds descriptions of clinical symptoms. These symptoms can lead to significant impairment. Adjustment impairment is one of these disorders. Hopelessness, feeling sad and stress are among the symptoms of impaired adjustment. The patient is clearly suffering from impaired judgement. This is evident where he says that he is stupid. For him to think he is stupid, he must be feeling hopeless. Otherwise he would not conclude on being stupid and instead would hold a belief of self improvement. The patient’s sadness is also depicted when he comments that his mother hates his friends. He clearly suffers from social problems. That is probably why he would rather spend most of his time playing video games and listening to music. It is probably the only way he can momentary escape his loneliness.
Axis II
Mental and personality retardation in Axis II describes situations that are applicable to the subject’s situation. In this description, some issues which are overlooked in the Axis I develop into more serious conditions which are long term. One symptom from this axis that is evident in the patient is the tendency to be antisocial. This disorder is illuminated when the mother points out that he spends m much time playing his video games. This game ensures that the better time of his day is spent indoors and in the loneliness. When playing these games, he does not involve himself in social talks and therefore slowly, might even loose the esteem to involve in social talks. On the other hand, the games are addictive. This adds more to the tendency of him preferring to stay indoors than going out to meet with other people. This will be harmful to his interpersonal skills and might actually worsen his class performances. As a result he will end up believing that actually he really is stupid (AD, 2213).
Axis III
Axis III is not directly linked to this case as the patient has not been confirmed to have medical conditions. In this segment, unchecked conditions in nth I and II Axis worsen into Axis III which entails medical conditions. However, if the patient is not accorded medical care early enough, he might suffer from brain injuries. This is likely to happen when his stress graduates into depression. During the conversation, it is clear that the young man is absent minded. The absent mindedness adds the possibility of him being into substance abuse. If not identified and treated, the boy is also likely to suffer brain injury consequently.
Axis IV
Environmental and psychological problems are a case closely related to this case. The condition is in Axis IV. Here, the conditions of the patient might lead to the divorce of his parents and also his death. The divorce can happen if the parents fail to accept the situation and instead start a blame game. This will trigger unending arguments which might graduate into domestic violence. In the occurrence if domestic violence, life might be lost. On the other hand, the patient might later resolve to committing suicide or be involved in a life claiming accidents as a result of his psychological situation. It is therefore very necessary that the root cause is well identified (Cherry, 2013).
The following diagnosis are not solely effective in coming up with a more informed situation. Therefore, it is wise that the mother try as much as possible to garner more of the son’s personal life. This can be achieved by the mother consulting his teachers on the how he spends his days in school, his discipline cases if any, the people he spends time with while in school and also leave the teachers to openly contribute their own suggestions. Apart from the teachers, other people who can give valuable information on the same are his former friends and any one else that he is fond of. The mother should also go an extra mile and invade his privacy.
Suggestion
For example, she can go through his journals and check for any useful information. At the end, we are likely to come up with information that will help in drawing a more informed conclusion. He should also be tested for substance abuse. All this will be made easier if he will be made to understand what situation he is going through, the seriousness of the situation and also the consequences to himself and the family if he does not participate and contribute to the healing process. A psychologist is the best person to do this. As a psychologist, I would involve him in talk therapies and yoga. In the therapies, I would also involve sessions where he will be supposed to meditate and late write down his mind. As much as a lot of information will be drawn from this it will a step in his healing.
Other Information Needed
In order to make a thorough diagnosis, I would need more time with the mother and son individually to assess what might be bothering or keeping him from his regular daily habits such as sleeping, eating, bathing, and other essentials. I would also need to find out how often his depression occurs and what might possibly be triggering it. In addition, I would need to know what, if any, negative circumstances (such as divorce or constant arguing between parents) might be occurring in his household that could be causing him stress or depression
Conclusion
If every individual earnestly contributes to this case, then a resolution will be met at an early stage. However, the whole recovery process is inclined towards the patient’s acknowledgement of his need for medical care. The mother, family members and the people he like are at a best position to establish this. Nevertheless, he must not feel that his personal issues are being exposed to the public.

References
AD, P. (2213). Adjustment disorder. Medline plus , 2.
Cherry, K. (2013, March 5). What Is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)? Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://psychology.about.com/od/psychotherapy/f/faq_dsm.htm