Abstract
M.A., a 35-year-old man, was referred from the male ward for psychiatric evaluation and psychological treatment. He arrived with complaints of anger and other forms of physical aches, such as headaches, stomach discomfort, rib pain, neck pain, and pain in various parts of his body. He also complained about dryness in his throat. His assessment included behavioral observations, a clinical interview, a mental state examination, baseline charts (for anxiety, anger, frequent negative thoughts, and sleep), and subjective ratings of physical symptoms. A behavioral checklist and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) were also used. The assessment revealed that his worry about his physical problems was extremely high (he scored it 9 out of 10). His sleep was mainly normal, although he had occasional difficulties sleeping due to physical discomfort.
Management strategies included rapport building, psychoeducation, anger management, relaxation exercises, distraction techniques, stress management, grief therapy and sleep hygiene. Following 10 sessions, the client was discharged from the hospital. By that time, his anxiety about his physical symptoms had reduced. He had also gotten a better understanding of his health condition and learned efficient approaches and strategies for managing his symptoms. An improvement in anger control was also noted.