A 23-year-old ticket agent is brought in by her husband because he is concerned about her recent behavior. He states that for the last 2 weeks she has been completely out of control. He says that she hasn't showered in days, stays awake most of the night cleaning their apartment, and has run up over $1,000 on their credit cards. While he is talking, the patient interrupts him frequently and declares this is all untrue and she has never been so happy and fulfilled in her whole life. She speaks very quickly, changing the subject often. After a longer than normal interview you find out she has had no recent illnesses or injuries. Her past medical history is unremarkable. Both her parents are healthy but the husband has heard rumors about an aunt with similar symptoms. She and her husband have no children. She smokes one pack of cigarettes a day (although she has been chain-smoking in the last 2 weeks), drinks four to six drinks a week, and smokes marijuana occasionally. On examination she is very loud and outspoken. Her physical examination is unremarkable. Which mood disorder does she most likely have?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mania consists of a persistently elevated mood for at least 1 week with symptoms such as inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, pressured speech, racing thoughts, and involvement in high-risk activities (such as drug use, spending sprees, and indiscriminate sexual activity). In this case, the patient has racing thoughts and pressured speech, has a decreased need for sleep, and is engaging in high-risk activities (spending sprees).

A 23-Year-Old Ticket Agent Is Brought in by Her Husband