After a tornado came through his town, Gerald was faced not only with a severely damaged house, but also his place of employment being closed and relocated to another state.For the next several months, Gerald was extremely irritable and anxious, had trouble sleeping, lost his appetite, and suffered from various physical complaints.It is now ten months later, Gerald has repaired his house and found a new job.He has received supportive counseling and is showing improvement in both his emotional and physical states.Gerald's counselor most likely diagnosed Gerald with a(n)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Gerald's symptoms of irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbance, loss of appetite, and physical complaints are typical of trauma- and stressor-related disorders, which are characterized by exposure to a traumatic or stressful event. Gerald's experience of a tornado and the resulting damage to his home and job loss meet the criteria for this diagnosis. The fact that he has received supportive counseling and is showing improvement further supports this diagnosis. Anxiety disorder and dissociative disorder may be co-occurring with the trauma-related symptoms, but they do not fully capture the full picture of Gerald's presentation. There is no clear evidence of a nervous breakdown, which is not a formal diagnosis.

After a Tornado Came Through His Town, Gerald Was Faced