Problem: Helen is a 48-year-old female who presented to an outpatient community mental health agency for evaluation of depressive symptoms. Over the past eight weeks she has experienced sad mood every day, which she describes as a feeling of hopelessness and emptiness. She also noticed other changes, including insomnia, fatigue, and poor ability to concentrate. The things that used to bring her joy, such as gardening and listening to podcasts, are no longer bringing her the same happiness they used to. She became especially concerned as within the past two weeks she also started experiencing feelings of worthlessness, the perception that she is a burden to others, and fleeting thoughts of death/suicide.
She acknowledges that she has numerous stressors in her life. She reports that her daughter's grades have been steadily declining over the past two semesters and she is unsure if her daughter will be attending college anymore. Her relationship with her son is somewhat strained as she and his father are not on good terms and her son feels she is at fault for this. She feels her career has been unfulfilling and though she'd like to go back to school, this isn't possible given the family's tight finances/the patient raising a family on a single income.
She has experienced symptoms of depression previously, but she does not think the symptoms have ever been as severe as they are currently.
1. Discuss the treatment options for the patient; include both pharmacological and non pharmacological recommendations.
For the pharmacological treatment recommendation list the rationale for the medication choice, as well as the education you would want to provide on the medication for the patient.