Which assessment finding most clearly indicates that a patient may be experiencing a mental illness?
Reports occasional sleeplessness and anxiety
Cannot distinguish between "what is real" and "not real"
Expresses uncertainty about whether to change jobs
Reports sadness and low mood
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A reason: Occasional sleeplessness and anxiety are common stress responses and do not necessarily indicate mental illness. These symptoms may reflect temporary issues rather than a diagnosable psychiatric condition, lacking specificity for severe mental illness compared to reality-testing deficits, making this choice incorrect.
Choice B reason: Inability to distinguish reality from non-reality is a hallmark of psychosis, a severe mental illness symptom seen in disorders like schizophrenia. This indicates impaired reality testing, a critical diagnostic criterion, making it the clearest indicator of mental illness among the options, thus the correct choice.
Choice C reason: Uncertainty about job changes reflects normal decision-making stress, not a mental illness. It lacks specificity for psychiatric conditions, as it is a common life concern. This choice does not indicate a significant mental health impairment compared to reality-testing issues, making it incorrect.
Choice D reason: Sadness and low mood may suggest depression, but they are less specific than psychotic symptoms like reality distortion. These feelings can occur in non-clinical contexts, making them less definitive for mental illness compared to inability to discern reality, rendering this choice incorrect.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, reduces neuronal activity, not enhances cognitive functions like memory. Memory improvement is associated with cholinergic or glutamatergic systems, not GABA, making this choice incorrect for the expected effect of GABA potentiation.
Choice B reason: Fewer visual hallucinations are associated with antipsychotics affecting dopamine, not GABA. GABA’s inhibitory effects calm the brain but do not directly target psychotic symptoms like hallucinations, making this choice incorrect for the medication’s effect.
Choice C reason: GABA potentiation, as with benzodiazepines, enhances inhibitory effects, reducing neuronal excitability and calming the central nervous system. This directly alleviates anxiety, a primary therapeutic effect, aligning with GABA’s role in anxiety disorders, making this the correct choice.
Choice D reason: Increased alertness is contrary to GABA’s inhibitory effects, which promote sedation. Stimulants, not GABAergic drugs, enhance alertness, making this choice incorrect, as GABA potentiation leads to calming, not stimulating, effects on the brain.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Trust versus mistrust occurs in infancy (0–1 year), focusing on trust in caregivers. Failure leads to suspicion, not regret over life accomplishments. This stage is irrelevant to a 52-year-old’s reflections on life achievements, making this choice incorrect for the described crisis.
Choice B reason: Generativity versus stagnation (middle adulthood, 40–65 years) involves contributing to society versus feeling unproductive. While related, the woman’s regret over past accomplishments aligns more with reflecting on life’s meaning, typical of a later stage, making this choice less precise.
Choice C reason: Integrity versus despair (late adulthood, 65+ years, but relevant in late middle age) involves reflecting on life’s achievements. Failure leads to despair and regret, matching the woman’s statement about unaccomplished goals, making this the correct choice for her psychosocial crisis.
Choice D reason: Industry versus inferiority (6–12 years) focuses on competence in tasks. Failure leads to feelings of inadequacy in skills, not regret over life’s broader accomplishments. This stage is irrelevant to the woman’s current reflections, making this choice incorrect.
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