Diagnostic Assessment Antwone Fisher is a character who is very hostile and anti social. He feels alone and confused by previous events that occurred during his childhood. Fisher is very withdrawn, unforgiving, and apprehensive. The constant battle of flashbacks denoting verbal abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse frequently interferes with his everyday life. Physical and verbal altercations tended to be the most frequent activities that he was involved in. Antwone Fisher meets the requirements of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is one of many disorders that was displayed in the behavior of Antwone Fisher. The symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress disorder occurred during his individual psychotherapy sessions He felt as if he was forced to re-live a past that he had left behind. Antwone experienced traumatic events very often throughout his life. The death of Antwone’s best-friend and abuse were two of the major factors that played a role in his symptoms of PostTraumatic Stress disorder. Antwone couldn’t see that psychotherapy was actually molding him to forgive his past.
He was always so full of anger and rage. The psychotherapy was his opportunity to deal with his problems, rather than taking his anger out on someone else. Post-Traumatic Stress disorder accompanies the symptoms of the process of a few appalling events that are very relational towards the individual (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health 2. 1). The symptoms of this disorder that Antwone displays are the following: hypercritical, insomnia, and withdrawn (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health 2. 1. 2).
Antwone Fisher fits the criterion or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder accurately. There were several other diagnoses that Samuel 3 could have been formulated. However, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder explains the plot of the movie very well. Possible Causes and Treatment Antwone Fisher is the main character in the movie. Antwone Fisher is a movie that is established from a fact-based plot. Antwone is a man who has been traumatized since birth. He doesn’t truly understand what it means to have a loving family. Antwone was born in a prison and he never met his parents during his childhood.
Later on in his life he moved in with a foster family that was very degrading, abusive, and careless. During the adolescent years of Antwone’s life he was always curious as to why his mother never came back for him. Antwone did not know what it meant to be truly loved. He did not know how to express love or how to accept love. No one ever loved him until he become a young adult. As a young child he did have a best friend. His best friend was a brother that he never had. Antwone became homeless later on in his life, and realized that he could return home to visit his best friend.
Just as they began to reminisce on the wonderful times they shared, Antwone witnessed his death right before his eyes. Each of these events molded him to become an aggressive man. He had so much anger and hatred towards everyone in the world. The US Navy was the next stepping stone for Antwone. The realization of exploring and becoming a better man encouraged him to yearn for a better future. Even though there was not much education granted to Antwone, he became very intelligent. He was always eager to learn. The Japanese language was one of two languages that Samuel 4 interested him.
Moreover, altercations seemed to always have Antwone’s name written all over them. Physical and verbal altercations were two things that keep him into trouble. While in the Navy Antwone Fisher found out who was really Antwone Fisher. He became involved with a psychiatrist that changed his entire life. This was an opportunity that Antwone never imagined. Antwone was always stubborn and withdrawn. It almost seemed to be impossible to for his psychiatrist to communicate with him. However, the psychiatrist would not give up. The psychiatrist saw something in Antwone that he could not yet see in himself.
Another altercation landed Antwone right back into the office of the psychiatrist he was not enthused to see. This time Antwone finally reveals his former life story. Antwone took a while to conquer his anger issues towards his peers. Furthermore, he began to settle down and pursue a girlfriend. His girlfriend was a true definition of a woman. His psychiatrist was the true definition of a friend and a father. These two individuals gave Antwone a chance when others looked at him as if he was an animal. His anger was not ever intended for his peers, but towards his parents.
The disownment of his parents caused him to also be angry with himself. The psychiatrist in his life assisted him to establish a relationship with his biological family; along with his mother. Antwone felt as if that would be a waste of time to try to find a group of people who did not care about his existence. He began to realize that he needed healing and closure to know the truth about his parents and his family. This rationalization helped him to gain confidence to accomplish a lifetime goal. Antwone took a few days off from the Navy to pursue his dream.
The girl of his dreams was also invited to come as support Samuel 5 to prepare for the pursuit of happiness. Patience and determination is what it took to find the missing love Antwone longed for. He finally met his mother and his father’s family. His family was thrilled to finally meet him. They wasn’t so sure about him in the beginning. However, the more he began to talk and explain his ordeal about his mother, they began to believe his story. His mother on the other hand was not very welcoming of his arrival. She appeared to be very ashamed and distressed.
She was very brief for words to say to Antwone. The only thing that she could do was cry. Even though this was not the welcome that Antwone always imagined he still felt complete. Antwone would dream about how it would be when he met his biological family. This dream was Antwone and his family surrounded by delicious food and tons of love. God must have heard Antwone’s cry, because after his mother’s visit his family prepared a glorious celebration just for him. Everything seemed to be going well for Antwone. He returned to the Navy and graduated his Japanese course.
He was ready for life challenges and explorations to gain a new perspective of life. The psychiatrist and his girlfriend still remained by his side. There was nothing more Antwone could ask for. Even though he experienced numerous trials and tribulations he conquered each step with the help of determination. Not only did he express determination his psychiatrist and his girlfriend was very supportive and understanding. With the help of these two individuals, Antwone would have probably been the same young adolescencent that would have remained in the past.
The causes of Antwone’s behavior occurred due to his childhood and a portion of his young adulthood. According to research there is not a treatment that surpasses the other. However, there are treatments that are beneficial for post-traumatic Samuel 6 stress disorder. Antwone experienced a great deal of psychotherapy during his time in the U. S. Navy. Antwone’s psychiatrist supported him in brief psychodynamic psychotherapy, exposure therapy, and cognitive therapy. Pharmacotherapy would not have been beneficial for Antwone. Studies have shown that medications help ease associated symptoms of depression and anxiety and help with sleep” (Hamblen 2). Throughout the movie Antwone did not show any symptoms to be diagnosed with pharmacotherapy. Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy increased Antwone’s faith to conquer his fear of relationships and communication. His psychiatrist was very attentive and patient.
Antwone was not the easiest person to talk to. However, with the assistance of brief psychodynamic psychotherapy encouraged Antwone to feel comfortable to communicate his feelings about his traumatic past. Through the retelling of the traumatic event to a calm, understanding, kindhearted, and nonjudgmental therapist, the survivor feels better about him or herself, develops effective ways of thinking and coping, and learns to deal with strong emotions” (Hamblen 2). This explains the psychiatrist accurately in the movie. Antwone’s psychiatrist ensured him that he was concerned about his well-being. Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy was everything that Antwone truly needed. Exposure therapy was another therapy that was very beneficial for his disorder.
This therapy consisted of through imaginative concentration in terms of his traumatic episiodes. This portion of therapy enforced Antwone to stimulate his memory and previous thoughts. He was always afraid to relive his heartache. Moreover, his psychiatrist made it comfortable for him to revisit his past in an invulnerable setting. Samuel 7 According to Dr. Jessica Hamblen” it is preferable to work up to the most severe trauma gradually by using realization techniques and by starting with less upsetting life stresses or by confronting the trauma one piece at a time (“desensitization”)” (1).
The final therapy that was displayed in the movie was cognitive therapy. As a child Antwone was always asking himself questions. He never understood the reasons of punishment that he would receive. All Antwone ever wanted was to grow up in a normal world, and experience a normal life. His psychiatrist did an amazing job to help relieve the pain that Antwone endured. Cognitive therapy was very goal oriented in the movie. Being that Antwone was a man a few words cognitive therapy was the most appropriate therapy for him. Cognitive therapy aids patients in establishing a method to overcome verthinking stressful thoughts (Hamblen 1).
Antwone’s psychiatrist validated that his traumatic past was not his fault. His past was something that he had no control over. The psychiatrist helped Antwone to rearrange his thought process and to speak positive words over the negative. Even though Antwone had to go through tons of disappointments and bad breaks. He had to learn how to grow through each situation. With the help of each of these therapy sessions Antwone was able to expand his relationships and communicate more effectively towards his peers.
