| aidemia--modules-any_patient_summary_request | aidemia--modules-any_patient_summary_request_req |
| Full name | Ben Steinberg |
| Age | Child |
| Patient condition details | Client is scared of social events that include other children that he doesn't know. He feels significant anxiety about them weeks in advance and cries on the way over. He feels safe as long as his parents are still there. He fears that the children he doesn't know will hurt him. He stated that he fears they will turn into a scary beast and eat him. He usually feels fine after 10 to 15 minutes as he then feels that he knows them. He is not afraid when there are adults that he doesn't know at social events. He explains that adults talk to each other and ignore him so he's not afraid of them. He shared a number of different scenarios where he felt afraid. One example was when he kept seeing the same stranger repeatedly at the airport and on the plane when he flew to Israel. He feared that the stranger was teleporting to wherever he was and when he couldn't see this stranger, The stranger was communicating with a boss about whether or not he should abduct him. Another scenario involved a squirrel that frequently hangs out around his house. He fears that somebody put a camera lens on the squirrel's eye and is monitoring him and his family. He also shared a story where he feared staying over by a friend's house because he was worried that if he walked home alone he would be kidnapped. Upon further probing the client explained that the sci-fi elements of his fears such as the stranger, teleporting and communicating with a secret boss on a hologram or the camera on the squirrel's eye are things that he made up in an attempt to Make the scenario seem less scary. He shared that he does this at night when he thinks about scary things before going to bed. He explained that it works a little bit during the day but it never works for him at night and he still has scary dreams. His mother asked him during session if any of his fears have anything to do with her and his father's attempts to prepare him for emergency situations including break-ins and kidnapping. The client shared that this was the case. |
| Medication | None |
| How many pages | 1 |
| Any other preferences |
Ben Steinberg, a young child, presents with significant anxiety related to social events involving unfamiliar peers. The primary features of his anxiety include:
Social Anxiety: Ben experiences intense fear and anxiety regarding interactions with other children he does not know. He becomes anxious weeks in advance of social gatherings and often cries during the commute to these events.
Safety with Parents: He reports feeling secure only when his parents are present. His anxiety diminishes once he becomes familiar with the other children, typically alleviating after a 10 to 15-minute adjustment period.
Fear of Children: Ben expresses a distinct fear of unfamiliar children, believing they may harm him. This fear manifests in vivid, fantastical thoughts where he imagines that unknown children could transform into "scary beasts" that threaten him.
Interaction with Adults: Interestingly, Ben does not exhibit the same level of fear toward adults, stating that adults tend to ignore him, which makes him feel safe.
Ben has articulated several specific fears that highlight the complexity of his anxiety:
Recurrent Stranger Fear: He described a distressing experience while traveling, where he felt repeatedly targeted by a stranger he noticed at the airport and on the plane to Israel. He imagined that this individual was teleporting to follow him and was in communication with a "boss" regarding a potential abduction.
Squirrel Surveillance: Another anxiety provoking scenario involves a recurring squirrel near his home. Ben is apprehensive that the squirrel is equipped with a camera lens and is spying on him and his family.
Fear of Abduction: Ben also expressed anxiety about staying over at a friend's house. He feared that if he walked home alone, he would be kidnapped.
To cope with his fears, Ben has resorted to imaginative thinking, creating sci-fi elements within his fears in an effort to make them seem less intimidating. For instance, he utilizes the notion of teleportation and secret communications during nighttime anxiety episodes. While this strategy provides temporary relief during daylight hours, it has proven ineffective during the night, where he continues to experience vivid, distressing dreams.
During the therapy session, Ben's mother raised concerns about potential links between Ben's fears and their discussions regarding emergency preparedness—specifically concerning break-ins and kidnapping. Ben acknowledged that these discussions have indeed influenced his fears, suggesting that parental guidance and conversations around safety may contribute to his anxiety.
Ben's anxiety appears to stem from a combination of social fears, imaginative scenarios, and parental discussions about safety. Addressing these fears in a therapeutic setting may involve exploring coping strategies that can help Ben navigate his anxiety, develop confidence in social situations, and alleviate his nighttime fears. Further assessment and potential interventions could benefit his overall emotional well-being.