A Patient Who Has Difficulty Falling Asleep at Night Because

question 24

Multiple Choice

A patient who has difficulty falling asleep at night because of anxiety over family problems asks if he should start taking sedative pills from the pharmacy to sleep better. The best advice to give this patient is that these pills can be used for:

• A) long periods of time, but it is best to check with the primary care provider first.
• B) short periods of time, but it is best to check with the primary care provider first.
• C) long periods of time without primary care provider approval, because they are nonprescription medications.
• D) short periods of time without physician approval, because they are nonprescription medications.

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Definitions:

Superego

In psychoanalytic theory, the part of a person's mind that acts as a self-critical conscience, reflecting social standards learned from parents and teachers.

Pleasure Principle

A psychoanalytic concept proposing that individuals seek pleasure and avoid pain in order to satisfy biological and psychological needs.

Erogenous Zones

Areas of the body that experience heightened sensitivity and can produce sexual pleasure when stimulated.

Psychosexual Stages

A Freudian concept that describes five stages of childhood development, each focused on pleasure from a different part of the body.