Therapeutic Recreation Activities, Psychotherapy Essay Sample

Therapeutic Recreation (TR) is a technique that utilizes fun activities to alleviate the symptoms of a person with emotional, physical, cognitive, and social limitations. It is used for chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and hypertension and also psychiatric disorder. TR is often used last after psychotherapy and as patients continue with their medications. The paper focuses on specific therapeutic recreation activities for generalized anxiety, conversion, and dissociative identity disorder.

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual V (DSM V) is classified under anxiety disorders. The central features of GAD include excessive worry and anxiety over a wide variety of events which is very difficult for the person to control. The anxiety and fear are associated with physical symptoms-edginess or restlessness, tiring easily, impaired concentration, irritability and difficulty sleeping. In addition, the worry makes it difficult to carry out day to day activities and are not explained by another mental disorder. Recreation activities, such as yoga and swimming can make a difference in these people's lives. Yoga helps these patients relax and ease symptoms such as restlessness and irritability. Swimming, on the other hand, will make the patient tired and sleep. Also, during these activities, patients tend to forget about the anxiety and worry. A recreational therapist can also tailor activities such as visiting home for the elderly and community services which helps in impaired concentration and edginess.

Conversion disorder -in DSM V- is classified under somatoform disorders. Criteria for making a diagnosis of this disorder is; patient presenting with motor or sensory deficit that are not intentionally produced, the deficits lead to impairment of functioning and cannot be explained by a general medical condition, drug or substance abuse. The disorder could be with motor symptom or deficit, sensory symptom or deficit, seizures or sensorimotor. Typical presenting symptoms include paraparesis, convulsions, tingling and creeping sensations in the limbs and blindness. Recreation activities are introduced using a stepwise approach in these patients.Recreational activities such as bike riding competitions and going to the gym help the patients maintain walking after the initial steps of therapy have been achieved. Sports such as basketball dribbling or any that the person is interested in -but a physical sport-will assist them as they will be eager to engage in the activity hence lower the chances of slipping into paralysis again.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder is classified under dissociative disorders. It is characterized by two or more distinct identities or personality in the same individual. The personalities are often starkly contrasting, and the switch from one to another is often sudden. It is thought to be caused by severe trauma in childhood; usually extreme repetitive physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Recreational therapy like art and music can allow patient to explore and express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe and creative controlled environment. Persons suffering from DID can be encouraged to attend concerts and social events that have been shown to reduce the possibility of a switch.

In conclusion, Therapeutic Recreation Activities is one of the methods used to treat psychiatric disorders. Various activities have been shown to help in alleviating symptoms of these mental disorders. The recreation activities when employed help improves the quality of life for these persons.