Desiree grew up in a bad neighborhood in Harlem. Her mother,
Latisha worked as a cashier in a grocery store and tried to raise Desiree
in a loving environment. She did not earn a lot of money; therefore,
she could not afford the things that Desiree wanted. This angered
Desiree and she was envious of her friends and was determined to
have everything she wanted when she grew up. She also resented her
mother's HIV positive status and blamed her for transmitting the
disease to Desiree; therefore she denied her diagnosis and did not
engage in treatment. She fell in love with Jason, a leader of a notorious
gang, and decided to join. Since Desiree was dating him, she was
welcomed into the gang and was well taken care of. She thrived in this
life and stayed with Jason, until he was shot and killed. Jason's best
friend, Kyle, comforted her. Despite Kyle's abusive behavior, Desiree
moved in with him to fulfill her desire in living the life she wanted,
which is, getting the financial support to fulfill her material needs.
This is an example of a related case because Desiree clearly
demonstrates her ability to adapt and thrive in a nontraditional and
potentially unsafe lifestyle. She has a need to control individuals
around her but has no desire to turn her situation into a positive one.
Her survival is fueled by her self-centeredness instead of self-efficacy.
Her support mechanisms are unhealthy and she chose to ignore her
diagnosis and not seek treatment.