Adjustment disorder is commonly known as stress response syndrome. It is also frequently referred to as situational depression because it involves an emotional or behavioral reaction to a specific, identifiable life stressor (such as a divorce, job loss, or illness) that causes significant distress.
Adjustment disorder is a group of symptoms, such as stress, anxiety, feeling sad or hopeless, and physical symptoms that can occur after you go through a stressful life event. The symptoms occur because you are having a hard time coping. Your reaction is stronger than expected for the type of event that occurred.
Talk therapy is often the first line of treatment for adjustment disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially effective, helping reframe negative thoughts and develop coping strategies. Family therapy might also be beneficial, particularly when a family member's behavior is impacted.
Adjustment disorders are abnormal and excessive reactions to identifiable life stressors. They are sometimes referred to as situational depression.
The difference between acute stress disorder and adjustment disorder is that the stressful event in adjustment disorder (such as losing your job or the ending of a relationship) is typically less traumatic than an event that causes acute stress disorder (such as sexual assault or surviving a mass shooting).
Diagnoses similar to Adjustment Disorder (AD) are primarily other Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders, like Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which share symptoms (anxiety, mood changes, sleep issues) but differ in stressor severity, symptom duration, and specific re-experiencing/avoidance criteria. Other overlaps include generalized Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, and sometimes Reactive Attachment Disorder in children, all involving stress responses but with distinct diagnostic criteria regarding triggers, timeframes, and symptom patterns.
Complications of adjustment disorders can be life-threatening and may include: Suicide, suicidal ideation or self-harm.
Risk factors
Stressful life events and experiences ― positive and negative ― may put you at risk of having an adjustment disorder. Examples include: Major stress as a child, such as bullying or difficulties with school. Divorce or marriage problems. Relationship problems or trouble getting along with others.
These include bipolar disorder, cyclothymia, hypomania, major depressive disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Considered the gold standard for treating Adjustment Disorder, CBT helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors.
For a diagnosis of adjustment disorder, your symptoms should meet the following criteria: They began within three months of a stressful event. They are more intense or disruptive than what would typically be expected. They interfere with work, school, relationships, or daily function.
AjD was recognized under the definition of “transient situational personality disorder”8 in DSM-I released in 1952. It later transformed into “transient situational disturbances” in DSM-II. The term “adjustment disorder” for the first time was used in DSM-III in 1980.
Because an adjustment disorder is an emotional disability, people with the condition may be eligible to collect Social Security disability insurance. However, these individuals must exhibit symptoms that limit their ability to complete work-related tasks, such as anxiety and fatigue.
Talk therapy, also called talk psychotherapy, is the main treatment for adjustment disorders. This treatment can be provided individually, or with a group or as a family. Therapy can: Provide emotional support.
Adjustment Disorder may include emotional symptoms, like a depressed mood or anxiety, or both. It can also include disturbances of conduct, like angry outbursts or lying. Or, it can include both disturbances of emotions and conduct. Adjustment Disorder is considered a short-term illness.
An adjustment disorder may be triggered by: A major move. Death of a parent, sibling, grandparent or other significant person. Financial problems. Long-lasting (chronic) illness in the child or a family member.
However, there are two psychiatric illnesses that are threshold injuries: adjustment disorder and acute stress disorder. These are also injuries where people usually make a good recovery within a short period of time and can recover at work or return to their usual activities.
The analysis of concordance rates indicates that hereditary factors may be important in the development of bipolar disorder and in major depression, except in nonpsychotic, hysterical individuals. Furthermore, hereditary factors may not play any role in dysthymic disorder and depressive adjustment disorder.
Adjustment Disorders Medication: Anxiolytics, Benzodiazepines, Antidepressants.
Adjustment disorder is reported to be very common in primary care, but relevant epidemiological studies in this setting are rare and report rates of the disorder range from 1 to 18% 20,21 among consulters with mental health problems.
Symptoms of adjustment disorder often mimic major depression, but diagnosis is based on the cause of the feelings and the duration of them.
Tips for Coping with Adjustment Disorders
PTSD typically develops after experiencing or witnessing life-threatening trauma, while adjustment disorder occurs in response to major life changes or stressors.
The following are among the many potential long-term effects of adjustment disorders: Ruined relationships with family and friends. Loss of personal support network. Social withdrawal or isolation.