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Understanding Adjustment Disorders
Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment
An adjustment disorder is a mental health condition that occurs after a life change or stressful event. Although the stress could be a sudden change, the results might feel overwhelming and hard to cope with without assistance. Agape Treatment Center provides people with structured, evidence-based care to help them deal with stressors from life changes, death, or unexpected events that affect their mental health and limit their ability to function daily.
Adjustment disorders are usually short-term; however, if you don’t seek treatment, symptoms can worsen and lead to more serious mental health conditions like major depression, generalized anxiety, and substance-abuse disorders. Getting help early with a personalized treatment plan is critical to getting your emotional stability back and overall well-being restored.
Key Points
- An adjustment disorder is an excessive or unhealthy mental health response that is emotional or behavioral in nature and can occur up to three months after experiencing an identifiable stressor.
- Common stressors include relationship changes, the death of a loved one, job loss, financial issues, or medical diagnoses.
- Symptoms include feelings of sadness, anxiety, inability to concentrate, and social withdrawal.
- Treatment focuses on processing the stressor, learning new coping skills, and regaining emotional stability.
What Is An Adjustment Disorder?
An adjustment disorder is essentially an exaggerated emotional or behavioral reaction to a specific, stressful event in your life. According to the DSM-5, an adjustment disorder usually shows up within three months of that stressor.[1] What sets it apart is that the person’s reaction—whether it’s their mood or their actions—is much more intense than what you’d normally expect for that situation. This distress isn’t just a bad mood; it’s significant enough to get in the way of daily life, making it hard to keep up with work, school, or social relationships.
Common stressors that may contribute to adjustment disorder include:
- Relationship changes or divorce
- Job loss or workplace stress
- Academic pressure
- Financial difficulties
- Serious illness or medical diagnosis
- Relocation or major life transitions
- Loss of a loved one
Everyone experiences stress in their life, but when someone finds that they cannot adapt to a life change or cope after an event despite attempting to, that is when an adjustment disorder needs to be considered as a possible cause.
Common Signs of Adjustment Disorders
Because the way someone responds to a stressor will vary from person to person, the signs will look different for everyone.[2] However, symptoms of an adjustment disorder often include:
- Feelings of sadness or depressed mood
- Anxiety, nerves, or extreme worry
- Feeling overwhelmed or hopeless emotionally
- Inability to concentrate or make decisions
- Inability to sleep or changes in appetite
- Social withdrawal or isolation
- Increased irritability or agitation
- Behaviorally acting out, avoiding
- Physical symptoms like headaches, stomach problems, and fatigue
In some cases, individuals may experience suicidal thoughts or engage in substance use as a way to cope with distress, which increases the need for clinical intervention.[3]
Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, immediate help is available by calling or texting 988 in the U.S. and Canada.
Types of Adjustment Disorders
Adjustment Disorders can be classified by the primary cause of the mood or behavioral symptoms that are present.[4] Understanding which type of adjustment disorder you are suffering from is important because once it can be classified, the right treatment or therapy can take place.
Types of adjustment disorder include:
- Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood: Characterized by sadness, tearfulness, or hopelessness.
- Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety: Excessive worry, nerves, fearfulness.
- Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety & Depressed Mood: Anxiety or depressed symptoms mixed.
- Adjustment Disorder with Disturbance of Conduct: Behaviorally aggressive, defiant, or rule violations.
- Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Disturbance of Emotions and Conduct: Both emotional and behavioral problems.
- Unspecified Adjustment Disorder: Symptoms that don’t fit into the above categories but still cause functional impairment.
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Risk Factors for Adjustment Disorder
Anyone is capable of developing an adjustment disorder; however, certain factors may be associated with increasing your vulnerability.[5]
Risk factors may include:
- History of mental illness, such as anxiety or depression
- Exposure to repeated or prolonged stressors
- Poor coping skills or limited support systems
- Significant life changes occurring close together
- Adolescents and young adults in transition from one stage of development to another.
Adjustment Disorders and Substance Use
Substance use is common among those experiencing adjustment disorder since it can offer temporary relief from overwhelming feelings and emotional distress.[6] However, while substance use may ease distress in the short run, it usually leads to worsening symptoms and greater difficulty in achieving recovery. The use of substances over time increases the likelihood of establishing substance use disorders or other mental health disorders.
At Agape Treatment Center, our trained staff will evaluate your substance use during the intake process to develop a treatment plan that addresses all visible and underlying issues affecting your mental functioning and health.
How Adjustment Disorder Is Diagnosed
An adjustment disorder is a diagnosis made by a qualified mental health professional after conducting an extensive mental health evaluation. A diagnosis is based on the DSM-5 criteria and includes [7]:
- Identification of a specific stressor
- Onset of symptoms within a three-month time frame after the stressor occurred
- Emotional or behavioral symptoms that cause you significant distress or impair your ability to function
- Symptoms that cannot be better explained by another mental health disorder, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Evidence-Based Treatment for Adjustment Disorder
Treating an adjustment disorder requires the individual to process the stressor, learn new coping skills, and regain their emotional stability. Treatment can occur over a limited period and focuses on skill development and emotional regulation.
- Psychotherapy and Talk Therapy: The foundation of treatment for adjustment disorder. This provides a comfortable, safe, and supportive environment to explore emotional responses to stressors and processes, and develop effective coping and problem-solving skills.[8]
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A treatment approach that helps people identify and change dysfunctional thought patterns and behaviors contributing to their distress.[9] CBT teaches individuals to implement more helpful thought patterns and behaviors to manage their stress, emotionally regulate, and build resilience.
- Group Therapy: Provides social support and connectedness to others who experience similar life challenges, reducing feelings of isolation and enhancing the learning, validation, and perspective of others.
- Family Therapy: A treatment strategy for adjustment disorder that affects interpersonal relationships or family dynamics. Family therapy will focus on enhancing communication, understanding, and supportive involvement among family members.
- Medication Management: In some cases where the adjustment disorder has been debilitating, a qualified physician will medically determine if the client may benefit from pharmacotherapy using an antidepressant or anxiolytic agent to stabilize symptoms during treatment.[10]
Long-Term Outlook and Recovery
An adjustment disorder is considered a time-limited disorder; however, the length of time for recovery depends on how and when stressors and their associated emotional responses are addressed. With appropriate treatment, most have an improvement in their symptoms within six months following the resolution of their stressor.[11]
By developing effective coping skills, building a supportive network, and addressing underlying vulnerabilities for mental health issues, you can reduce the chance of experiencing future episodes of adjustment disorders and maintain emotional well-being over the long term.
Compassionate Care for Adjustment Disorders
At Agape Treatment Center, we provide a compassionate and individualized approach to helping patients with adjustment disorders. Mental health providers work with clients on developing individualized treatment plans addressing emotional resiliency, healthy coping mechanisms, and improvements in the quality of life.
Amanda Stevens is a highly respected figure in the field of medical content writing, with a specific focus on eating disorders and addiction treatment. Amanda earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Purdue University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, which serves as a strong educational foundation for her contributions.
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Support for Adjustment Disorders
If you or someone you love is struggling with adjusting to a traumatic life event or other stressor, receiving support from a professional can help to make a difference. Contact Agape Treatment Center for more information about our adjustment disorder treatment programs and what level of care you’d benefit from most.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Adjustment Disorder Treatment
What is the difference between an adjustment disorder and PTSD?
Adjustment disorders develop due to identifiable life stressors, such as relationship changes and job loss. They are typically limited in nature. PTSD is associated with exposure to extreme and potentially life-threatening trauma and is characterized by persistent symptoms such as flashbacks, hyperarousal, and avoidance.
What is the best treatment plan for adjustment disorders?
The best treatment is individualized; however, treatment plans typically center on psychotherapy as the main focus. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an example of an evidence-based therapy that has been shown to help individuals process stressors, improve coping skills, and restore emotional balance.
What medications are used for adjustment disorders?
Medications are not always necessary. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications may be recommended for short periods if symptoms are severely impacting your ability to function day to day. These medications will be monitored and evaluated as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
How long does an adjustment disorder last?
Adjustment disorders are considered time-limited in nature. Symptoms typically develop within three months of a stressful event and will typically resolve within six months when the stressor has been resolved or coping skills have improved. Symptoms may persist beyond six months if the stressors continue.
What triggers an adjustment disorder?
Adjustment disorders are triggered by identifiable stressors such as life changes, loss, interpersonal conflict, health concerns, or major transitions. The severity of symptoms depends on how the individual perceives and copes with the stressor rather than the event itself.
Can you recover from an adjustment disorder?
Yes. With appropriate treatment and support, many individuals will fully recover from their adjustment disorder. Therapy assists clients in learning to create effective coping strategies, regain emotional stability, and improve their overall quality of life.
Sources
[1] [2] [5] [8] [11] Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Adjustment disorders. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/adjustment-disorders
[3] [6] [7] [10] Mayo Clinic. (2022, December 1). Adjustment disorders. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adjustment-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20355224
[4] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Table 3.19, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Adjustment Disorders Comparison. Impact of the DSM-5 on SAMHSA Cash Income and Expenditures. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519704/table/ch3.t19/
[9] Psychological Health Center of Excellence. (2021). Cognitive behavioral therapy for adjustment disorder. Military Health System. https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Publications/2021/04/26/PHCoE-Cognitive-Behavioral-Therapy-for-Adjustment-Disorder-508