Adjustment Disorders
Adjustment disorders are emotional conditions in which a person has an extreme or intense emotional response to a significant life change or stressful event.
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What Are Adjustment Disorders?
Adjustment disorders are emotional conditions in which someone experiences an outsized reaction to a change in life or significant stressor. While anyone may find these stressors difficult, people with adjustment disorders experience extreme emotional reactions that last longer than others would typically expect.
The DSM-5 identifies six types of adjustment disorders:
- Adjustment disorder with depressed mood
- Adjustment disorder with anxiety
- Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
- Adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct
- Adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct
- Adjustment disorder, unspecified
Only a licensed mental health professional can diagnose an adjustment disorder. If you think you might be struggling with one, reach out to our team to explore treatment options.
Signs and Symptoms of Adjustment Disorders
- Suicidal thoughts
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- High levels of anxiety or stress
- Emotional numbness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Frequent crying
- Disrupted sleep patterns
Because these symptoms can overlap with other mental health conditions, it’s important to get a professional diagnosis.
Things Mental Health Professionals Consider When Diagnosing Adjustment Disorder
- Symptoms begin within 3 months of the stressful event
- Emotional or behavioral reactions are stronger or last longer than typical responses
- The reaction interferes with daily life or well-being
- No underlying condition explains the symptoms
What Causes Adjustment Disorders?
Adjustment disorders can be triggered by various life changes, both negative and positive — from divorce or job loss to moving away for college. Some triggers are one-time events, while others may be ongoing, like being in a difficult relationship. Sometimes, several stressors together contribute to the condition.
LifeStance Health is a national leader in mental, behavioral, and emotional wellness with multiple locations in 0 states. Services and available treatments vary by location.
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Treatment for Adjustment Disorders
Treatments include:
- Therapy: Individual, family, or group counseling that may focus on talk therapy, building coping skills, identifying triggers, and changing negative thought patterns
- Psychiatric Medication: Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may help relieve symptoms
- Lifestyle changes: Strengthening social connections, focusing on positive activities, problem-solving, tracking progress, getting good sleep, eating well, and exercising
Find Support at LifeStance
LifeStance offers personalized treatment plans for adjustment disorders through in-person and virtual appointments. Our therapists, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners work together to help you heal and thrive.
References:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 3.19, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Adjustment Disorders Comparison. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519704/table/ch3.t19/#
Adjustment Disorders FAQ
Yes. Adjustment disorders can affect children, teens, and adults. The types of stressors may vary by age, but anyone going through a major life change can develop this condition.
Stressors can include divorce, job loss, illness, relocation, retirement, natural disasters, becoming a parent, academic pressures or more. Even positive changes, like getting married or starting a new job, can trigger adjustment disorder in some people.
Adjustment disorders typically start within three months of a stressful event. In many cases, symptoms resolve within six months, especially if the stressor goes away. If symptoms continue longer, it may be considered chronic.
Grief is a natural, healthy part of the healing process. Adjustment disorder involves an emotional response that is unusually intense or prolonged, lasting longer than expected after a stressful event.
While adjustment disorder can include symptoms of anxiety or depression, these symptoms are directly linked to a specific stressor. In generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder, symptoms may occur without a clear trigger and can last much longer.
Adjustment disorders can be acute (lasting less than 6 months) or chronic (lasting more than 6 months). In acute cases, symptoms usually go away when the stressor resolves. In chronic cases, symptoms can continue even after the stressor is gone.
