Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesRisks FactorsComplicationsDiagnosisTypesTreatmentPreventionCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Risks Factors
Complications
Diagnosis
Types
Treatment
Prevention
Coping
There are several different types of adjustment disorder, such as adjustment disorder with anxiety and adjustment disorder with depressed mood. While AD is a common disorder, there is a lack of quality research, clarity in diagnostic criteria, and consensus among researchers and mental health professionals.
This article goes over the different types of adjustment disorders, their symptoms, and what causes them. It also discusses diagnosis and treatment.
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Adjustment Disorder Symptoms
Symptoms of adjustment disorder can vary from person to person. Some people may feel anxious while others may feel irritable or sad. Most experience excessive worry and repeated distressful thoughts about the stressor.
While everyone experiences and reacts to stressful things, people with AD have a response that is disproportionately extreme to the severity of the stressor, the person’s previous functioning, and the expected reaction of the typical person. Difficulty adapting to the stressor can cause serious functional impairments in several areas, such as at home, work, school, or in personal life.
The specific, predominant symptoms associated with AD can include:
Symptoms Can DifferSymptoms are subjective and can vary between people. There can also be differences in symptoms, severity, duration, and outcome of AD between adolescents and adults. Children and adolescents tend to have more behavioral symptoms (such as “acting out”), while adults often experience more emotional symptoms, such asdepression.
Symptoms Can Differ
Symptoms are subjective and can vary between people. There can also be differences in symptoms, severity, duration, and outcome of AD between adolescents and adults. Children and adolescents tend to have more behavioral symptoms (such as “acting out”), while adults often experience more emotional symptoms, such asdepression.
Duration of Symptoms
Symptoms of AD begin within three months of the stressful trigger. However, acute stressors (such as losing a job) tend to bring on symptoms quickly.
If symptoms last longer than this, another condition may be present, such as an anxiety ormood disorder. in these cases, a new diagnosis should be explored.
AD can have serious consequences and has been associated with an increasedrisk of suicide.
Help Is AvailableIf you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call911.
Help Is Available
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call911.
Adjustment Disorder Causes
A 2018 review likens AD to an analogy of the flu. While most people experience short-term symptoms of the flu and then recover, some people develop serious and/or lasting complications.
While the flu is a vastly different condition than AD, the comparison fits. Everyone experiences stressful events, and most people respond proportionately withcoping strategies. People with AD have an overactive, maladaptive response to a stressor.
With AD, the stressor is identifiable, and the reaction is to a specific event or trigger. This might include:
For children and adolescents, examples of stressors may include:
How common is adjustment disorder?There is limited data on the prevalence of AD. Some studies estimate AD affects about 1% to 2% of the general population, but this number appears to increase significantly in clinical settings.
How common is adjustment disorder?
There is limited data on the prevalence of AD. Some studies estimate AD affects about 1% to 2% of the general population, but this number appears to increase significantly in clinical settings.
Risks Factors for Adjustment Disorder
Risk factors for AD are not well-known, and more research is needed. Some studies suggest it is more common in women, while others indicate it occurs equally in men and women.
Some findings indicate it’s more common in older adults, while others show it is common in children and adolescents.
Complications of Adjustment Disorders
Untreated adjustment disorder can lead to more serious mental health problems, such as:
Diagnosing Adjustment Disorder
There are no widely accepted diagnostic tools currently specifically used for AD. It is viewed as a sub-threshold condition, meaning that if symptoms meet the diagnostic criteria for another disorder, AD cannot be diagnosed.
AD is also sometimes considered a transient diagnosis. This means it’s used to identify early or temporary mental states that do not yet meet all of the criteria of a major mental health disorder.
Before diagnosing AD, a healthcare provider or mental health professional may:
Where to Find SupportTalk therapy can help you understand and cope with your condition. Your therapist can help you learn how to manage and overcome your symptoms.It is also important to reach out to friends and family and ask for help when you need it. Joining a support group can also help.
Where to Find Support
Talk therapy can help you understand and cope with your condition. Your therapist can help you learn how to manage and overcome your symptoms.It is also important to reach out to friends and family and ask for help when you need it. Joining a support group can also help.
Talk therapy can help you understand and cope with your condition. Your therapist can help you learn how to manage and overcome your symptoms.
It is also important to reach out to friends and family and ask for help when you need it. Joining a support group can also help.
Types of Adjustment Disorder
The “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the American Psychiatric Association handbook for diagnosing mental disorders, identifies six subtypes under the heading of AD:
Adjustment disorder can be short-term or long-term.
Adjustment Disorder Treatment
Treatment for AD has not been well-studied.
While AD tends to get better on its own, it can cause significant disruption while present. Treatments such as psychotherapy (talk therapy) may help manage AD.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is the preferred treatment for AD. The person with AD and their healthcare provider or mental health professional will decide together which type will be the most beneficial.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)is a common choice. With the help of a therapist, CBT helps the person with AD recognize the maladaptive thoughts and feelings, then helps teach the person how to change them into healthy coping behaviors and thoughts.
Other forms of psychotherapy that may be used include:
Types of Therapy for Mental Health
Medication
Medication is not typically recommended for treatment of AD.
When medication is warranted, it is used alongside psychotherapy to manage specific symptoms, such as:
Online TherapyResearch is promising for the use of self-help and/orinternet-based interventionsfor AD. These programs vary in the amount of therapist involvement.This model may make therapy accessible to more people.
Online Therapy
Research is promising for the use of self-help and/orinternet-based interventionsfor AD. These programs vary in the amount of therapist involvement.This model may make therapy accessible to more people.
Preventing Adjustment Disorder
Adjustment disorder is not always something that can be prevented. However, people who are at higher risk for developing an adjustment disorder can learn coping skills that will help them recover more quickly when a stressful event happens. It’s also important to have a strong support system in place consisting of friends and family who are willing to offer help when needed.
If you are at higher risk for developing an adjustment order and are anticipating a stressful event, ask your friends and family for support before and during the event. If you feel you may need to speak to a mental health care provider, don’t wait until you have symptoms before making an appointment.
Coping With Adjustment Disorder
In addition to seeking care from your healthcare provider or mental health professional, some ways to cope with AD include:
How do you help someone with an adjustment disorder?The best thing you can do for someone with AD is offer them support. Be there to listen, support them in their treatment (including going to therapy with them if want), and provide encouragement.
How do you help someone with an adjustment disorder?
The best thing you can do for someone with AD is offer them support. Be there to listen, support them in their treatment (including going to therapy with them if want), and provide encouragement.
Summary
AD falls into subsets of symptom groups, namely anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, disturbance of conduct, or a combination of these symptoms.
Research on the treatment of AD is lacking, but psychotherapy, such as CBT, is most commonly recommended. AD usually resolves within six months.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patra BN, Sarkar S.Adjustment disorder: current diagnostic status.Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2013;35(1):4-9. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.112193Hoffman J, Stein DJ.What are the pharmacotherapeutic options for adjustment disorder?.Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 2022:1-4. doi:10.1080/14656566.2022.2033209Strain JJ.The adjustment disorder diagnosis, its importance to liaison psychiatry, and its psychobiology.IJERPH. 2019;16(23):4645. doi:10.3390/ijerph16234645Zelviene P, Kazlauskas E.Adjustment disorder: current perspectives.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018;14:375-381. doi:10.2147/NDT.S121072Maercker A, Bachem RC, Lorenz L, Moser CT, Berger T.Adjustment disorders are uniquely suited for ehealth interventions: concept and case study.JMIR Mental Health. 2015;2(2):e4157. doi:10.2196/mental.4157Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Adjustment disorders.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-IV to DSM-5 adjustment disorders comparison.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Adjustment disorder.Bachem R, Maercker A.Self-help interventions for adjustment disorder problems: a randomized waiting-list controlled study in a sample of burglary victims.Cognitive Behavior Therapy. 2016;45(5):397-413. doi:10.1080/16506073.2016.1191083Zelviene P, Kazlauskas E, Maercker A.Risk factors of ICD-11 adjustment disorder in the Lithuanian general population exposed to life stressors.Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2020;11(1):1708617. doi:10.1080/20008198.2019.1708617Mental Health Foundation.Adjustment disorder complications.Strain JJ, Casey PR.Conceptual framework and controversies in adjustment disorders. In:Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders: A Handbook for Clinicians. American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2015:37.MedlinePlus.Adjustment disorder.Anxiety Institute.Adjustment disorder.Appart A, Lange AK, Sievert I, Bihain F, Tordeurs D.Adjustment disorder and DSM-5: a review.L’Encéphale. 2017;43(1):41-46. doi:10.1016/j.encep.2015.06.007Peaks Recovery Centers.How to overcome adjustment disorder.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patra BN, Sarkar S.Adjustment disorder: current diagnostic status.Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2013;35(1):4-9. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.112193Hoffman J, Stein DJ.What are the pharmacotherapeutic options for adjustment disorder?.Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 2022:1-4. doi:10.1080/14656566.2022.2033209Strain JJ.The adjustment disorder diagnosis, its importance to liaison psychiatry, and its psychobiology.IJERPH. 2019;16(23):4645. doi:10.3390/ijerph16234645Zelviene P, Kazlauskas E.Adjustment disorder: current perspectives.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018;14:375-381. doi:10.2147/NDT.S121072Maercker A, Bachem RC, Lorenz L, Moser CT, Berger T.Adjustment disorders are uniquely suited for ehealth interventions: concept and case study.JMIR Mental Health. 2015;2(2):e4157. doi:10.2196/mental.4157Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Adjustment disorders.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-IV to DSM-5 adjustment disorders comparison.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Adjustment disorder.Bachem R, Maercker A.Self-help interventions for adjustment disorder problems: a randomized waiting-list controlled study in a sample of burglary victims.Cognitive Behavior Therapy. 2016;45(5):397-413. doi:10.1080/16506073.2016.1191083Zelviene P, Kazlauskas E, Maercker A.Risk factors of ICD-11 adjustment disorder in the Lithuanian general population exposed to life stressors.Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2020;11(1):1708617. doi:10.1080/20008198.2019.1708617Mental Health Foundation.Adjustment disorder complications.Strain JJ, Casey PR.Conceptual framework and controversies in adjustment disorders. In:Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders: A Handbook for Clinicians. American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2015:37.MedlinePlus.Adjustment disorder.Anxiety Institute.Adjustment disorder.Appart A, Lange AK, Sievert I, Bihain F, Tordeurs D.Adjustment disorder and DSM-5: a review.L’Encéphale. 2017;43(1):41-46. doi:10.1016/j.encep.2015.06.007Peaks Recovery Centers.How to overcome adjustment disorder.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Patra BN, Sarkar S.Adjustment disorder: current diagnostic status.Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2013;35(1):4-9. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.112193Hoffman J, Stein DJ.What are the pharmacotherapeutic options for adjustment disorder?.Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 2022:1-4. doi:10.1080/14656566.2022.2033209Strain JJ.The adjustment disorder diagnosis, its importance to liaison psychiatry, and its psychobiology.IJERPH. 2019;16(23):4645. doi:10.3390/ijerph16234645Zelviene P, Kazlauskas E.Adjustment disorder: current perspectives.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018;14:375-381. doi:10.2147/NDT.S121072Maercker A, Bachem RC, Lorenz L, Moser CT, Berger T.Adjustment disorders are uniquely suited for ehealth interventions: concept and case study.JMIR Mental Health. 2015;2(2):e4157. doi:10.2196/mental.4157Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Adjustment disorders.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-IV to DSM-5 adjustment disorders comparison.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Adjustment disorder.Bachem R, Maercker A.Self-help interventions for adjustment disorder problems: a randomized waiting-list controlled study in a sample of burglary victims.Cognitive Behavior Therapy. 2016;45(5):397-413. doi:10.1080/16506073.2016.1191083Zelviene P, Kazlauskas E, Maercker A.Risk factors of ICD-11 adjustment disorder in the Lithuanian general population exposed to life stressors.Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2020;11(1):1708617. doi:10.1080/20008198.2019.1708617Mental Health Foundation.Adjustment disorder complications.Strain JJ, Casey PR.Conceptual framework and controversies in adjustment disorders. In:Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders: A Handbook for Clinicians. American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2015:37.MedlinePlus.Adjustment disorder.Anxiety Institute.Adjustment disorder.Appart A, Lange AK, Sievert I, Bihain F, Tordeurs D.Adjustment disorder and DSM-5: a review.L’Encéphale. 2017;43(1):41-46. doi:10.1016/j.encep.2015.06.007Peaks Recovery Centers.How to overcome adjustment disorder.
Patra BN, Sarkar S.Adjustment disorder: current diagnostic status.Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2013;35(1):4-9. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.112193
Hoffman J, Stein DJ.What are the pharmacotherapeutic options for adjustment disorder?.Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 2022:1-4. doi:10.1080/14656566.2022.2033209
Strain JJ.The adjustment disorder diagnosis, its importance to liaison psychiatry, and its psychobiology.IJERPH. 2019;16(23):4645. doi:10.3390/ijerph16234645
Zelviene P, Kazlauskas E.Adjustment disorder: current perspectives.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018;14:375-381. doi:10.2147/NDT.S121072
Maercker A, Bachem RC, Lorenz L, Moser CT, Berger T.Adjustment disorders are uniquely suited for ehealth interventions: concept and case study.JMIR Mental Health. 2015;2(2):e4157. doi:10.2196/mental.4157
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Adjustment disorders.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-IV to DSM-5 adjustment disorders comparison.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Adjustment disorder.
Bachem R, Maercker A.Self-help interventions for adjustment disorder problems: a randomized waiting-list controlled study in a sample of burglary victims.Cognitive Behavior Therapy. 2016;45(5):397-413. doi:10.1080/16506073.2016.1191083
Zelviene P, Kazlauskas E, Maercker A.Risk factors of ICD-11 adjustment disorder in the Lithuanian general population exposed to life stressors.Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2020;11(1):1708617. doi:10.1080/20008198.2019.1708617
Mental Health Foundation.Adjustment disorder complications.
Strain JJ, Casey PR.Conceptual framework and controversies in adjustment disorders. In:Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders: A Handbook for Clinicians. American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2015:37.
MedlinePlus.Adjustment disorder.
Anxiety Institute.Adjustment disorder.
Appart A, Lange AK, Sievert I, Bihain F, Tordeurs D.Adjustment disorder and DSM-5: a review.L’Encéphale. 2017;43(1):41-46. doi:10.1016/j.encep.2015.06.007
Peaks Recovery Centers.How to overcome adjustment disorder.
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