Adjustment disorder is a stress-related condition where you have trouble getting used to a big change in your life.
Possible triggers for adjustment disorder include things like migrating, changing schools or job, relationship problems (e.g. interpersonal issues, separation), loss of job, or illness – whether it is a person’s own illness or the illness of someone close to them.
Adjustment disorder may present with…
- Depressed mood
This includes symptoms of depression such as low mood, crying, loss of interest in things that you used to enjoy, fatigue, and a loss of appetite. - Anxiety
Adjustment disorder with anxiety will present with symptoms such as feeling nervous or worrying excessively. You may also experience physiological symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate or sweating. - Disturbance of conduct
Disturbance of conduct refers to behaviour. For example, aggressive or risky behaviour (e.g. driving recklessly, binge-drinking).
or a combination of any of these!
In order to be diagnosed with adjustment disorder, it is important that these symptoms happen within three months of a stressful event. These symptoms cause socio-occupational dysfunction – they affect one’s ability to function socially (with friends, with family) and occupationally (performance at work or school). The symptoms also cannot be explained by another condition. For example, someone who has been dependent on alcohol and driving drunk on a weekly basis for years cannot attribute this behaviour to adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct after he has changed jobs.