Mental Health Matters September 2011 300 E. Warwick Drive • Alma

Adjustment Disorder

Adjustment Disorder is a Disorder is equally common diagnosis that is triggered between males and females. by a stressful event. It is However, in adults, women characterized as a psychological are diagnosed twice as often response to or as men. The prevalence of that result in clinically Adjustment Disorder has been significant emotional or reported between two percent behavioral symptoms. and eight percent of adults Individuals diagnosed with and children but for individuals Adjustment Disorder who who are hospitalized the are struggling with a rate is increased to about 12 may experience a decrease in performance percent. Examples of stressors are: at school or work, attempts or • Single events like a termination of a suicidal ideations, substance use, changes friendly or romantic relationship in relationships, and somatic complaints. • Multiple stressors that may include Somatic complaints are complaints about business difficulties or marital the body including pain, nausea, headaches problems and body aches, which often have no • Recurrent stressors including seasonal medical explanation. The reaction to the problems at work stressful event must also be “marked by • Continuous stressor like living in an distress that is in excess of what would be area where there is frequent crime expected given the nature of the stressor” or • Developmental events which may show a “significant impairment in social or include getting married, becoming a occupational functioning.” parent, or going away to school.

With Adjustment Disorder, the emotional Adjusting and with problems is a or behavioral symptoms must develop within common occurrence and is often associated three months from the onset of the stressor. with other mental illnesses. Adjustment Symptoms may be present for several Disorder may also progress to a more severe weeks and may last up to several months. including major , The duration of symptoms for Adjustment but the progression is more common in Disorder may be considered acute, which children and adolescence than in adults. is less than six months, or chronic, which is Individuals with a longer than six months. The disorder may are often not diagnosed with Adjustment be diagnosed in any age group. During childhood and adolescence, Adjustment (continued on page two)

Volume 8, Issue #10 "Maintaining Balance Along Life's Journey" Important Numbers Matters to Remember Marsha Phillips Acute, Inpatient / Adjustment Disorder Geropsychiatry (continued from page one) (989) 466-3304 Disorder because the nature of Will Thomas personality disorders are often Supervisor, Psychiatric exacerbated by stress. There Partial Hospitalization and must also be an identifiable Editor of Mental Health Matters (989) 466-3253 stressful event to be diagnosed Toll free (800) 392-7652 with Adjustment Disorder, if no event is identified a more For additional issues of appropriate diagnosis may be a Mental Health Matters, visit www.midmichigan.org/mentalhealth not otherwise specified disorder, such has Disorder. Also, a notable difference from other disorders that are triggered by stress is that important, as with all disorders, to make Adjustment Disorder can be triggered by a an accurate diagnosis. It is important when stressor of any severity and individual exhibit treating someone with an Adjustment a wide range of possible symptoms. Post Disorder to keep in mind that their Disorder and Acute Stress symptoms may be short term and often Disorder require the presence of an extreme respond to medications and therapy. Often stressor and a “specific constellation of therapy can be effective in dealing with symptoms.” stressful events by discussing ways to cope with the stress, and also to identify support Subtypes and specifiers of Adjustment systems that may when dealing with stress. Disorder include: with depressed mood, with anxiety, with mixed anxiety and Katie J. Wilson, M.A. depressed mood, with disturbances of conduct, with mixed disturbances of emotions and conduct, and unspecified. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Individuals may present with several Disorders, Forth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, symptoms and complaints and it is DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

Issue #10 page two "Maintaining Balance Along Life's Journey"