Adjustment Disorder

An adjustment disorder occurs when a person develops affective (emotional) or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor.

Stressors can be natural disasters (such as an earthquake), events or crisis (such as car accidents, or development of a medical disorder) or interpersonal problems (such as divorce, or abuse).

The person displays either marked distress, or impairment in functioning (i.e. unable to work or study).

Adjustment disorders, by definition, last less than 6 months (after the stressor or its consequences end). If the symptoms last more than 6 months, the person may have another disorder, such as an anxiety or mood disorder.

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