Adjustment Disorder (AD)

Adjustment Disorder (AD)—also known as reactive, or situational depression or exogenous,  This psychological disorder experienced by a person who is not able cope or adjust to a specific stress or an important life event. Individuals experiencing this psychological disorder usually have symptoms that depressed people do, like feelings of hopelessness,crying and usual loss of interest. 

This psychological disorder is also called  situational depression. This psychological disorder is caused by an outside stressor unlike depression and  when the person is able to adapt the situation then this psychological disorder is also resolved. 

Suicidal behavior is common among individuals of all ages with this psychological disorder, and about one-fifth of adolescent suicide victims have an adjustment disorder.

There are six types of AD mentioned in the DSM 4 , which are characterized by the following symptoms: mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct, mixed depression and anxiety, disturbance of conduct, depressed mood, anxiety,  and unspecified. But the detail of symptoms in this criteria is not mentioned . This psychological disorder can be acute or chronic, which depends on whether it lasts more or less than six months. If the AD lasts less than 6 months, then it can thought to be  acute but  If  this psychological disorder lasts more than six months, then it may thought to be chronic. After the stressor(s), or its consequences have been terminated the symptoms may not remain more than six months .  5%–21%  of adults are diagnosed with this psychological disorder. Adult women have chances to be diagnosed twice than men. Children and adolescents, girls and boys are equally chances to receive this diagnosis.

According to DSM 5 The presence of emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor is the essential feature of this psychological disorder. These stressors can be multiple stressors for example marital problems and marked business difficulties. The stressor may be a single incident for example a termination of a loving relationship.  The stressors can be continuous for example living in a crime-ridden area or a constant painful illness with growing disability. Stressors can be persistent like linked unsatisfactory sexual relationships or with recurrent business crises. Stressors may affect community (for example, a natural disaster) or a larger groups, a family or even a single individual. Few stressors may developed  with particular developmental incidents  like exiting a parental home, becoming a parent, reentering in the parental house, going to school,  getting married, retirement failing to achieve occupational goals.

We can be make a diagnosis of Adjustment disorders subsequently after the death of a loved one while the quality, persistence or intensity of grief reactions exceeds what usually might be expected, when age-appropriate, cultural or religious  norms are taken into account. This psychological disorder is associated with an increased risk of suicide attempts.

Treatment: Madication used for this psychological disorder are to reduce symptoms are benzodiazepines.

Treatments include  behaviour therapy, family therapy, individual therapy and self help groups.