Life changes—work, family, parents, children—can cause a lot of stress in life. An adjustment disorder means you have trouble dealing with change and stress. This problem can have serious results. You may feel helpless or depressed. You may make bad decisions. You may even feel like you want to hurt yourself.
Adjustment disorder can cause anxiety or depression. It's set off by stresses, such as:
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Death of a loved one.
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Divorce.
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Marriage.
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General life changes, such as changing or leaving a job.
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Moving.
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Illness or another health issue for you or a family member.
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Sex.
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Money.
There are 3 main types of adjustment disorder. You may have only 1 or a mixture of them. They include:
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Adjustment disorder with depressed mood.
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Adjustment disorder with anxiety.
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Adjustment disorder with misconduct.
Symptoms may include:
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Sadness or crying.
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Anxiety.
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Insomnia.
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Poor concentration.
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Trouble doing simple things.
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New problems at work or with family or friends.
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Loss of self-esteem.
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Sense of hopelessness.
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Feeling trapped or cut off from others.
With this condition, it's common to feel sad, guilty, hopeless, and restless. These feelings may continue for weeks or months. It can be helpful to identify what's causing the additional stress. Then take steps to get extra support. If new stressful events don't happen, it's likely that you will gradually start feeling better.
Adjustment disorder may be treated with:
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Talk therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help you deal with your feelings.
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Medicines. Sometimes you may be prescribed medicines to relieve symptoms, such as insomnia, anxiety, or depression
Home care
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If you have been given a prescription for medicine, take it as directed. Don't change or stop your medicine without talking with your doctor.
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Talk about your feelings and thoughts with trusted family or friends who understand and support you.
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Consider short-term in-person or online professional therapy. Talk with your doctor to learn more.
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Taking good care of yourself can help reduce stress. You can do this by having a healthy schedule of eating, sleeping, and exercising.
Follow-up care
Follow up with your doctor, or therapist as advised. Let them know if this condition doesn't improve or gets worse.
Crisis care
If you are in a crisis or have thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call or text
When to contact your doctor
Contact your doctor right away if:
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Your depression or anxiety gets worse.
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You're feeling out of control.
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You have thoughts of harming yourself or others.
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You are unable to care for yourself.
