Adjustment Disorder
Has anything happened in your life recently that you find difficult
to cope with? Do you or people around you concerned that your
reaction to an event is disproportionate and/or irrational? Do you find
that your life has changed dramatically as the result of a recent
stressful event? If yes, you may be at risk from Adjustment
Disorder.
What is Adjustment
Disorder?
Certain life events, such as relationship
breakdown or the loss of a job, may elicit such high level of
distress that individuals find it almost impossible to cope
with the emotional demands. They may put everything on hold, such as
social engagements, hobbies, family relationships, and feel that all they
can do is think about what happened to them. Others may engage in
irrational behaviour, suffer from reactive depression or anxiety. When
people are unable to cope and adjust to changed life circumstances,
their reaction might lead to Adjustment
Disorder.
Adjustment disorder is a treatable condition and key
psychological strategies and coping skills can quickly re-establish
a healthy emotional state. While a strong reaction to life
changes is normal, the inability to cope could lead to the
development of long term conditions, such as chronic depression or
generalised anxiety.
Symptoms of Adjustment
Disorder
-
Severe stress reaction beginning
immediately or within 3 months of a specific event.
-
The distress level is in access of what would
have been expected as a reaction to the specific event.
-
Noticeable impairment in social, occupational and
academic functioning.
-
The stress reaction is not related to
bereavement.
-
When the consequences of the event are resolved,
the distress level gradually subsides.
-
People may also experience depression, anxiety, disturbed conduct
and/or
disturbed emotions. |
Treatment
of Adjustment Disorder
The treatment choice
for Adjustment Disorder is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
with a strong focus on stress management and relaxation training. The goal
of the treatment is to explore the impact of the stressful event on your
emotional well being and to explore how you think about and how you
evaluate the event.
CBT will help you gain skills in recognising
unhelpful thought patterns, challenge them and successfully generate
alternative, coping focused thoughts. Additionally, your therapist will
focus on how your behaviour and activity level has changed as the
result of the stressful event in your life, and will work with you to
re-establish your normal behaviour pattern and activities.
If you believe that you are not coping or "can't let
go" or others around you are concerned that your reaction to an
event is excessive, contact us to discuss your
concerns.
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