What Is Adjustment Disorder?
5. Are There Required Symptoms for Diagnosis?
All of these symptoms are related to the usual stress responses, particularly after a serious tragedy. In order to be considered an adjustment disorder, these symptoms need to occur within three months of a major stressor. They also need to affect a person’s quality of life and be more severe than expected. Some symptoms seem inappropriate or out of character for a person who recently experienced a death, divorce or other loss. These can include aggression and risky behaviors or extreme sadness, anxiety or other symptoms.
Some individuals with adjustment disorder make a suicide attempt or have thoughts of suicide. Before a diagnosis is given, a therapist or other mental health professional must first determine that no other disorder is present. Someone you know may be dealing with clinical depression or post-traumatic stress disorder rather than adjustment disorder.
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