- Do you find yourself going through a difficult time and feeling out of sorts?
- Is your response different than it usually has been to stressful times?
- Is it impacting your sleep, concentration, mood, work, or interactions with others?
- Are you feeling tearful, more hopeless and helpless?
- Do you find yourself more nervous and jittery than usual and worrying about things you typically didn’t worry about?
An adjustment disorder is a reaction that occurs shortly after a significant life stressor has occurred. Your reaction may be greater than how you typically would respond and this feeling persists for several months or longer. For example, you may have experienced some financial stressors, ended a significant relationship, lost a job, encountered some unexpected medical issues, had an accident, or gone through a major life change that has left you feeling unsure of yourself. Feeling down or stressed following an upheaval in your life can be a normal reaction; however, when these feelings persist and do not abate, talking to someone can help make the adjustment easier. Sometimes in one visit, you can begin to feel much better and feel as though you have a fresh outlook on things. Generally, adjustment issues can be dealt with in several sessions.