Here are some common symptoms associated with adjustment disorders:
Emotional Symptoms:
- Feeling Sad or Hopeless: Individuals may experience persistent sadness, hopelessness, or a lack of enjoyment in activities they used to find pleasurable.
- Frequent Crying: Emotional distress may lead to frequent episodes of crying.
- Anxiety and Nervousness: Feelings of anxiety, nervousness, jitteriness, or being overwhelmed.
- Irritability: A sense of being unable to handle daily tasks and feeling overwhelmed.
- Sleep Disturbances: Trouble sleeping, which can exacerbate emotional distress.
- Changes in Appetite: Loss of appetite or not eating enough.
- Difficulty Concentrating: Problems focusing on tasks or daily activities.
- Withdrawal from Social Support: Avoiding interactions with family and friends who provide social support.
- Suicidal Thoughts: In severe cases, thoughts of suicide or acting on those thoughts.
Duration and Timing:
- Symptoms typically start within three months of a stressful event.
- Adjustment disorder symptoms last no longer than six months after the end of the stressful event.
- However, if the stressor persists (such as ongoing unemployment), adjustment disorders can continue for more than six months.
