Adjustment Disorders

Question: Has anyone with AD (Adjustment Disorder) found an effective way to ward off symptoms when things get tough? I was told that I'm not a depressive but that I've Adjustment Disorder. To put it in simple terms I react to negative events more acutely than most and the effects drag on for a long time, making my life difficult, mainly in the area of personal relationships. It's part of me that I hate and I don't know how to deal with it.

Answer: Look on the bright side more. If you hate it, change it. Think about good things more, and concentrate on them happening rather than focusing on what is negative. Just fill your mind with these good images and make them glow. Whenever you feel yourself slipping into your previous negative behaviour, remind yourself that is no longer your reality, you have chosen to react in a different way to things, and notice how everything suddenly seems a little easier, now you feel lighter.

Question: Is adjustment disorder with depressed mood a disability? I was wondering if the adjustment disorder with depressed mood a disability? Is this something that can be considered a short/long term disability? I am going to talk to my OHU on monday at work, because I was just diagnosed with this today. Please let me know if it is if you know It has been over the past year that I realized that things haven't been right, and I have been seeing a psycologist since the beginning of this year. I think that this would qualify for short term at least?

Answer: Adjustment Disorders are a short term disability. It's usually over with after a few months. However, sometimes people who were diagnosed with this are later diagnosed with Major Depression if the symptoms continue. But that would be up to a psychiatrist to make the diagnosis. Anybody can get an adjustment disorder if they are overwhelmed by some kind of problem in their lives (such as divorce, loss of a job, etc.) If it qualifies for anything, it's most likely going to be only short term.

Question: Whats the difference between depression and adjustment disorder? I was talking to a friend and I told her i didnt know what was wrong with me and she said Im suffering from "adjustment disorder" as oppose to depression

Answer: The major differences between a depressive episode and an adjustment disorder include time frames, identifiable precipitating event(s), and severity: Time frames: depressive episodes, by definition, require diagnosable symptoms for at least 3 consecutive weeks (not so in the case of an adjustment disorder), in addition, an adjustment disorder dx requires symptoms to be present for no more than 6 months after the precipitating event (an additional 6 months for "chronic" adjustment disorder). Precipitating event(s): adjustment disorders have a very definable genesis - simply put, something happens, and the patient has circumscribed difficulties in adapting to the change. Depression, on the other hand, is not circumstantial (is independent of individual circumstances, and will persist despite "positive" environmental changes or absence of stressors) Severity : depressive episodes result in symptoms which are considerably more severe than those of an adjustment disorder)

Question: Did anyone experience PPD or adjustment disorder after their baby was born? My daughter has 6 months old and I have recently been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and adjustment disorder. I'm wondering why I wasn't diagnosed as having PPD/PND, when they seem to have the same symptoms? Has anyone else experienced any of these problems after having a baby? Can you please share your stories?

Answer: Yes i have been dealing with PPD since my 16 month old was born i have good weeks and then fall in a heaps for a little while, I think it depends on the dr you see as to what they diagnose you with but as long as you are being treated and heading towards getting better it doesnt really matter what they call it.....I understnad how you are feeling feel free to email me if you have any questions or just want to chat :)

Question: i need some help...adjustment disorders????? how did you get help? i have ppd and see a physcologist and am on meds i have a sever case of ppd/ocd i developed after have my daughter.i ran into something called adjustment disorder im still having issues adjusting i want to so bad but its just very hard my daughter is 4 months can someone help me with this issue and how did u get help for it?? becuase i think thats my issue is adjusting.im going to bring this to my doctors attention tommrrow because i couldnt get what my issue was till i ran into the word adjustment.and i think that just might be my biggest issue,thanks to all mature answers.im also on 10mg lexapro

Answer: You did a nice job of answering your own question. You have a psychologist so bring it to him/her since that is what you hired him/her for. Also, congratulate yourself for gaining a bit more insight into your presentation. You feel you're having trouble adjusting and that is meaningful to you. Keep up your work.

Question: i need some help...ppd,adjustment disorders????? how did you get help? i have ppd and see a physcologist and am on meds i have a sever case of ppd/ocd i developed after have my daughter.i ran into something called adjustment disorder im still having issues adjusting i want to so bad but its just very hard my daughter is 4 months can someone help me with this issue and how did u get help for it?? becuase i think thats my issue is adjusting.im going to bring this to my doctors attention tommrrow because i couldnt get what my issue was till i ran into the word adjustment.and i think that just might be my biggest issue,thanks to all mature answers.im also on 10mg lexapro thanks to ur answer its nice to know that im not the only one going threw this

Answer: I also was diagnosed with ppd and adjustment disorder a few months after my daughter was born. The way I worked through it was to just talk it out with my psycologist, answering the questions *honestly* not saying what you think you *should* say. For example, if they ask you what you feel for your daughter, of course you are going to say 'love' but with me, the case was i also felt lots of guilt and pressure to be the best 'mum' in the world. I forgot who I really was. You go from one day being your own person to turning into a nameless and joyless robot whos only job and function is to look after someone else. It's an instant and life changing experience that some people (like myself) find difficult to adjust to. Good Luck with the doctor tomorrow and hope this helps =]

Question: Has anyone ever been diagnosed with an Adjustment Disorder? Three years ago after i was cheated on by the father of my child I became suicidal. I have always suffered with depression and I voluntarily checked into a mental health unit for 12 weeks to be assessed. I was diagnosed with an adjustment disorder leading to a nervous breakdown. Has this happened to anyone else? What led up to it and did anyone ever give you advice about coping with it? I'm fine now...best thing that ever happened just wanted a veiw from anyone else whos been through it.

Answer: Following the culture-shock of moving to a large city, from a rural area, I suffered from panic attacks and other forms of anxiety. We (counselor & I) suspected an adjustment disorder. Whatever it was, I had difficulty adjusting to my new environment and found every aspect of the new situation to be very stressful. Whether or not it was truly adjustment disorder, I can not say. I will say that I was severely depressed, and any further stresses were just too much. With time and counseling my symptoms diminished. I just kept exposing myself with having to deal with the new things a little at a time.

Question: Why do we get SAD (seasonal adjustment disorder) and why is it a disorder? Is it because main stream can put the "disorders" to one side and not have to deal with it? Your Views pls!

Answer: First, why do people get SAD? I have heard that it is from lack of some vitamins and/or chemicals the body produces when skin is exposed to sunlight. The following is from a website, source listed below: The problem stems from the lack of bright light in winter. Researchers have proved that bright light makes a difference to the brain chemistry, although the exact means by which sufferers are affected is not yet known. It is not a psychosomatic or imaginary illness. Your next question, why is it a disorder - it is because the anomaly is out of the realm of normalcy. Your third question - Is it because main stream can put the "disorders" to one side and not have to deal with it? I don't feel not having to deal with it is the case. The fact that the problem has been identified and that there is ongoing research proves otherwise. But in another vein, yes, since the mainstream population does not suffer from the disorder, many probably don't even think about it. By the way, one irony about this. Think about the quandary of needing sunlight to alleviate the problem versus the fact that too much sun is also unhealthy because of the possibility of skin cancer. I don't know if THIS has been studied, but probably if you use sunblock to prevent the unhealthy side effects of skin cancer, does this also deprive you of the benefits of sunlight to help alleviate SAD?

Question: Psychologists - 4 separate dignoses of adjustment disorder - does this show a chronic mental disorder? If a patient returns again and again for help with depressive and anxious symptoms and has been diagnosed with adjustment disorder on 4 separate occasions, does this not indicate that there is a greater underlying problem, possibly a personality disorder? How many times can you have individual occurrences of adjustment disorder? I thought adjustment disorder just by definition implied a temporary situation.

Answer: Hi Peta, I have suffered from depression and anxiety for many years and my psychologist asked about my family history. I think this is because mental illness may run in families and also, things that happen during our childhood tend to affect things in our later life. EG I was bullied at school and my dad and I didn't always get on. I think these are a few things that might have added to my lack of confidence and self hatred. Also, I am naturally quite a nervous, sensitive person, infact, my mother and I are so alike with our personality traits! xx

Question: What is the difference between a parody diagnosis and a adjustment disorder diagnosis form a therapist as it? relates to insurance copays and to applying for jobs in law enforcement? (Say as a police officer, prison guard or parole officer.) This is all so confusing!

Answer: REPORTED for posting the same question twice!!