Adjustment Disorders arise in response to one or more stressors that occur within three months of the onset of the patient's symptoms. The symptoms can be emotional and/or behavioral. If the symptoms last longer than six months due to an enduring stressor (one that continues to occur or whose consequences continue to occur), they are referred to as chronic. If the symptoms last less than six months, the disorder is referred to as acute. There are adjustment disorders with anxiety, with depressed mood and adjustment disorders with a mixture of anxiety and depressed mood. With some adjustment disorders, there is a disturbance of conduct in which the patient becomes rebellious or reckless, and, obviously, some adjustment disorders are characterized by changes in both emotions and conduct.

By definition, an adjustment disorder is characterized by distress in excess of what would be expected and causes a significant impairment in social and/or occupational functioning.

• Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood

• Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety

• Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood

• Adjustment Disorder with Disturbance of Conduct

• Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Disturbance of Emotions and Conduct