Adjustment disorder is an abnormal and excessive reaction to a known life stressor. The reaction is more severe than would normally be expected and can result in significant impairment in social, occupational, or academic functioning.
The extreme response may be linked to a single positive or negative event, such as a flood or fire, marriage, divorce, starting school, losing or starting a new job, or even if multiple events are happening, such as marital problems coinciding with difficult business challenges. Stressors may be recurrent events as well, such as a child repeatedly witnessing his or her parents fighting, or continuous, such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood.
Adjustment disorder symptoms can include: