Adjustment Disorder
Adjustment disorder is emotional or behavioral symptoms arising within 3 months of an identifiable stressor, defined per DSM-5 and framed in the NCCN Distress Management guideline.
Symptoms
Marked distress out of proportion to the stressor, or significant impairment in daily functioning, developing within 3 months of a stressful event (a breakup, job loss, diagnosis) and resolving within 6 months once the stressor or its consequences end.
Causes and risk
Any identifiable life stressor can trigger it; the key feature is a failure to adapt to the stressor in a way that causes real distress or dysfunction, rather than a distinct new illness.
How it is evaluated
Diagnosis is clinical, based on the timing relative to the stressor; it's important to rule out medical causes and assess safety, and to distinguish it from major depression, PTSD, or acute stress disorder, which have their own distinct criteria.
Treatment
Psychotherapy, particularly CBT (in-person or internet-based), is the best-supported treatment; antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication are sometimes added, though the overall evidence base is described as low quality, per a systematic review and meta-analysis.
When to seek care
Adjustment disorder carries a well-documented association with suicidal behavior -- any thoughts of self-harm should prompt immediate crisis support via 911 or the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.