“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom”
-Soren Kierkegaard
We often get caught up with normalcy. Anything that is not normal becomes a concern. Reacting unusually, overstressing, overthinking, etc., all fall under that category. The reason is not just theoretical. They signify an imbalance in our mental, behavioral and neurological aspects. One such moniker that’s frowned upon is Adjustment disorder.
What is Adjustment disorder?
Have you reacted more vigorously to situations than you should have?
Have you ever felt overly stressed?
Have you felt depressed for days with no zeal to do anything whatsoever?
Chances are you might have adjustment disorders. Mostly affected by situations not in our control, we tend to react differently.
Adjustment disorders are more prominent in children, teens, and middle-aged adults because of two reasons:
They are emotionally vulnerable.
Their temperaments and coping skills are underdeveloped.
Causes of Adjustment disorder
Death of a close family member
Prolonged illness
Persisting Issues in Relationships
Issues at school/college/work
Financial issues (unemployment)
Retirement
Natural Disaster
Sudden change in life (marriage, pregnancy)
Past trauma (theft/rape/miscarriage/poverty)
Any one of the lot or many reasons could cause adjustment disorders. It all depends on how you react to situations, your personality, overall life experiences, and your family’s role in your upbringing.
How to trace?
Here are the symptoms of adjustment disorders.
Acting impulsive
Frequent emotional breakdown
Avoiding company
Loss of focus
Sleep deprived
Loss of appetite
Prolonged feeling of procrastination
Suicidal or destructive thoughts
Breaking rules
Depression
7 Ways to overcome
Although the symptoms can go away in a few days, sometimes the impact of an unfavorable situation can take you six months or more to feel and behave normally again. Some stress management techniques can help immensely.
1. Positive environment
The people who surround us influence us more than anything we pursue. Remember to be in the company of people who understand and support you.
2. Answering your fears
Just as the quote at the beginning of this article, understand the cause of the stressor. What makes you miserable and why? Can you do something about it? Implement positive self-talk and own your fears instead of shooing them away. Anxiety only suggests that you need to address something quickly to feel free. Doing so will increase your confidence to face tough situations boldly.
3. Healthy lifestyle
Your body and mind are connected and can impact each other in enigmatic ways. Indulge in physical activities to get out of the stress prison. Go on adventures, and discipline your lifestyle with good food, yoga, and meditation. Say no to alcohol, smoking, and drugs. Make up your mood swings by controlling your breath flow through pranayama.
4. Social involvement
Push yourself to get out of your thoughts and make friends. Being in touch with others, sharing and listening to their problems increases our coping skills too. Sometimes it is a relief to get help and support from people sailing in the same boat.
5. Chasing a hobby
Nothing beats passion. A passion for doing something creative with your talents. One of the effective strategies for adjustment disorder treatment is pursuing a hobby. Playing an instrument, painting, singing, dancing, and knitting help produce happy hormones in us and relieve stress.
Developing your intuition plays an important role in managing stress. Intuition Process and Medha yoga are great techniques to empower your child with the right tools to fight adjustment disorder and make them take charge of their emotions.
6. Therapy and medication
Chronic adjustment disorder needs medical attention. Psychotherapy, talk therapy, anti-depressants, or anti-anxiety medicines (benzodiazepines) help in the treatment. Some practitioners also suggest sleep therapy and give drugs to induce serotonin production in the body.
7. Initiating a support group
A support group specific to the cause of adjustment disorders helps greatly in developing coping strategies. A strong supportive network pushes you up from the brim of challenges. And with you helping initiate the change, the sense of contentment is unparalleled.
“When you make service your sole purpose in life, it eliminates fear, focuses your mind, and gives you meaning.”
-Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
You must know that your breath is linked to your emotions and by controlling how you breathe, you can take charge of your emotions. The art of Sudarshan Kriya is very effective in treating adjustment disorder symptoms. Join us here and make a difference in how you live your life.
FAQ on Adjustment disorder
No. Both are different mental disorders and take their own pace of treatment. While adjustment disorders are stress-induced reactions to situations and are short-lived, PTSD happens due to the impact of a life-threatening event, and its symptoms last longer.
Adjustment disorder with depressed mood
Adjustment disorder with anxiety
Adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood
Adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct
Adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct
Adjustment disorder unspecified
The diagnosis of adjustment disorders is different from other mental problems such as depression or schizophrenia. For this issue, the doctors primarily check two components:
If you are distressed than normal levels
If you are having insecurities/issues in your social, personal or professional space.
About two to ten percent of the world’s population is affected by adjustment disorder. It is more common in females, children, and adolescents.
Meditation procedure helps calm our senses, relaxes us, and enables contentment. Adjustment disorders patients who deal with emotional anxieties can channel their emotions better with regular mindfulness practice.
