What is Adjustment Disorder?
Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is one of the six subtypes of adjustment disorders.
An Adjustment Disorder refers to a dysfunctional response that reflects a person’s difficulty adapting to and/or coping with changes and stressors in their life.
But what does this mean?
In response to stressful, demanding situations or changes in our lives that are hard to accept or particularly challenging, such as:
- Divorce
- Loss of a loved one
- Job loss
- A natural disaster
- Diagnosis of a serious illness
It’s normal to go through a period of emotional adjustment where we may experience high levels of anxiety, distress, or sadness.
These emotions, after all, help us to process change, seek support, cope with challenges, and/or take action.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), these responses are considered dysfunctional and associated with an adjustment disorder when, among other things:
- They are more intense than what would typically be expected for the change or stressor involved.
- They severely affect the person’s functioning in social, work, academic, or other areas of life.
- They appear within 3 months of the life event and resolve within 6 months.
As mentioned, there are six subtypes of adjustment disorder:
- With depressed mood
- With anxiety
- Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
- With disturbance of conduct
- Mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct
- Unspecified
Today, we are focusing on the subtype Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood.
What is Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood?
This subtype occurs when a person experiences anxiety and depressed mood simultaneously.
In this case, the individual would be diagnosed with Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood if they experience an intense reaction of both anxiety and depression after a life event or change that is more severe than what would normally be expected and significantly impacts their social or work life.
How does it manifest?
The symptoms of Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood are related to stress, anxiety, and depressive moods, and may include:
- Spontaneous crying
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Loss of sexual appetite
- Weight loss or gain
- Lack of motivation
- Suicidal thoughts
- Chest pain
- Palpitations
- Fatigue
- Stress
- Worry
- Substance abuse
- Emotional distress
This list includes just a portion of the emotional and behavioral symptoms. The effects, particularly of anxiety, can vary greatly in form and intensity.
What causes Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood?
Triggering events
As we have seen, the trigger for these disorders is a life event or change that carries a strong emotional impact or causes significant stress for the person experiencing it.
It can occur at any stage of life, though the triggers tend to differ depending on the life stage. For adults, it’s often linked to financial, work, or relationship issues, whereas for younger people, it’s usually related to academic problems, family issues, or breakups.
Other possible triggers include migration, the loss of loved ones, or traumatic experiences such as terrorist attacks, wars, or natural disasters. Unfortunately, these events can happen at any point in life.
Not everyone will develop it
While it’s normal to experience sadness, anxiety, or even distress after some of these events—and everyone faces difficult events at some point—not everyone develops adjustment disorder.
This is because there are protective factors, such as:
- Availability of economic and material resources: Having sufficient financial and material resources makes it less traumatic to deal with events like losing a job or facing an economic setback. Even though there are major flaws in how equitably resources are distributed, there are sometimes free resources available to help those going through similar situations.
- Perceived social support: Feeling that we have social support—whether from family, friends, or the community—can be a huge relief and provide significant help in coping with difficult or traumatic life situations.
- Coping skills: Some people, because of their life experiences and education, have developed more adaptive methods for managing difficult situations and the emotions that come with them. These individuals are less likely to experience this type of disorder due to their higher levels of resilience. Fortunately, these skills can be learned.
- A life with other sources of pleasure, worth, and meaning: When other areas of our life provide us with joy, a sense of value, and meaning, a loss in one area is less devastating. This is why it’s important to develop life areas aligned with our values and the things we want, so we have a stronger foundation to rely on during tough times.
What can we do?
If we are going through a tough time and identify with what’s been described, there are a few things we can try.
Social support is incredibly valuable. If we have close family or friends we can trust, talking to them, sharing what’s happening, and leaning on them for support can have a hugely positive impact.
Unfortunately, not everyone has access to this type of support. If that’s the case, depending on the stressful event, you might find support groups in your area. There are support groups for victims of terrorism, gender violence, people who have lost loved ones, etc. Many of these groups are free and provide substantial support.
Consulting a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, is becoming more common. Psychologists are trained to treat this disorder. Through therapy, you will develop tools and insights to help you overcome this difficult period and even grow as a person, preparing you to better handle future challenges.
If you lack the resources for therapy, another option is to seek out books by professionals that offer self-help methods tailored to your specific situation. There are books available for people dealing with grief, anxiety, or trauma.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can always call a support helpline, such as those available in Spain, or find equivalent resources in your country through a quick online search.
Conclusion
We hope this text has been helpful.
Remember that feeling bad after a negative life experience does not necessarily mean you are experiencing Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood. Nevertheless, anyone can benefit from the recommended resources if they are appropriate for the situation they’re facing.
If you find yourself struggling with your mental health, don’t hesitate to join the many people who start their therapy journey with us. You can contact both for in-person sessions in Valencia or, if you prefer on-line sessions, here.
