Question

Adjustment disorders (AD) and PTSD are both maladaptive reactions to stressors. One (AD) is a reaction to a common stressor (death in the family, divorce, illness, etc.), things that happen to nearly all of us sometimes, while PTSD is a reaction to an uncommon stressor (hurricane, assault, etc.), things that rarely happen and when they do, they are very, very terrible. Imagine this scenario: Woman says, “I’m so depressed and nervous. I’ve been this way since my car wreck. I’m a nervous wreck.” How would you go about determining whether this person is experiencing AD or PTSD?

Answer 1

The stressor for adjustment disorder is not life threatening, whereas for PTSD the stressor is life threatening. If the car wreck was life threatening to the woman, then it may hinting towards PTSD.

Adjust disorder begins within three months after the stressor, but PTSD may take months to a year to develop the symptoms of PTSD. So, here the woman has to be asked when she started to develop the symptoms after the stressor.

Adjustment disorder lasts for a lessor time than PTSD. Adjustment disorder lasts less than 6 months, whereas PTSD may last for years. So, the duration of illness has to asked.

The symptoms of Adjustment disorder are marked distress that is excess from what is expected from the stressor and impairment in socio occupational functioning. PTSD involves symptoms such as emotional numbness, reliving the event, nightmares, avoiding the situation which remind you of the event. So, the enquiry about the nature for these symptoms has to be done.

The symptoms of Adjustment disorder are milder compared to PTSD.