Adjustment Disorder?

[b_l_u_e_b_e_l_l_]

I've just come back from my long term gp... who has written a new mental health plan and referral for me.

Along with depression.... it has Adjustment Disorder written on it!!

I feel really quite angry...

As far as I know adjustment disorder refers to a symptoms which are virtually an "over the top" or "unreasonable" reaction to life circumstances.

My gp who has known me half my life and witnessed severe grief and tragedy with a potential crisis currently unfolding has written this....

I feel totally betrayed and so upset. Like he has just invalidated everything I've been and continue to go through. My history is long.. and traumatic...

I just don't get it...

[Hope_for_the_best]

It is not accurate to interpret adjustment disorder as "over the top or unreasonable reaction to life circumstances". It basically means you are experiencing intense stress when adjusting to something stressful in your life. Usually, adjustment disorder disappears after the stressful event(s) and rarely lasts for more than 6 months. If you hate the term "adjustment disorder", please be reassured that it unlikely sticks with you for the rest of your life. You mentioned you have a potential crisis unfolding currently, which fits in the description of an adjustment disorder. In this sense, your GP is not trying to invalidate you, but rather helping you by writing down an accurate diagnosis on your referral. A patient with depression verses a patient with depression and adjustment disorder likely requires different types of psychological support. If your GP leaves that out, you may not get the best out of your psychologist visits.

I hope this information will make you less upset with your GP. Take care.

[b_l_u_e_b_e_l_l_]

This echoes everything I've read on it....

" The symptoms occur because you are having a hard time coping. Your reaction is stronger than expected for the type of event that occurred."

I take issue with the last section... stronger than expected for the type of event....

I'm not wonderwoman- I really don't know what an "expected" reaction is supposed to look like.... but if I had read my life story in a novel I wouldn't be surprised if the character was in a far worse state than I am. It just seems an unfair assumption.a

Thanks for trying to help...

[Hope_for_the_best]

I too have objections towards the sentence "Your reaction is stronger than expected for the type of event that occurred". As you said, there isn't a standard as to what an "expected" reaction is. If I am not wrong, you read that from the Internet right? Websites are not necessarily written by professionals and even if they are, they may not be well-reviewed. So inaccurate descriptions like these are common. I would suggest that you don't let those words get to you too much. The most important thing is to get your issues sorted out and it is good that your GP is helping.

[White_Rose]

Hello b.l.u.e.b.e.l.l.

It can be upsetting when someone writes what you see as an inaccurate comment. Please don't be upset. Hope.for.the.best has given you a more accurate interpretation of your GP's comment and I definitely agree.

I also have a problem in that area. I imagine practically everyone needs to reset their thinking when they come up against a change in their lives. If it's pleasant it's probably easier, but even pleasant events can be stressful. When it is not to our liking it can be more difficult to get going again. I know I found it difficult when my GP insisted I receive therapy from a psychiatrist. Like you, my GP has known me for many years and probably knew I would protest.

So we spent a long appointment talking about the need for this. I was still unhappy about it and contemplated not going. Thanks to the chat I understood my GP's reasoning and I started to think about my reasons for not going. That lead to another long session. I won't say I attended my first appointment feeling happy, but I did go. It took me many months to believe this was where I needed to be.

I felt my GP was being unkind, fobbing me off to someone else. And as this had been an experience of mine, but not with this GP, you can imagine how nervous I was. I like my GP and she has all my trust but sometimes it gets severely tested. Then I try asking why. Seems the most obvious thing to do but we don't always do the obvious do we.

I am sorry you have a crisis in your life. From my experience it's bad enough coping with whatever is happening. When it may mean change or accepting something different I get into a panic. My GP knows this and allows for it if she is dealing with the crisis. If I go elsewhere she is really obliged, as good doctor, to tell the treating practitioner about any aspects of your character that may impede your recovery. It's not giving you a bad name, it's giving you as much help and support as possible.

If this is still troubling you, why not make an appointment with your GP and talk about it. I bet she will explain it better than me. Why not take a copy of this thread with you and ask about it?

I hope we have helped you understand your GP's words and that you feel more comfortable. Please write in again and let us know how things are going.

Mary

[White_Rose]

Just posted the above reply and saw you and Bluebell have spoken a couple of times since I started my reply. My comments refer to Bluebell's first reply although I do agree with her again about internet comments. Dr Google is not always right.

[White_Rose]

Oops, I've transposed Bluebell and Hope for the best. My apologies. Hope I still make sense.

[b_l_u_e_b_e_l_l_]

Thanks white Rose and hope for the best...

I'm feeling a bit better about it. I've spoken to a friend who works in mental health and he has confirmed it is a really vague "diagnosis" and comes off as extremely arrogant sounding and presumptuous.... particularly in light of my circumstances.

I really like my gp... for medical stuff... but I feel like he needs some mental health training. He really should have talked it through with me before putting it on paper.. so that I could see his perspective.

Anyway... I have to just give it over to the new treating psych and see what happens..

Thanks for your responses...I do really appreciate them.

[White_Rose]

Hello Bluebell

It's good to hear you feel a little better now. I don't know what problem you have or what reaction you have to it, and it's not important. What I want to say is that in any tragedy, trauma, change in our life circumstances, we all have reactions. Some people do find adjustment difficult. Not necessarily in every instance but some buttons when pressed do elicit a bigger reaction than most other people experience.

For example I find I cannot watch some TV programs without becoming highly distressed, so I don't watch them. The really stupid part is that I have seen this programs before and enjoyed watching them. The reaction I have now is due to situations I have experienced in between watching the two programs. I will get over it but the event and my reaction would seem to be disproportionate.

In other words, some people react in a more emotional fashion to some circumstances. It's not because they are weak or silly or anything of that sort. Some things press our buttons and other things press the buttons of other people.

Good luck with meeting with your psychologist.

Mary

[Tibet]

I really like ur reference to feeling ‘invalidated’ I had a similar experience today where my GP made a loose reference to me having ‘adjustment disorder’. I was horrified!! I see myself as being quite resilient so to hear that felt like a criticism of my ability to cope. Ur comments help me have a more balanced perspective-thank u!!!