adjustment disorder [L, adjuxtare, to bring together] , a temporary disorder of varying severity that occurs as an acute reaction to overwhelming stress in persons of any age who have no apparent underlying mental disorders. Symptoms include anxiety, withdrawal, depression, impulsive outbursts, crying spells, attention-seeking behavior, enuresis, loss of appetite, aches, pains, and muscle spasms. It can be persistent if symptoms continue for six months or more. It can develop in response to an identifiable stressor and result from situations such as separation of an infant from its mother, the birth of a sibling, loss or change of job, death of a loved one, or forced retirement. Symptoms usually recede and eventually disappear as stress diminishes. See also anxiety disorder.
