Transitional Changes
When you are struggling with stressors due to transitional changes, we encourage you to reach out to close friends and family as well as seek therapy with Transformative Counseling & Wellness. You CAN find support during this challenging time.
What are transitional changes?
Transitional changes are stressors due to a varying degree of adjustments in a person’s everyday life. Depending on the change, a person may struggle with a severity of symptoms associated with the change that can lead to an adjustment disorder.
Adjustment disorder is a stress-related condition that is triggered by an identifiable life transition or stressor, such as single events (like a bad breakup) or can be multiple events (like work problems, struggles at school, financial issues). Stressors can happen to an individual, a family or an entire group (such as disaster survivors). Stressors can also be recurrent (like factors associated with seasonal business) or with specific “milestone” events (like going to school, getting married or retiring).
Adjustment disorder is also called situational depression.
What are the symptoms of an adjustment disorder?
Common physical symptoms:
Being tired, but can’t sleep (insomnia).
Body aches and soreness; thinking that you’re sick.
Headaches or stomachaches.
Heart palpitations.
Sweating hands.
Common behavioral or emotional symptoms:
Acting rebellious, destructive, reckless or impulsive.
Being anxious or agitated, feeling trapped, hopeless.
Crying easily.
Trouble concentrating.
Being withdrawn or isolated; feeling sad; lacking energy or enthusiasm; loss of self-esteem.
Loss of interest in everyday activities.
Changes in eating habits.
Feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
Abusing alcohol or drugs.
Having suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
*Source: Cleveland Clinic - www.clevelandclinic.org
