Introduction
Adjustment disorder refers to the condition in which an individual is unable to cope or adjust with an identified stressor. It can occur in either children or adults. This paper looks at the situation in relation to children. It is illustrative to note that an adjustment disorder is an emotional condition that essentially affects one’s temperament, conduct or emotional balance. A victim suffering from adjustment disorder often demonstrates distinct characteristics that were previously absent from his normal conduct. These include; demonstration of depression, anxiety, irritability, among other self-destructive characteristics. There are various types of adjustment disorders.
Types of adjustment disorders
Adjustment disorders can be classified using various categories. However, this paper adopts the category adopted by Mayo Clinic which bases its categorization on the conduct depicted by the person suffering from adjustment disorders. In this categorization, adjustment disorders can be grouped into six main types. They are; adjustment disorder with depressed mood, adjustment disorder with anxiety, adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct, adjustment disorder unspecified, adjustment disorder with a mixed anxiety and depressed mood and adjustment disorder with disturbance of emotions and conduct. These categories seem to suggest the common symptoms of adjustment disorders are depression, disturbance of conduct and anxiety.
Adjustment disorders, therefore, mainly manifest through observable changes in mood, conduct and emotions. Ordinarily, victims often have problems adjusting to new conditions, and as a step towards denial, they change their moods. Weaker victims would portray severe depression, probably because that is their way of expressing denial. The stronger victims would portray anger and unwelcoming emotions towards others. These includes; nagging others, express attacks on their company and assaulting others without any reason. Other victims would demonstrate severe anxiety and express pessimism about the unfolding events.
The tragedy with adjustment disorders is that while diagnosis is easy and outright, medication is not a straight forward process. In addressing the problem, it is imperative that concerned parties identify the cause of stress and prescribe the best ‘medication’ for the victim. The medication is in brackets because for adjustment disorder, the solution does not reside only in pharmacological remedies. Far from it, most of the problems always get solved through application of psychotherapeutic remedies. However, clinicians do prescribe anti- therapy medication for the mitigation of stressors and depression that cause adjustment disorders.
The question put forth, therefore, is exactly how can children be helped to cope with stressors related to adjustment disorders? It is essential to note that adjustment disorders are simply severe stress reaction to a condition or a situation. The condition or situation is what passes out as the stressor. This could be manifested in the loss of a loved one, failure in examinations, state of health such as severe illness or even the station in life which may be unfavourable in the eyes of the child. The stressor has to be effectively coped with by the child. Importantly, regard should be taken of the fact that the victim in these cases is a child. A child, unlike an adult, is believed and rightly so, to be immature and less able to withstand stressors. The approach taken, therefore, ought to be different from that taken in the event the victim is an adult.
The best approach in coping with stressors is accepting the situation or condition. In this case, the child is advised to appreciate the fact that the stressor was inevitable, an act of God or nature, and consequently beyond the control of humanity. A perfect example where this is applicable is seen in light of parental loss. The death of a parent could have been a natural process beyond anybody’s control. The child is best advised to accept the situation. Exactly how does a child learn to accept such situations? First, avail extensive counselling to the child. Professional counsellors often know how to go about the business of settling the emotions of the child. They also know how to bring a child back to reality. They employ professional knowledge to easily remove the child from oblivion and make him or her accept the fact. In fact, it is on record that most adjustment disorders are often solved by some form of counselling if not completely.
Another common stressor could be sexual abuse or harassment. It would be inappropriate to ask a child to accept cases of sexual abuse. In the event of such a stressor, the victim is advised differently. This perhaps sheds light on the different approaches that should be applied in coping with stressors. In cases of sexual abuse, the victim would probably suffer from depression. The abuse often has an adverse effect since it erodes a child’s self-esteem and confidence. The child should, therefore, be advised to be assertive and report to relevant authorities. Concerned parties must deliberately intimate to the child that he or she remains valued in society. This method would help build the child’s self-esteem and help him or her cope with the stressor. For such cases, the activity causing the stress must also be put to an end. Although the child would hardly forget, at least he or she will cope and move on.
Anxiety often is the worst form of the adjustment disorders. An anxious child can hardly be productive. His or her mind is often full of self-doubt and low esteem. The anxiety makes him or her possess negative thoughts. The best method to cope with this condition is to consistently make assurances to the child. Adults or children around the victim must act and conduct themselves in ways that suggest of safety and tolerance. An anxious mind cannot be safe in an intolerant situation. The fear of rejection or failure makes them clumsy and unproductive. Therefore, parents are advised to ensure that such victims feel safe and comfortable.
When a child demonstrates self-destructive emotions such as throwing tantrums unnecessarily, the warning bells of an adjustment disorder are effectively rang. Parents should take note of the warning and undertake complete checks in order to ascertain whether everything is okay. The best method to address the problem often involves isolation from the rest albeit temporarily. This is because the child would probably be harmful to the rest. Such children are more amenable to violence or unruly behaviour especially towards others. Therefore, it is important to ensure the children are isolated and kept under continuous observation. The child should be talked to so as to diffuse the pent-up emotions. It is not adequate to isolate the child. In fact, this could be counterproductive if not well handled. This is because the child may interpret the action as punishment. Ordinarily, parents bring up children with the perception that isolation is a form of punishment and that it amounts to false imprisonment. As such, it is significant to talk to the child during such exclusion. As much as the child is isolated from the rest, the parent or an adult should be around him and talk to him. This is the best time to share stories between the two parties.
Alternatively, coping with stressors could be through the introduction of diversionary activities. The child should be engaged fully so as to divert their attention from the stressor. This applies to stressors that are merely psychological in nature. For instance, if a child is stressed by the fact that they changed residence and he misses his old abode, the parent can engage the child in many time consuming activities. Additionally, it is essential to introduce the child to new friends in the neighbourhood to assist in bridging the gap that could be causing the stress. The parent is best advised to ensure the child enjoys his hobbies. It is logically expected that once comfortable, the stress will easily seep away.
Perhaps the child could be suffering from frustrations from being bullied in school or in the neighbourhood. It is essential for the parent or guardian to identify the actual stressor. Knowing what the child is suffering from leads to an effective address of the problem. The parent must be patient in guiding the child out of the stress. One should not be too fast in seeking the solution. In addition, one must not mix solutions in the hope that the stress would be offset faster. This could be counterproductive as it would only confuse the child and further cause more stress. The child, being the vulnerable being that he or she is, should be gradually encouraged out of the stress. In addition, the parent or guardian must show understanding and affection all the same despite the nature of the stressor. A child would naturally want love and sympathy when he or she is under stress. Failure to demonstrate understanding disappoints the child and worsens the situation.
However, it is essential to take note of the fact that not all stressors ought to be addressed. There are some instances where the best solution is ignoring the stressor and letting the child square it out. This would strengthen the child and prepare him for even tougher challenges. A good example where complete ignorance on the part of the parent is advised is a case in which a boy’s advances have been rejected by a girl. Such cases serve merely to strengthen the boy for the turbulent world of romance. In addition, the boy may be embarrassed and would not like the parents to know of the rejection. An intervention by the parent in such a case only worsens the situation.
In conclusion, stressors manifest in various ways. The overall requirement is that one should identify the stressor and subsequently pursue the best course of action. Adjustment disorders could be severe and failure to help could lead to fatal consequences such as suicide. Children being vulnerable and emotionally immature should be bailed out of adjustment disorders with the urgency they deserve.
References
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