For a diagnosis of adjustment disorder, a person's symptoms must be severe enough to affect his or her work or social life. Some of the symptoms include:

• Agitation
• Conduct disturbances
• Depressed mood
• Palpitations
• Physical complaints
• Trembling or twitching

Symptoms of adjustment disorder typically begin within 3 months of the stressor, and usually do not last longer than 6 months, unless the stressor continues to be present (such as an illness or living in a dangerous neighborhood).

On occasion, symptoms can be severe and the person may have thoughts of suicide or make a suicide attempt.

The following criteria need to be met to establish a diagnosis:

• The symptoms clearly follow a stressor
• The symptoms are more severe than would be expected
• There do not appear to be other underlying disorders
• The symptoms are not part of normal grieving for the death of a loved one